The 2025–26 Ukrainian Second League is the 35th since its establishment. Due to regular airstrikes by the Russian Armed Forces, restrictions were implemented for attendance, with many games being played without spectators.
On 17 June 2025, the 35th PFL Conference determined the general composition of the competition and its format. As in the previous season, the competitions were planned to be held in two groups, split geographically, with one group consisting of 11 teams and another 12. The conference approved admission of 4 amateur teams from the AAFU competition and 3 teams from various junior competitions. Five teams decided to withdraw their participation in the third-tier competition.
The competitions were determined to start on 26 July 2025 and consist of a triple round robin format with two rounds held in summer-fall and one more in spring. It was also decided to preserve the post-season mini-tournaments, such as the first-place and third-place match-ups, as well as promotion/relegation between the first and the second leagues.
Teams Promoted teams Four teams have been promoted from the 2024–25 Ukrainian Football Amateur League: Atlet Kyiv – 2nd place of Group 2 (debut) FC Lisne – 1st place of Group 1 (debut) Penuel Kryvyi Rih – 8th place of Group 2 (debut) Rebel Kyiv – 4th place of Group 2 (debut) Three second teams have been added: Livyi Bereh-2 Kyiv – (debut, formed based on Livyi Bereh U-19 that competed in the Ukrainian Premier League last season) Bukovyna-2 Chernivtsi – (debut, formed based on Bukovyna U-19 that competed in the DYuFLU competitions last season) Chornomorets-2 Odesa – (returning, last competed in the 2019–20 season, formed based on Chornomorets U-19 that competed in the Ukrainian Premier League)
Relegated teams Two teams were relegated from the 2024–25 Ukrainian First League. Kremin Kremenchuk – 17th placed (returning, after six seasons) Dinaz Vyshhorod – 16th placed (returning, after three seasons)
Expelled and withdrawn teams Kremin Kremenchuk - received a "temporary inactive status" by the Professional Football League Revera 1908 Ivano-Frankivsk - received a "temporary inactive status" by the Professional Football League Due to the withdrawal of FC Mynai less than two weeks before the start of the competitions, the relegation of Metalurh Zaporizhzhia was reverted; thereby, the Group B participation pool and calendar where Metalurh was drawn in were adjusted accordingly. On 21 November 2025, FC Lisne was expelled with just three matches left in the second round-robin after the club failed to arrive at another game.ОФІЦІЙНО. УАФ виключила клуб з учасників чемпіонату України. sport.ua. 21 November 2025 At the time of disqualification, FC Lisne played 17 games, out of which it won 8, tied 3, and lost 6 with 32 goals scored and 30 conceded.
Location map and stadiums
Stadiums Group A Team Stadium Position in2024–25Skala 1911 Stryi SokilSokil, LvivOlimpiya, Chernivtsi 3rdKulykiv-Bilka Arena Kulykiv 4thPolissya-2 Zhytomyr club's training field, Hlybochytsia 5thUzhhorod Avanhard 6thVilkhivtsiVilkhivtsi Arena 7thSambir-Nyva-2 Ternopil imeni Brovarskoho, Sambir 8thNyva Vinnytsia Nyva training base 9th (Group B)Real Pharma Odesa Ivan 10thLisne Tsentralnyi imeni Brukvenka, Makarivimeni Bannikova, Kyiv AMAtlet Kyiv AtletLivyi Bereh training complex (artificial field #4) AMBukovyna-2 Chernivtsi Bukovynaimeni Tonkocheyeva, Kamianets-PodilskyiOlimpiya — Group B Team Stadium Position in2023–24Dinaz VyshhorodDinaz Stadium, Demydiv 1LKolos-2 KovalivkaTsentralnyi imeni Melnyka, ObukhivTsentralnyi imeni Brukvenka, MakarivArsenal Arena, ShchaslyveArsenal Arena (indoor), Shchaslyve 