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U-19 National League: matches of the first round played
The updated tournament has started — ahead is the first season in a new format
On August 5, 2026, the National League U-19 season for 2026/2027 began. This tournament will be the first after a major overhaul: changes have been made to the format of the games, the composition of participants, and the principles of league exchanges.
You can follow match results, tournament tables, and broadcast announcements on the official website of the U-19 championship:https://u19.uaf.ua/
Results of the first round matches:
What has changed in the U-19 tournament?
At the end of July, the UAF approved a new format for national and regional league competitions in U-19. The direction of reform is to increase competition among youth teams so that participants are formed based on sporting principles and team strength rather than geography or administrative decisions. Only under equal conditions can young football players fully develop. Similar changes have already been implemented in children's and women's tournaments.
National League U-19. Fourteen teams participate in the tournament, which takes place over two rounds following a "fall-winter" system.
Regional League U-19. Clubs and DYSHS are divided into four groups of 8–10 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 series consists of two matches, and teams that lose in the semifinals compete for third place.
Exchange between leagues. The key idea of the reform is open sporting 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 league if 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 twelfth, fourth against eleventh. Each pair plays two matches, with the winner determined by their aggregate score. Thus, every participant in the Regional League has a real sporting path to elite level.
Semi-professional status. Along with the new format, a semi-professional status for clubs is being introduced, which is granted after an assessment. It allows signing labor contracts with footballers on part-time working conditions, legally binding relationships between the club and player, and protecting investments made by the club in youth development.
