Ukrainian Amateur Football Championship
Ukrainian Amateur Football Championship (Ukrainian: Чемпіонат України з футболу серед аматорів) is an annual association football competition in Ukraine among amateur teams.
| Founded | 1964 / 1997 |
|---|---|
| Country | Ukraine (AAFU) |
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Divisions | 1 |
| Level on pyramid | 4 |
| Promotion to | Ukrainian Second League |
| Relegation to | Ukrainian Regional Football Championships |
| Domestic cup(s) | Ukrainian Amateur Cup |
| International cup(s) | none (in 1999-2015 – UEFA Regions' Cup) |
| Current champions | VPK-Ahro Shevchenkivka |
| Most championships | 8 clubs (2 titles) |
| Website | Official site |
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The championship replaced the Soviet competitions among collectives of physical culture (KFK).
Competition organization
Current format
Votrans
LSTM
Dnipro-1-Borysfen
Peremoha
Lehioner
Majority participating teams compete in the Ukrainian Amateur football competition while competing in their regional (oblast) football championships. There are no requirements or restrictions on amount of representation from each region and is on voluntary (and/or invitational) basis. There is no relegation. The pool of teams, competition organization, and season regulations are reviewed on annual basis.
Since 2014, there is an intention to integrate the amateur competitions in the national football league system, so there would be systematic and well understood promotion and relegation process. The number of groups was reduced and their size was increased, yet to the point for the participating teams still be able to compete in their respective regional competitions. Since the recent reorganization, the competition format still preserved its two phases: the first being several multi-team groups divided by geographic principle, the second is a play-off among the groups leaders to identify the season champion.
There is also an idea to reform the competition as a semi-pro regional league competitions, possibly combining with the existing professional Druha Liha (Ukrainian Second League). As the effort to reintegrate the competition into the national league system, the competitions changed back again to fall-spring calendar in 2016 synchronizing the competition's calendar with professional-level championship.
All participating teams may apply to be admitted to Druha Liha (Ukrainian Second League) irrelevant to their placement in a given season of the amateur championship.
During the 2017–18 Ukrainian Football Amateur League, 26 teams were split into three groups with top teams advancing to the league's playoffs starting at quarterfinals.
Previously in 2016–17 Ukrainian Football Amateur League, 24 teams were split into two groups with winners advancing to the final game on a neutral field.
Competitions in Soviet Ukraine (competitions among KFK teams)
Created in 1964, the championship originally consisted of 5 to 6 groups based on geographic principle. Each group consisted of about 8-10 teams and later grew to around 16. All teams within own groups played each other home and away games as per round robin principle. Each group winners were advancing to finals which were conducted at predesignated location with a single game round robin tournament.
The original (first) members were:
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Since 1973 the winner of that final tournament was granted an opportunity to advance to the Soviet Second League.
Competitions in independent Ukraine
The Soviet format stayed until 1997, when there was created the Association of Amateur Football of Ukraine (AAFU).
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, amateur competitions were shifted to the fall/spring calendar. The group winners, however instead of continuing to the final pool as before, were actually promoted to intermediate level, so called "Transitional League" which existed for just several years as a semi-professional tournament.
In 1996 and 1997 there took place a reorganization of all competitions under auspices of the Football Federation of Ukraine. Clubs that were competing at professional level, in 1996 organized the Professional Football League of Ukraine. The national amateur competitions were reorganized as AAFU. In 1997 the competition format also changed and there was reintroduced the final pool to identified the national winner of the amateur competition. The new format basically consisted of two stages with a final tournament chosen in the preselected city as previously in the Soviet competition. The size of groups was reduced as the number of teams decreased. In 1999, the competition calendar changed back to spring-fall competition so called all-summer event from the "european" fall/spring calendar.
In 2000 the league competitions changed again introducing extra stage (third) to avoid sudden withdrawals and eliminate financially suffering teams. In 2005 it was decided to eliminate the final game while still continue with the final tournament. In 2008 another change followed, which reduced the format back to two stages, however that did not solve the problem to increase the number of teams in the competition.