1stLokomotyv Kyiv imeni BannikovaArsenal Arena (indoor), Shchaslyve 3rdOleksandriya-2 OlimpNika-plius 4thHirnyk-Sport Horishni Plavni Yunist 5thTrostianets imeni Kutsa 6thChaika Kolos training field, S.BorshchahivkaTsentralnyi imeni Brukvenka, Makariv 7thRebel Kyiv imeni BannikovaLivyi Bereh training complex (artificial field #4) AMPenuel Kryvyi Rih imeni Povoroznyuka, Volodymyrivka AMChornomorets-2 Odesa Complex "Lyustdorf", Lymanka —Livyi Bereh-2 Kyiv Livyi Bereh training complexLivyi Bereh training complex (artificial field #4) — Notes:
[—] – The dash sign indicates that the club was admitted to the Second League without participation in the AAFU championship last season. 1L – indicates participants of the 2024–25 Ukrainian First League Am – indicates participants of the 2024–25 AAFU championship
Managers ClubHead coachReplaced coach Atlet Kyiv Dmytro Murashenko Bukovyna-2 Chernivtsi Dmytro Yefimov Chaika Petropavlivska Borshchahivka Vadym Khokhlov Chornomorets-2 Odesa Denys Kolchin Anatoliy Didenko Dinaz Vyshhorod Oleksandr Holovko Hirnyk-Sport Horishni Plavni Dmytro Palapa Jovan Markoski Kulykiv-Bilka Serhiy Atlasyuk Kolos-2 Kovalivka Artem Starhorodskyi Lisne Vadym Melnyk Oleksandr Ryabokon Livyi Bereh-2 Kyiv Vyacheslav Nivinskyi Lokomotyv Kyiv Serhiy Karpenko Nyva Vinnytsia Yuriy Yaroshenko Sambir-Nyva-2 Ternopil Roman Marych Oleksandriya-2 Viktor Bytsiura Volodymyr Sharan Penuel Kryvyi Rih Ihor Solodenko Polissya-2 Zhytomyr Oleksandr Maksymov Real Pharma Odesa Valentyn Poltavets (caretaker) Rebel Kyiv Maksym Demskyi Skala 1911 Stryi Oleksandr Stepanov Roman Hnativ Trostianets Yuriy Bakalov Uzhhorod Yaromyr Loboda Vilkhivtsi Oleksandr Semerenko
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing head coachManner of departureDate of vacancyTableIncoming head coachDate of appointment Bukovyna-2 Chernivtsinew teamPre-season Dmytro Yefimov 16 June 2025Chaika Petropavlivska BorshchahivkaIhor LutsenkoEnd of contract30 May 2025Vadym Khokhlov15 June 2025Kolos-2 KovalivkaVolodymyr BondarenkoSacked9 June 2025Artem Starhorodskyi9 June 2025 Chornomorets-2 Odesa Andriy Ushchapovskyi Change of role 9 June 2025 Anatoliy Didenko 9 June 2025 Livyi Bereh-2 Kyiv Andriy Havryushov Made the club's manager 10 June 2025 Vyacheslav Nivinskyi 30 June 2025Lokomotyv KyivNazar Kozak (acting)Change of role27 June 2025Serhiy Karpenko27 June 2025SC VilkhivtsiOleksiy ZorinEnd of contract1 July 2025Oleksandr Semerenko1 July 2025Polissya-2 ZhytomyrKishan HautamEnd of contractOleksandr Maksymov1 July 2025Hirnyk-Sport Horishni PlavniValeriy KutsenkoSigned with Vorskla2 July 2025 Jovan Markoski2 July 2025FC LisneDenys SkepskyiChange of role9 July 2025Oleksandr Ryabokon9 July 2025Oleksandr RyabokonLeft for Livyi Bereh6 October 20253rd (Group A)Vadym Melnyk6 October 2025FC Oleksandriya-2Viktor BytsiuraChange of role2 October 20255th (Group B)Volodymyr Sharan3 October 2025Chornomorets-2 OdesaAnatoliy DidenkoSwapped for FC Seasters8 January 20268th (Group B)Denys Kolchin16 January 2026Skala 1911 StryiRoman HnativDismissed (no details)7 February 20265th (Group A)Oleksandr Stepanov17 March 2026Hirnyk-Sport Horishni Plavni Jovan MarkoskiSigned with Radnički Ob.29 January 20269th (Group B)Dmytro Palapa20 March 2026FC Oleksandriya-2Volodymyr SharanSigned with Oleksandriya23 March 20265th (Group B)Viktor Bytsiura24 March 2026
Notes:
Group A league table
Group A results
Additional notes:
Group A results by week
Notes: In this table, starting from the Round of 20 for FC Lisne, all their matches were awarded as technical losses (-:+), while their opponents received technical victories (+:-).
Group A goalscorers