History
The Ukrainian Premier League (UPL) was founded in 1991, shortly after Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union. It was initially called the Vyshcha Liha (Top League), and consisted of 20 teams. Since then, the league has gone through various changes in its format and name, but has remained the top level of professional football in Ukraine.
League System
The UPL currently consists of 12 teams who play each other twice over the course of a season, for a total of 22 matches per team. The team with the most points at the end of the season is crowned champion, while the bottom two teams are relegated to the second tier, the Persha Liha.
Stats
As of the end of the 2020/21 season, Dynamo Kyiv is the most successful team in the history of the UPL, having won the championship 30 times. Shakhtar Donetsk is not far behind, with 13 championships to their name. The league’s all-time leading scorer is Maksim Shatskikh, who scored 129 goals in 260 appearances for Dynamo Kyiv and Metalist Kharkiv.
Audience
Ukrainian football has a passionate following, with many fans attending matches in person and following the league closely on TV and online. The league has a total average attendance of around 7,000 fans per match, with Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk typically drawing the largest crowds.
Players
The UPL attracts players from all over the world, with many teams featuring a mix of Ukrainian and foreign players. In recent years, Brazilian players have been particularly successful in the league, with several Brazilian stars playing for Shakhtar Donetsk and helping the team win multiple championships. Other notable players who have played in the UPL include Andriy Shevchenko, Serhiy Rebrov, and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.