In 2010 there was an idea to incorporate the Amateur Association into the PFL as the Third League, eliminating the national amateur competition. The 2010 season also saw a record low number of participants in the competition, a pattern that might eliminate the association naturally in any case, due to poor management.
In 2016 it was decided to change back to fall-spring calendar with intention to reincorporate the amateur tier back to the Ukrainian football league structure. The competition in 2016 was shortened and later that year there started new season 2016-17. Number of groups has been reduced and number of teams in each group was increased, thus turning competitions into a true league competitions. Also the PFL announced that all clubs will be required to participate in the amateur tier before being admitted to professional level. Yet the declaration was left to be as empty and some teams were allowed to skip the amateur tier on various dubious excuses. Another declaration of the PFL stating that the league will expunge the last placed teams has been consistent, yet more than often teams relegated from professional level were simply liquidated by owners.
Notable clubs
There are former amateur and KFK teams that eventually made it to the Ukrainian Premier League.
FC Mariupol (former Lokomotyv Zhdanov), Stal Kamianske (former Metalurh Dniprodzerzhynsk), Nyva Ternopil (former Nyva Berezhany), Torpedo Zaporizhia, Naftovyk Okhtyrka, Vorskla Poltava, Kremin Kremenchuk, Stal Alchevsk (former Stal Komunarsk), Kolos Kovalivka, FC Mynai, Inhulets–Pyatykhatska Petrove, Rukh Lviv–Vynnyky
Winners
In bold are identified clubs that were granted professional status and were promoted to the Ukrainian Second League.
Association of Amateur Football of Ukraine (AAFU)
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Third (semifinalists) | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | |
33 | ||
| 2018–19 | VPK-Ahro Shevchenkivka | Viktoriya Mykolaivka | FC LNZ-Lebedyn FC Malynsk |
35 |
| 2017–18 | Viktoriya Mykolaivka | Tavriya-Skif Rozdol | Rochyn Sosnivka ODEK Orzhiv |
26 |
| 2016–17 | Ahrobiznes Volochysk | Metalist 1925 Kharkiv | Chaika Petropavlivska Borshchahivka Tavriya-Skif Rozdol |
24 |
| 2016 | Balkany Zoria | Ahrobiznes Volochysk | ODEK Orzhiv FC Vradiyivka |
24 |
| 2015 | Balkany Zoria | Rukh Vynnyky | ODEK Orzhiv Kolos Zachepylivka |
16 |
| 2014 | Rukh Vynnyky | AF Pyatykhatska | Zoria Bilozirya Kolos Kovalivka |
21 |
| 2013 | ODEK Orzhiv | Rukh Vynnyky | Zoria Bilozirya Lokomotyv Kupyansk |
23 |
| 2012 | Karpaty Kolomyia | Lokomotyv Kupyansk | Hvardiyets Hvardiyske Sovinyon Tayirove |
18 |
| 2011 | Nove Zhyttya | Putrivka | FC Sambir Torpedo Mykolaiv |
24 |
| 2010 | Myr Novotroitsk Raion | Zvyahel-750 Novohrad-Volynskyi | ODEK Orzhiv Yednist-2 Plysky |
14 |
| 2009 | Yednist-2 | Torpedo Mykolaiv | Slovkhlib Slovyansk Irpin Horenychi |
18 |
| 2008 | FC Luzhany | Torpedo Mykolaiv | Lokomotyv Kupyansk Yednist-2 Plysky |
25 |
| 2007 | Bastion Illichivsk | Yednist-2 Plysky | FC Luzhany | 24 |
| 2006 | Shakhtar Sverdlovsk | Hran Buzova | Khodak Cherkasy | 20 |
| 2005 | Ivan Odessa | Feniks-Illychivets Kalynine | ODEK Orzhiv | 16 |
| 2004 | KZEZO Kakhovka | Slovkhlib Slovyansk | Yednist Plysky | 25 |
| 2003 | Molniya Sieverodonetsk | KZEZO Kakhovka | Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih | 31 |
| 2002 | KZEZO Kakhovka | Fakel-HPZ Varva | Vodnyk Mykolaiv | 28 |
| 2001 | Shakhtar Luhansk | Monolit Kostiantynivka | Vuhlyk Dymytrov | 35 |
| 2000 | HPZ Varva | Nizhyn | Kovel-Volyn Kovel | 34 |
| 1999 | Dnister Ovidiopol | Tekhno-Centre Rohatyn | Krystal Parkhomivka | 24 |
| 1998–99 | Dynamo Lviv | Krystal Parkhomivka | HPZ Varva | 35 |
| 1997–98 | Enerhetyk Burshtyn | Dalis Kamyshevakha | Krystal Parkhomivka | 30 |
FFU Amateur Football League
Decrease in number of participants trifold in 1995 and introduction of final tournament instead of simple single final group in 1996.
