The 2017–18 Ukrainian Premier League season was the 27th top level football club competitions since the fall of the Soviet Union and the tenth since the establishment of the Ukrainian Premier League.
The tournament started on 16 July 2017 and ended on 19 May 2018. The relegation play-offs took place on 23 May and 26 May 2018. The league has scheduled to take its winter intermission after Round 19 on 9–10 December 2017 and resume its competition of the Championship with Round 20 on 17 February 2018.
The 10-time winner FC Shakhtar Donetsk were the defending champions.
The league's last season title sponsor, a bookmaker company Parimatch, withdrew from the sponsorship. On 7 July 2017, Pari-Match announced that it had ended its cooperation with the Ukrainian Premier League.Premier-liha and TM Parimatch ended their cooperation (Прем'єр-ліга і TM Parimatch завершили співпрацю). UA-Football. 7 July 2017
Before the start of the season a scandal arose around promotion between the First League clubs FC Desna Chernihiv and NK Veres Rivne when Veres that placed lower in tournament table was admitted to the Premier League ahead of Desna. Later it was announced that Desna might be promoted as well due to rumors around a financial situation of FC Stal Kamianske. The final decision of the league's composition was adopted at the FFU Conference on 16 June 2017.Volkov, A. Stal might withdraw out of the Ukrainian football championship (Сталь может сняться с чемпионата Украины). Football.ua. 14 June 2017Fesun, A. FFU: Stal obtained the license (ФФУ: "Сталь" получила аттестат ). Footboom.com. 15 June 2017
With the ongoing War in Donbas, the Round 2 games started with a minute of silence to commemorate the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who had perished in the ATO zone.All games of the UPL championship round 2 will start with a minute of silence (Усі матчі 2 туру Чемпіонату УПЛ почнуться хвилиною мовчання). Ukrainian Premier League. 21 July 2017
Competition format On 28 April 2017, the Ukrainian Premier League administration announced that its General Assembly of participants adopted decision about changes to the competition format and calendar for the next 2017–18 season. Season 2017–18: 12 clubs, play-off (Сезон-2017/18: 12 клубів, плей-оф!). Ukrainian Premier League. 28 April 2017 Before the assembly, the UPL Administration presented to its clubs five variants of competition format.Hot subject. Clubs were offered five variants of the championship (Горячая тема. Клубам предложили пять вариантов чемпионата). zbirna.com. 15 April 2017
For the next season UPL will keep 12 clubs (that fact was confirmed at the conference of coaches few days prior);In the next season the UPL will have 12 clubs, but its competition format may change (В следующем сезоне в УПЛ будут играть 12 команд, но формат может измениться). football.ua. 24 April 2017 Competition will have two stages, with the first stage having 22 rounds and the second stage after team will split into two six-members groups having 10 more rounds in each group; Team that placed the 12th will be relegated directly to Persha Liha, teams that placed 10th and 11th will play two-leg play-off with the second and third teams of the Persha Liha.
The format was confirmed by the FFU Executive Committee on 30 May 2017.
The draw for the second stage calendar was announced on 10 February and is scheduled to take place three days later on 13 February 2018.There became known when the draw for the UPL championship second stage will take place (Стало известно когда состоится жеребьевка второго этапа чемпионата УПЛ). UA-Football. 10 February 2018
Next season changes and a structural reform On 26 October 2017, the magazine "Futbol" reported quoting the FFU Executive Committee member Artem Frankov that the Ukrainian Premier League at its next earliest session will review a possibility to expand the league back to 16 teams starting since the 2019–20 season.UPL will review a possibility to expand the tournament to 16 teams starting since the 2019-20 season (УПЛ рассмотрит возможность расширения турнира до 16 команд с сезона-2019/20). Sport Arena. 26 October 2017 At the same time number of clubs in the Ukrainian First League will be decreased also to 16 teams.
