UAF Executive Committee decisions: full support for Serhiy Rebrov's staff, venues for Ukraine team matches approved, championship regulations ratified

10.07.2024 16:06

On Wednesday, July 10, a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) took place at the House of Football.

The session began with birthday wishes to committee members Kateryna Monzul, Serhiy Rebrov, Oleksandr Kadenko, and Mykola Pavlov. Mykola Pavlov celebrated his 70th birthday, prompting the Executive Committee, per the UAF Statute, to propose to the UAF Congress to confer the title of Honorary Member of the UAF upon the legendary figure of Ukrainian football, esteemed coach Mykola Pavlov.

Photo by Dan Balashov

Among other agenda items, the UAF Executive Committee discussed the performances of the national teams. Following discussions on the national team's performances and upon the proposal of UAF President Andriy Shevchenko, full support was expressed for Serhiy Rebrov and his coaching staff. This proposal was unanimously supported by all committee members. Serhiy Rebrov expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him and emphasized his belief in the team's potential.

Photo by Dan Balashov

Additionally, the Executive Committee approved the venues for Ukraine's home matches in the UEFA Nations League. As previously announced, in September, the team will host Albania in Prague (match scheduled for the 7th). In October, nominally home matches against Georgia (on the 11th) and the Czech Republic (on the 14th) will be held in Poznan and Wroclaw, Poland, respectively.

Furthermore, the Executive Committee approved regulations for the upcoming season of the Ukrainian Premier League (UPL) and Professional Football League (PFL). A new composition of the UAF Ethics and Fair Play Committee was also approved.

"This was a very important Executive Committee meeting as we are about to start national championships among professional men's teams. Relevant regulations that will be effective throughout the next season were approved.

It is needless to say the importance of football competitions during the war on Ukrainian soil—they not only demonstrate our unbreakable spirit but also showcase to the world our aspiration for normal life.

Photo by Dan Balashov

During the UAF Executive Committee meeting, the results of Ukraine's performance at EURO 2024 were also reviewed. It was noted that despite the challenging situation in the country, our main team managed to qualify for the European Championship. However, the team did not meet expectations and did not advance from the group stage. The main reason was a disappointing first match where we lost to Romania. Unfortunately, we couldn't improve the situation in subsequent matches, although Serhiy Rebrov's team managed to earn four points — our best result in all European final tournaments.

I would like to emphasize that the UAF has created all the conditions for the high-quality preparation of the national team for EURO 2024. It should be noted that Serhiy Rebrov took over the team after the start of the qualifying cycle, which was also taken into account when evaluating the work of the coaching staff. Overall, the UAF Executive Committee supported the development direction of the national team and expressed full trust and support for Serhiy Rebrov's coaching staff.

Currently, the task of the national team is to prepare for the UEFA Nations League matches, which will begin in September, and for the qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Before the start of the national team's participation in the Nations League, we will analyze its performances, as well as those of the two youth teams and the Olympic team, at the meeting of the national teams' committee," commented UAF President Andriy Shevchenko on the Executive Committee's outcomes.

More details about other decisions of the Executive Committee will be announced soon on the UAF official website.