Since Monday, September 18, the women's national team of Ukraine has been in Poland, where they are preparing for their first two matches in the group stage of the inaugural League of Nations tournament.

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

The team is training at the base in Sopot, where they combine practice sessions with theoretical lessons. Fortunately, there are no injuries, and all players called up by head coach Volodymyr Pyatenko 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 — Yana Kotik, Iryna Mayborodina, and Viktoriya Golovach.

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

The blue and yellow team will compete in Group V3, where they will face Poland, Serbia, and Greece.

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

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

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

“It is very important to play for victory in every match, because these are points in the national teams' tally and the actual result. Every team sets maximum goals regardless of which group they end up in. It doesn't matter who we play against, it's important to play for victory.”— Volodymyr Pyatenko noted.

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

Roster 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), Viktoriya Golovach ("Shakhtar" Donetsk), Anna Petrik, Nikole Kozlova, Veronika Andrukhiv (all — "Vorskla" Poltava), Viktoriya Hiron ("Ladomir" Vladimir), Deyana Semkiv ("Kryvbas" Kryvyi Rih), Natiya Pantzulaia, Daria Apanshenko (both — "Zhitelbud-1" Kharkiv), Kristina Pereviznik ("Karagümrük", Turkey).

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

Photo by Pavel Kubanov

Women's League of Nations 2023/2024

Group V3

1st round

September 22, 2023

Ukraine — Serbia

Greece — Poland

2nd round

September 26, 2023

Poland — Ukraine

Serbia — Greece

3rd round

October 27, 2023

Greece — Ukraine

Poland — Serbia

4th round

October 31, 2023

Ukraine — Greece

Serbia — Poland

5th round

December 1, 2023

Ukraine — Poland

Greece — Serbia

6th round

December 5, 2023

Serbia — Ukraine

Poland — Greece

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

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 V1: Ireland, Northern Ireland, Hungary, Albania.

Group V2: Finland, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia.

Group V3: Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Greece.

Group V4: 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 matches at the group stage will be held 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 drop out? Who will play in the playoffs?

League A

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

Four teams that finish third will play against second-placed teams from League B. Winners of these matches will stay in League A; teams that lose will drop down to League B.

Teams finishing fourth will be relegated to League B.

League B

Four group winners advance to League A.

Four teams that finish second will play against third-placed teams from League A. Winners of these matches will stay in League A; teams that lose will drop down to League B.

Three best teams finishing third will play against three best teams finishing second in League C. Winners will remain in League B for qualification; teams that lose will be relegated to League C.

The team with the lowest ranking among those finishing third and four teams finishing fourth will drop down to League C.

League C

Five group winners advance to League B.

Three best teams that finish second will play against three best teams finishing third in League B. Winners of these matches will remain in League B for qualification; teams that lose will drop down to League C.

Other teams will stay in League C.

Matches for promotion/relegation

Pairs are drawn by lot, and matches take place home and away. Teams finishing third in their groups are considered seeded and play the return match at home.