On 8 November 2017, a conference took place involving officials of the Ukrainian Premier League as well as the Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) where its participants were discussing a reorganization of competition system in professional and amateur football.UPL and FFU discussed a global reform of Ukrainian football and a championship format for the 2018-19 season (УПЛ и ФФУ обсудили глобальную реформу украинского футбола и формат чемпионата на сезон 2018/19). Sport Arena. 8 November 2017 A decision about the reform was adopted by the FFU Executive Committee on 20 June 2017.
Teams
Promotions Two teams were promoted to the league (instead of the relegated FC Dnipro and FC Volyn Lutsk): FC Mariupol (renamed after the previous season)Volkov, A. Sevidov: If borrow 10-12 players from Shakhtar, then who will play against the same Shakhtar? (Севидов: Если арендовать у Шахтера 10-12 футболистов, кто будет играть против самого Шахтера?). Football.ua (interview). 29 May 2017With a common position to the successful future! (Через спільну позицію – до успішного майбутнього!). Ukrainian Premier League. 2 June 2017 – the champion of the 2016–17 Ukrainian First League (returning after two seasons absence) NK Veres Rivne – third place of the 2016–17 Ukrainian First League (returning for the first time since 1994–95, 22 seasons absence)
Location map The following displays the location of teams.
Stadiums Five teams play their matches outside of home towns. The minimum threshold for the stadium's capacity in the UPL is 5,000.
The following stadiums are regarded as home grounds:
RankStadiumPlaceClubCapacityNotes1NSC OlimpiyskiyKyivDynamo Kyiv 70,0502OSC MetalistKharkivShakhtar Donetsk 40,003Used as home ground during the season.3Arena LvivLvivVeres Rivne 34,915Used as home ground during the season.4Chornomorets StadiumOdesaChornomorets Odesa 34,1645Ukraina StadiumLvivKarpaty Lviv 28,051 NK Veres Rivne Round 32 (last round)6Vorskla StadiumPoltavaVorskla Poltava 24,7957Meteor StadiumDniproStal Kamianske 24,381Nominally reserved as the home station for Stal where it played only its first game.8Lobanovsky Dynamo StadiumKyivOlimpik Donetsk 16,873Used as home ground during the season.Dynamo KyivDynamo used the stadium since April 2018 since NSC Olympiyskiy was getting ready to host the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final.9Zirka StadiumKropyvnytskyiZirka Kropyvnytskyi 13,66710Illichivets StadiumMariupolFC Mariupol 12,68011Slavutych-ArenaZaporizhiaZorya Luhansk 12,000Used as home ground during the season.12CSC Nika StadiumOleksandriyaFC Oleksandriya 7,00013Obolon ArenaKyivStal Kamianske 5,100De facto, the home stadium of Stal.
Notes:
Personnel and sponsorship TeamPresidentHead coachAlready 20... (Уже 20...). Ukrainian Premier League. 27 December 2017CaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsorChornomorets Odesa Leonid Klimov Kostyantyn Frolov Serhiy Lyulka Legea GefestDynamo Kyiv Ihor Surkis Alyaksandr Khatskevich Viktor Tsyhankov adidas No to racismKarpaty Lviv Petro Dyminskyi Oleh Boychyshyn Artem Fedetskyi Joma ZIKMariupol Pavlo Rozumnyi Oleksandr Babych Rustam Khudzhamov Nike Favorit SportOleksandriya Serhiy Kuzmenko Volodymyr Sharan Andriy Zaporozhan Nike UkrAhroKomOlimpik Donetsk Vladyslav Helzin Roman Sanzhar Zauri Makharadze Joma Pari-MatchShakhtar Donetsk Rinat Akhmetov Paulo Fonseca Taras Stepanenko Nike SCMStal Kamianske Vardan Israelian Nikolay Kostov Maksym Zaderaka Hummel — Veres Rivne Bohdan Kopytko Andriy Demchenko (interim) Serhiy Borzenko Joma Global DevelopmentVorskla Poltava Roman Cherniak Vasyl Sachko Volodymyr Chesnakov adidas FerrexpoZirka Kropyvnytskyi Maksym Berezkin Roman Monaryov Maksym Drachenko Joma —Zorya Luhansk Yevhen Heller Yuriy Vernydub Oleksandr Karavayev Nike Favorit Sport
Notes: Ever since Darijo Srna was tested positive for doping (dehydroepiandrosterone among others), on 22 September 2017 he voluntarily stopped participation in competitions and on 20 November 2017 he has been suspended by UEFA for the continental competitions.Srna is disqualified for 17 months for doping (Срна дисквалифицирован на 17 месяцев за допинг). Sport Arena. 22 February 2018Srna decided to place a hold on playing for Shakhtar due to doping probe (Срна решил приостановить выступления за Шахтер из-за допинг пробы). Sport Arena. 22 September 2017Srna is suspended from the UEFA competitions (Срна отстранен от соревнований УЕФА). Sport Arena. 20 November 2017 The team's captain for Shakhtar has been served either by Taras Stepanenko or Taison. On 22 February 2018, the disqualification was officially applied and retrospectively including the time he was suspended from competitions. The start time of disqualification was identified as 22 March 2017 (date of test taken) and the end time shall be no earlier than 22 August 2018.