| Season | Zone | Champion | Runner-up | Third place | Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | Elektron Romny | Cementnyk-Khorda Mykolaiv | Naftovyk Dolyna | 33 | ||
| 1995–96 | 1 | Pokuttia Kolomyia | Mebilnyk Chernivtsi | Karpaty Rakhiv | 4 | 26 |
| 2 | Zoria Khorostkiv | ENKO Lutsk | Sokil Radyvyliv | 5 | ||
| 3 | Paperovyk Malyn | Lokomotyv Smila | Budivelnyk Brovary | 4 | ||
| 4 | Fakel Varva | Elektron Romny | Avanhard Merefa | 4 | ||
| 5 | Avanhard Kramatorsk | Shakhtar Rovenky | Budivelnyk Kryvyi Rih | 4 | ||
| 6 | Portovyk Kerch | Kolos Osokorivka | Blaho Blahoyeve | 5 | ||
| 1994–95 | 1 | Khimik Kalush | Yalynka Velykyi Bychkiv | Pokuttia Kolomyia | 13 | 91 |
| 2 | Haray Zhovkva | Zoria Khorostkiv | Probiy Horodenka | 13 | ||
| 3 | Obolon-Zmina Kyiv | Dynamo-3 Kyiv | Ahroservis Bakhmach | 16 | ||
| 4 | Sportinvest Kryvyi Rih | Avanhard Merefa | Silur Khartsyzk | 16 | ||
| 5 | Dynamo Slovyansk | Shakhtar Sverdlovsk | Metalurh Kupyansk | 16 | ||
| 6 | Portovyk Illichivsk | Olimpia FC AES Yuzhnoukrainsk | Mercury Pervomaysk | 17 | ||
| 1993–94 | 1 | LAZ Lviv | Lada Chernivtsi | Pokuttia Kolomyia | 14 | 87 |
| 2 | Advis Khmelnytskyi | Keramik Baranivka | Obolon-Zmina Kyiv | 12 | ||
| 3 | Transimpeks Vyshneve | Sula Lubny | Ahroservis Bakhmach | 15 | ||
| 4 | Avanhard Rovenky | Vahbud Kremenchuk | Krystal Torez | 15 | ||
| 5 | Metalurh Novomoskovsk | Shakhtar Horlivka | Shakhtar Sverdlovsk | 14 | ||
| 6 | Tavriya Novotroitsk | Dnistrovets Bilhorod-Dnistrovsky | Blaho Blahoyeve | 17 | ||
KFK competitions of Ukraine
Competitions shifted to fall–spring system instead of spring-fall (summer) system and missed half of the season. There was no final group of six group winners as in previous season and all group winners were announced as champions.
| Season | Zone | Champion | Runner-up | Third place | Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–93 | 1 | Beskyd Nadvirna | Khimik Kalush | Lada Chernivtsi | 13 | 82 |
| 2 | Khutrovyk Tysmenytsia | Advis Khmelnytskyi | Lokomotyv Rivne | 13 | ||
| 3 | Hart Borodianka | Keramik Baranivka | Dynamo-3 Kyiv | 14 | ||
| 4 | Sirius Zhovti Vody | Avanhard Rovenky | Vahonobudivnyk Kremenchuk | 14 | ||
| 5 | Oskil Kupyansk | Shakhtar Sverdlovsk | Shakhtar Snizhne | 14 | ||
| 6 | Surozh Sudak | Tavria Novotroitsk | Blaho Blahoyeve | 14 | ||
KFK competition of Ukrainian SSR
In bold identified teams that were admitted to professional level (became teams of masters) the following season.
