The new season will take place in a slightly modified format. Ten teams will participate in the championship. Unfortunately, there were some roster changes — the league lost another participant this time. This time, Kyiv's "Obolon" was removed from the list.

Thus, the format of conducting matches in the elite division has been reviewed. The teams will start their 2025/2026 season with home and away games (18 rounds) according to the standard schedule. After the first stage, two groups of five teams each will be formed, which will play another two rounds (10 matches).

The champion group will determine the winners and three representatives of Ukraine in European cups for the 2026/2027 season. Meanwhile, in the survival group, a tense battle will unfold to retain a place in the elite — only three teams will remain, while two others will be forced to leave the league.

In summary, each team is expected to play 26 matches at the highest level.

Also, clubs agreed that starting from the new season, the calendar of matches will be formed based on basic dates, and the final day and time of the match will be determined by the home club seven days before the game.

The first round will feature these matches:

03.08.2025

"Panthers" (Uman) — "Shakhtar" (Donetsk)

"Ladomir" (Vladimir) — "Vorskla" (Poltava)

"Kryvyi Rih Iron and Steel Plant" (Kryvyi Rih) — "Kolos" (Kovalivka)

"Polissya" (Zhytomyr) — "Metalist 1925" (Kharkiv)

04.08.2025

"EMS-Podillia" (Vinnytsia) — "Sisters" (Odessa)