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyTableIncoming managerDate of appointmentTableDynamo Kyiv Serhii RebrovEnd of contract31 May 2017Pre-season Alyaksandr Khatskevich2 June 2017Pre-seasonNK Veres Rivne Yuriy Virt Change of contract6 June 2017 Yuriy Virt6 June 2017Stal Kamianske Leonid KuchukEnd of contract6 June 2017 Yegishe Melikyan25 June 2017Karpaty Lviv Oleg DulubResigned11 June 2017 Sergio Navarro16 June 2017Chornomorets Odesa Oleksandr BabychResigned21 August 201712th Oleksandr Hranovskyi 21 August 201712th Oleksandr Hranovskyi End of interim spell30 August 2017 Oleksiy Chystyakov 30 August 2017 Oleksiy Chystyakov End of interim spell4 September 2017 Oleg Dulub4 September 2017Karpaty Lviv Sergio NavarroSacked14 September 201710th Serhiy Zaytsev14 September 2017Dyachuk-Stavnytskyi: Mazyar and Sevidov won't be in Karpaty (Дячук-Ставицкий: Мазяра и Севидова в Карпатах не будет). Sport-Arena. 27 September 2017Serhiy Zaytsev. FC Karpaty Lviv10thFC Mariupol Oleksandr SevidovMutual consent22 September 20175th Oleksandr Babych22 September 20175thStal Kamianske Yegishe MelikyanResigned25 September 2017Yegishe Melikyan: I won't look for excuses, I am just resigning (Егише Меликян: Оправдываться не буду – подаю в отставку) . FC Stal Kamianske. 24 September 2017 . FC Stal Kamianske. 25 September 201711th Kyrylo Nesterenko 25 September 201711th Kyrylo Nesterenko End of interim spell28 September 2017 Nikolay Kostov28 September 2017Karpaty Lviv Serhiy ZaytsevSacked19 November 2017Drudi fired Zaytsev and sooner than anything will be managing Karpaty himself until the winter break (Друди уволил Зайцева и, скорее всего, сам будет тренером Карпат до зимнего перерыва). Sport Arena. 19 November 201711th Dario Drudi 19 November 2017On Tuesday Karpaty will decide on who will manage the team after Zaytsev (Во вторник Карпаты решат, кто примет команду после Зайцева). Sport Arena. 20 November 201711th Dario Drudi Will work as assistant21 November 2017 Oleh Boychyshyn21 November 2017Chornomorets Odesa Oleg DulubMutual consent22 December 201710th Kostyantyn Frolov23 December 201710thVeres Rivne Yuriy VirtMutual consent29 December 20175th Yury Svirkov30 December 20175th Yury SvirkovResigned25 April 20186th Andriy Demchenko 26 April 20186th Notes:
First stage First stage table
First stage results
First stage positions by round The following table represents the teams position after each round in the competition played chronologically.
Championship round Championship round table
Championship round results
Championship round positions by round
Relegation round Relegation round table
Relegation round results
Relegation round positions by round
Relegation play-offs