Start of the Regional League U-19: Updated Format, Composition of Participants and Principle of League Exchange

The renewed championship of the Regional League U-19 for the 2026/2027 season will start on September 2.

Start of the Regional League U-19: Updated Format, Composition of Participants and Principle of League Exchange

This draw will be the first after a major tournament update: changes have been made to the competition format, participant lineup, and league exchange principles.

You can follow match results, tournament tables, and broadcast announcements on the official championship website U-19, as well as in the «Regional League U-19» section of the UAF Data Center or via this link.
 


 

Participants of the Regional League U-19-2026/2027 (by regional division)

Group 1

AF "Rock 1911" (Stryi);

"Adrenaline" (Lutsk);

"Galicia" (Drogobych);

DYSS FA Ternopil;

DYFA "Dynamo" (Lviv);

DYFSH "Volyn'" (Lutsk);

KZ DYSS "Bukovyna" (Chernivtsi);

"Pokrova" (Lviv);

"Carpathian Academy" (Lutsk);

"Chornomorskiy" (Odessa).

1st round 02.09.2026

DYSS FA Ternopil — "Adrenaline" (Lutsk)

"Galicia" (Drogobych) — DYFA "Dynamo" (Lviv)

"Pokrova" (Lviv) — DYFSH "Volyn'" (Lutsk)

KZ DYSS "Bukovyna" (Chernivtsi) — "Carpathian Academy" (Lutsk)

 

What has changed in the tournament? U-19?

At the end of July, the Ukrainian Football Association (UFA) approved a new format for National and Regional League competitions. The reform's direction is to increase competition among youth teams so that participants are selected based on sports principles and team strength rather than geography or administrative decisions. In equal competitive conditions, young football players can fully develop.

National League U-19. Fourteen teams participate in the tournament, which takes place over two rounds following a "fall-spring" system.

Regional League U-19. Clubs and DYSS are divided into four groups of 7–10 teams based on territorial principles. In the first stage, teams play two rounds within their groups, after which group winners advance to the playoffs: semifinal pairs are determined by a draw, each match consists of two games, and teams that lose in the semifinals play for third place.

League exchange. The key idea of the reform is an open sports rotation. The team that finishes 14th in the National League drops to the Regional League. The winner of the Regional League advances directly to a higher class, provided they meet the requirements of the regulations and have a professional or semi-professional license. Three more teams get a chance through playoff matches: the second-placed team from RL plays against the 13th-placed team in NL, third against 12th, fourth against 11th. Each pair plays two games, with the winner determined by their combined score. Thus, each participant in the Regional League has a real sports path to the elite level.

More about the new competition format.