Official: UAF Executive Committee decides replacement for SC Dnipro-1 in UPL to be determined by playoff tournament

22.07.2024 14:01

On July 22, the UAF Executive Committee convened at the House of Football and decided on the process to determine the team that will replace SC Dnipro-1 in the UPL.

As a reminder, on July 19, the General Assembly of the Ukrainian Premier League participants considered a letter from SC Dnipro-1 (Dnipro) regarding their withdrawal from the 2024/2025 season competitions and granted their request.

It is worth noting that such a situation, where a team withdraws from the competition just before the start of the season, is not stipulated in the regulations.

Therefore, based on one of the UPL proposals that best meets the sporting criteria in this situation, the UAF Executive Committee approved the decision that the team replacing Dnipro-1 in the UPL will be determined through a playoff tournament involving four clubs (Mynai, Metalist 1925, Livyi Bereh, and Epicenter). The winner of this tournament will play in the UPL in the 2024/2025 season.

The tournament will consist of semifinals and a final, which will be held on July 26 and 30. A blind draw will determine the semifinal pairings. If the winner is not decided in regular time, a penalty shootout will follow immediately. The UPL has been tasked with organizing the matches, involving representatives from the PFL. The draw for the semifinal pairs will be conducted by the UPL today, July 22.

Regarding SC Dnipro-1’s request to retain professional status, the club must apply to the PFL for league membership and, if approved, will have the right not to participate in competitions this season, with the possibility of returning to PFL competitions next season, provided they obtain the appropriate license.

Additionally, the UAF Executive Committee approved the principle that in the next season, the teams that finish in the last and second-to-last places in the UPL cannot claim to retain their elite division status in the event of a similar situation. This right will be granted to the clubs playing in the playoffs. The corresponding changes to the regulations are to be made soon.