The 2024–25 Ukrainian First League was the 34th football league season since its establishment. The league competition consisted of 18 teams. The competition took place during the ongoing war with the Russia since late February 2022.
The season started with an opening match of the season on 7 August 2024 between Ahrobiznes and Metalist in Volochysk. Most of the other Round 1 matches were played in the following day, 8 August 2024.
Format The PFL has decided to keep the split group format of double round-robin tournaments with 9 teams in group, total 18 teams. The number of teams has been reduced to 18 compared to the 20 last season. Similar to the last season the top teams will qualify for the promotion tournament, four from each, while less fortunate teams, five from each, will qualify for the relegation tournament. Due to odd number of teams in both groups of the first stage, the second stage groups, promotion and relegation, will not have even number of teams. In total the first stage will have 18 rounds with 72 matches in each group, 16 for each team.
The second stage will have another two groups one for promotion to the top tier, another for relegation to the tier below. The promotion group tournament will consist of 8 teams, top 4 teams from each group (A and B) of the first stage. The teams' record from the previous stage will be grandfathered in full. Each team in the promotion group will play 8 matches with the best four teams of the other group of the first stage (home and away). In total there will be 32 matches. The top two teams of the promotion group will get promotion rights to the Ukrainian Premier League, while the next two teams (3rd and 4th places) would receive a chance to get promotion rights through play-off match-up with the top tier teams.
The teams that would place 5th through 9th in each group (A and B) in the first stage will form the relegation group. The teams' record from the previous stage will be grandfathered in full as well. Each 10 teams of the relegation group will play 10 matches with the 5 teams of the other group of the first stage (home and away). In total there will be 50 matches. The bottom three teams (places 8-10) will gain direct relegation to the tier below (Druha Liha/Ukrainian Second League), while teams that would place 6th and 7th will meet with runners-up of the Druha Liha in play-off match-ups to contest their place in the league.
Emergency changes Following the withdrawal of FC Khust in September 2024, the Professional Football League adopted following decisions: If a First League team is withdrawn and has not played fifty percent of the matches in the first stage of the First League competition, then the points scored in the first stage of the competition with that team will be annulled (scratched). After completing the first stage, this team automatically takes the last place in the respective group, and after completing the second stage, it automatically takes the last place in the Relegation group. If a team is withdrawn from group A, then the points scored in group B with the team with the lowest place in the tournament table of this group are annulled, for the teams of the corresponding group, in the second stage of the competition (for the teams of the Championship group) and remain (counted) (for teams of the Elimination group), a similar approach is used when removing a team from group B.
Teams This season, Ukrainian First League consisted of 18 teams.
Promoted teams Two teams were promoted at the end of the 2023–24 Ukrainian Second League. UCSA Tarasivka – playoff winner (debut) FC Kudrivka – placed 7th (debut, replacing "Kudrivka-Nyva")
Relegated teams Two teams were relegated at the end of the 2023–24 Ukrainian Premier League. Metalist 1925 Kharkiv – 16th placed (returning after three seasons) FC Mynai – 15th placed (returning after four seasons)
Administrative issues Temporary relocation Due to the Russian military aggression, three clubs in the league were forced to relocate. FC Metalist Kharkiv moved to Uzhhorod FSC Mariupol moved to Boryspil FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv moved to Zolocha community (Kyiv suburb)
Withdrawn FC Kudrivka which has its teams in both Chernihiv and Kyiv regions (representing Irpin) merged and took over Nyva Buzova (Irpin city area). The club withdrew its original team from the lower tier for this season. Due to withdrawal of the Ukrainian Second League (tier 3) champion Druzhba Myrivka, FC Khust, which was defeated in play-off match-up against PFC Zviahel, was allowed to remain in the Persha Liha (tier 2) competitions. On 21 June 2024, it was announced that Podoliany Ternopil (2023–24 AAFU debutants) are planned to merge with FC Khust as FC Khust-Podoliany. The merging was not done. FSC Mariupol, after missing 2 calendar matches in the first half of the season, allowed to stay in the league despite regulations. On March 10, 2025, the head coach of the club announced that an official letter that the club withdraws from competitions will be sent the next day on March 11.Краснопьоров: 11 березня буде відправлено офіційний лист про зняття Маріуполя з Першої ліги. sportarena.com. 10 March 2025 About a week later, in internet news media appeared information about that an amateur club, Feniks Pidmonastyr (2024–25 amateurs), has agreed and was approved to play under FSC Mariupol brand.Любительский клуб из Львовской области может попасть в Первую лигу. sport.ua. 17 March 2025Красноперов рассказал, будет ли ФСК Мариуполь поглощен другим клубом. sport.ua. 17 March 2025 On March 19, it was announced that Feniks is ready to pay the Mariupol's debt of 5 million hryvnia.Аматорский клуб ведет работу по объединению с командой ФСК Мариуполь. sport.ua. 19 March 2025 Next day it was confirmed that the "replacement" will go into effect and in the second half of March will take part in a traditional local Juzst Memorial tournament.Любительский клуб из Львовской области заменит команду Первой лиги. sport.ua. 20 March 2025Приехали свободные агенты. Спасенный ФСК Мариуполь пригласил новых игроков. sport.ua. 21 March 2025Новый тренер ФСК Мариуполь определился с помощниками. sport.ua. 25 March 2025Еще 5 новичков. Стали известны имена новых руководителей ФСК Мариуполь. sport.ua. 26 March 2025 On 24 March 2025, the general director of Feniks explained that until the end of the season the club will be playing as Feniks-Mariupol.Юрій Павлишин: «Ребрендинг буде, але зараз будемо виступати в Першій лізі як «Фенікс-Маріуполь». ua.tribuna.com. 24 March 2025
PFC Zviahel – promoted as a playoff winner to debut, but withdrawn before the season started Kudrivka-Nyva – partially merged during the last season's winter break, the club completed merger Druzhba Myrivka – winner of the 2023–24 Ukrainian Second League withdrawn from competitions FC Khust – after playing only three matches, the club announced that it withdraws from the league. On the moment of its announcement, it lost all its 3 matches and was placing the last 9th position.
