Last Sunday, September 17, the women's national team of Ukraine gathered in Kyiv and then departed for Poland to prepare for and participate in the first two matches of the group stage of the inaugural League of Nations tournament.

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

Today, September 18, the Ukrainian delegation will arrive in Gdansk. The players based abroad will join them there as well. From Monday to Thursday, the team will train at a base in Sopot, combining training sessions with theoretical lessons. Fortunately, there are no injuries, and all players called up by assistant coach Volodymyr Pyatenko for the gathering are preparing for the start of the competition.

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

We remind you that 23 players have been included in the squad, and for the first time, three players have been invited to the national team lineup — Yana Kotik, Iryna Mayborodina, and Viktoriia Holiach.

The blue-and-yellow team will compete in Group C3, where they will face teams from Poland, Serbia, and Greece.

The first round match Ukraine vs. Serbia is scheduled for September 22 in the Polish town of Starogard Gdański at Kazimierz Deyna City Stadium (kick-off at 16:00 Kyiv time). The second-round match Poland vs. Ukraine will take place on September 26 (19:00).

Squad of the Ukrainian Women's National Team

Goalkeepers: Kateryna Samson ("Vorskla" Poltava), Daria Kelyushyk ("Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih), Kateryna Boklach ("Marseille", France).

Defenders: Kateryna Korsun, Yana Kotik, Iryna Podolska, Iryna Kotyash (all — "Vorskla" Poltava), Anastasiia Voronina ("Kolos" Kovalevka), Lyubov Shmatko ("Galatasaray", Turkey).

Midfielders: Iryna Mayborodina ("Kolos" Kovalevka), Viktoriia Holiach ("Shakhtar" Donetsk), Anna Petrik, Nikole Kozlova, Veronika Andrukhiv (all — "Vorskla" Poltava), Viktoriia Gyrin ("Ladomir" Volodymyr), Deyana Semkiv ("Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih), Natiya Pansulaia, Daria Apaanychenko (both — "Zhitelbud-1" Kharkiv), Kristina Perewiznik ("Karagümrük", Turkey).

Forwards: Yana Kalinina, Roxolana Kravchuk (both — "Vorskla" Poltava), Olena Ovdiiychuk ("Fomget", Turkey), Inna Hlushchenko ("Nice", France).

The Women's League of Nations 2023/2024

Group C3

Round 1

September 22, 2023

Ukraine — Serbia

Greece — Poland

Round 2

September 26, 2023

Poland — Ukraine

Serbia — Greece

Round 3

October 27, 2023

Greece — Ukraine

Poland — Serbia

Round 4

October 31, 2023

Ukraine — Greece

Serbia — Poland

Round 5

December 1, 2023

Ukraine — Poland

Greece — Serbia

Round 6

December 5, 2023

Serbia — Ukraine

Poland — Greece

The Draw Results of the Women's League of Nations 2023/2024

League A

Group A1: England, Netherlands, Belgium, Scotland.

Group A2: France, Norway, Austria, Portugal.

Group A3: Germany, Denmark, Iceland, Wales.

Group A4: Sweden, Spain, Italy, Switzerland.

League B

Group B1: Ireland, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Albania.

Group B2: Finland, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia.

Group B3: Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Greece.

Group B4: Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus.

League C

Group C1: Malta, Moldova, Latvia, Andorra.

Group C2: Turkey, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Georgia.

Group C3: Azerbaijan, Montenegro, Cyprus, Faroe Islands.

Group C4: Israel, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Armenia.

Group C5: North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bulgaria.

How will the matches in groups take place?

All group stage matches will be played according to the usual format — home and away against each opponent in the group. Three points will be awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss.

Who will qualify? Who will play in the promotion/relegation matches?

League A

The top two teams in each group remain in League A for qualification to the European Championship 2025.

Four teams finishing third will play against four teams finishing second in League B groups. Winners of these matches will qualify for League A, while losers will drop down to League B.

Teams finishing fourth will be relegated to League B.

League B

Four group winners will move up to League A.

Four teams finishing second will play against four teams finishing third in League A groups. Winners of these matches will qualify for League A, while losers will drop down to League B.

Three best-placed third-place finishers from League B will play against three best-placed second-place finishers from League C. Winners will remain in League B, while losers will be relegated to League C.

The lowest-ranked team finishing third and four teams finishing fourth will drop down to League C.

League C

Five group winners will move up to League B.

Three best-placed second-place finishers from League C will play against three best-placed third-place finishers from League B. Winners will remain in League B, while losers will drop down to League C.

Other teams will remain in League C.

Matches for Promotion/Relegation

Pairs are drawn and matches played home and away. Teams finishing third in their groups are seeded and play the return match at home.