In Zakarpattia, the first training camps for the 2026 social project of the Ukrainian Football Association "League of Great Ones" took place. Participants included 11 specialists in amputee football from Ukraine, 22 coaches, 16 referees, as well as two rookie teams — "Steel Bukovyna" (Chernivtsi) and "Pidolie Wolves" (Hmelnytskyi).

Training for Coaches and Referees

Over several days, participants combined theoretical sessions with practical work on the field. The program of the camps included the basics of playing techniques in amputee football, basic tactical principles, rules and specifics of refereeing, psychological preparation, and medical-biological aspects of working with amputee players.

A special focus was on training coaches for the "D" diploma program in amputee football, which 22 coaches underwent.

Photo UAFA

International Experience

The training camps were joined by the head of the Polish amputee football referees' college, instructor of referees and member of the Committee for Development of the World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) Pawel Suszek.

Together with the curator of amputee football refereeing in Ukraine, Dmytro Zaporozhenko, he conducted training lectures for Ukrainian referees and shared his international experience as a judge.

Photo UAFA

Pawel Suszek: "Amputee football in Ukraine has great potential. It's important that the Ukrainian Football Association develops such projects for veterans and veteranesses, as similar initiatives are still lacking in many countries."

My goal was to pass on knowledge and methodology to Ukrainian referees for working at competitions. I'm looking forward to a moment when they call me and say we already have an referee ready to work at international tournaments. This will be an important indicator of the growth of amputee football refereeing in Ukraine."

First Match for Rookie Teams

Within the training camps, a friendly match was held between the teams "Steel Bukovyna" (Chernivtsi) and "Pidolie Wolves" (Hmelnytskyi). The game ended with a victory for the team from Chernivtsi with a score of 2:1.

Photo UAFA

For both teams, this match was an important stage of preparation for official competitions. This weekend the "Pidolie Wolves" and "Steel Bukovyna" will meet on the field in the 1/8 final of the Ukrainian Cup in amputee football.

The camps were realized with the support of the exclusive charitable partner of the League of Great Ones — Mastercard and Oщадbank, as well as partners — "Lvivskie" brand, Canadian-Ukrainian Foundation, and Legacy of War Foundation.