Location map The following displays the location of teams.
Stadiums
The following stadiums were used as home grounds for the teams in the competition. RankStadiumLocationCapacityClubNotes 1Dynamo imeni Lobanovskoho Kyiv 16,873 Metalist 1925 Kharkivused as home ground in 1 match 2Miskyi imeni Shukhevycha Ternopil 15,150 Nyva Ternopil 3Bukovyna Chernivtsi 12,000 Bukovyna Chernivtsi 4Slavutych-Arena Zaporizhzhia 11,883 Metalurh Zaporizhzhia 5Avanhard Uzhhorod 10,383 Metalist Kharkivused as home ground during the season 6Cherkasy Arena Cherkasy 10,321 Viktoriya Sumyused as home ground in 3 match 7Podillia Khmelnytskyi 6,800 Podillia Khmelnytskyi 8Rukh Ivano-Frankivsk 6,500 Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk 9Kolos Boryspil, Kyiv Oblast 5,654 FSC Mariupolused as home ground during the first half of the season Viktoriya Sumyused as home ground in 4 matches 10Karpaty Khust, Zakarpattia Oblast 5,200 FC Khust 11Arena Livyi Bereh Zolocha hromada, Kyiv Oblast 4,700 Metalist 1925 Kharkivused as home ground during the season 12Skif Stadium Lviv 3,742 Feniks-Mariupolused as home ground during the second half of the season 13Yunist Stadium Volochysk, Khmelnytskyi Oblast 2,700 Ahrobiznes Volochysk 14imeni Tonkocheyeva Kamianets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast 2,587 Epitsentr Kamianets-Podilskyi 15 Yunist Stadium Horishni Plavni, Poltava Oblast 2,500 Kremin Kremenchukused as home ground during the season SC Poltavaused as home ground in 1 match16imeni BannikovaKyiv 1,678UCSA TarasivkaViktoriya Sumyused as home ground in 2 matches17Mynai ArenaMynai, Zakarpattia Oblast 1,312FC Mynai 18Mashynobudivnyk Karlivka, Poltava Oblast 1,300 Kremin Kremenchukused as home ground in 1 match 19Stadium Yuvileinyi Bucha, Kyiv Oblast 1,028 FC Kudrivkaused as home ground in 8 matches 20Molodizhnyi Poltava 680 SC Poltava 21Dinaz Demydiv, Kyiv Oblast 500 Dinaz Vyshhorod Kremin Kremenchukused as home ground in 1 match Viktoriya Sumyused as home ground in 1 match 22Kudrivka Arena Kudrivka, Chernihiv Oblast 500 FC Kudrivkaused as home ground in 3 matches 23FC LNZ training base Heronymivka, Cherkasy Oblast 300 Viktoriya Sumyused as home ground in 2 matches
Notes:
Personnel and sponsorship TeamPresidentHead coachCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor Ahrobiznes Volochysk Oleh Sobutskyi Oleksandr Chyzhevskyi Roman Bilyi Nike Ahrobiznes Bukovyna Chernivtsi Andriy Safronyak Hryhoriy Churilov (caretaker) Vitaliy Koltsov Nike Dmart Dinaz Vyshhorod Yaroslav Moskalenko Oleksandr Holovko Andriy Voloshyn Nike Цар ХлібСергій Старенький: Діназ робитиме акцент на молоді. ukr-futbol.com. 29 June 2023 Epitsentr Kamianets-Podilskyi Ivan Chernonoh Serhiy Nahornyak Andriy Bezhenar Macron Епіцентр Khust Mykhaylo Madyarchyk Volodymyr Tsytkin Bohdan Pavlych Joma — Kremin Kremenchuk Serhii Kovnir (vacant) Oleksandr Dykhtiaruk SWIFT TERMINAL-MK Kudrivka Roman Solodarenko Vasyl Baranov Anton Yashkov Nike — Feniks-Mariupol Oleksandr YaroshenkoYuriy Pavlyshyn Maksym Feshchuk Andriy Bohdanov Joma Kyrrex Metalist Kharkiv Oleksandr Yaroslavskyi Andriy Anishchenko Vladyslav Rybak Joma —Металіст втратив свого багаторічного титульного спонсора DCH. www.ua-football.com. 5 August 2024 Metalist 1925 Kharkiv Volodymyr Nosov Oleksandr Chyzhov (caretaker) Maksym Imerekov Puma WhiteBIT Metalurh Zaporizhzhia Maksym Lupashko Coaching crew Dmytro Krapyvnyi Legea Weltum Mynai Valeriy Peresolyak Yevhen Kalynychenko Oleh Vyshnevskyi Kelme FavBet Nyva Ternopil Oleksandr Stadnyk Yuriy Virt Arsen Slotyuk Kelme — Podillya Khmelnytskyi Yevhen Beiderman Serhiy Kovalets Oleksandr Tsybulnyk Kelme Kolvi Poltava Serhiy Ivashchenko Volodymyr Sysenko Vladyslav Danylenko Joma КВП Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk Vasyl Olshanetskyi Oleh Rypan Vasyl Tsyutsyura Joma — UCSA Tarasivka Serhiy Lesnyk Ivan Ostapov (caretaker) Anton Yevdokymov Kelme — Viktoriya Sumy Serhiy Bondarenko Anatoliy Bezsmertnyi Dmytro Ulyanov Puma — Notes:
Managerial changes