‡ – winners of the Ukrainian football cup among KFK
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | Third place | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Novator Mariupol | Krystal Chortkiv | Polihraftekhnika Oleksandria | 94 |
| 1990 | Avtomobilist Sumy | Mayak Ochakiv | Stal Komunarsk | 94 |
| 1989 | SKA Kyiv | Mayak Ochakiv | Krystal Chortkiv | 77 |
| 1988 | Kremin Kremenchuk | Stakhanovets Stakhanov | Dynamo Odessa | 66 |
| 1987 | Dnipro Heronymivka | Kremin Kremenchuk | Metalurh Kupyansk | 54 |
| 1986 | Vorskla Poltava | Metalurh Kupyansk | Spartak Sambir | 52 |
| 1985 | Naftovyk Okhtyrka | Spartak Sambir | Vorskla Poltava | 47 |
| 1984 | Torpedo Zaporizhia ‡ | Enerhiya Nova Kakhovka | Skhid Kyiv | |
| 1983 | Dynamo Irpin | Torpedo Zaporizhia | Avtomobilist Lviv | 49 |
| 1982 | Nyva Berezhany | Suvorovets Izmail | Skhid Kyiv | 48 |
| 1981 | Mayak Kharkiv | Nyva Pidhaitsi | Refryzherator Fastiv | 71 |
| 1980 | Kolos Pavlohrad | Nyva Pidhaitsi ‡ | Enerhiya Nova Kakhovka | |
| 1979 | Shakhtar Stakhanov | Enerhiya Nova Kakhovka ‡ | Khimik Drohobych | |
| 1978 | Metalurh Dniprodzerzhynsk | Bilshovyk Kyiv ‡ | Okean Kerch | |
| 1977 | Pryladyst Mukacheve | Tytan Armyansk ‡ | Burevisnyk Ternopil | |
| 1976 | Khimik Chernihiv[lower-alpha 1] | Tytan Armyansk | Elektron Ivano-Frankivsk ‡ | |
| 1975 | Kolos Nikopol | Metalurh Kupyansk | Khimik Chernihiv | |
| 1974 | Lokomotyv Zhdanov | Kolos Nikopol | Sokil Lviv ‡ | |
| 1973 | Hranyt Cherkasy | Sokil Lviv ‡ | Hirnyk Dniprorudne | |
| 1972 | Enerhiya Nova Kakhovka | Avanhard Stryi | Sokil Lviv | |
| 1971 | Shakhtar Makiivka | Karpaty Mukacheve | Mayak Kharkiv | |
| 1970 | Sokil Lviv | Avanhard Ordzhonikidze | Khimik Chernihiv | |
| 1969 | Shakhtar Kirovsk | Mayak Kharkiv | Meteor Zaporizhia | |
| 1968 | Druzhba Buchach | GUS (Horlvuhlebud) Horlivka | Temp Kyiv | |
| 1967 | Avanhard Rovenky | Avanhard Vilnohirsk | Temp Kyiv | |
| 1966 | Metalist Sevastopol | Kolhospnyk Buchach | Avanhard Kryukiv | |
| 1965 | Metalist Sevastopol | Avtoshklo Kostiantynivka | Budivelnyk Khust | |
| 1964 | Enerhiya Nova Kakhovka | Shakhtar Krasnyi Luch | LVVPU Lviv | |
Top scorers
| Season | Top scorer | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Robert Hehedosh (FC Minaj) | 14 |
| 2016–17 | Mykola Temnyuk (Ahrobiznes Volochysk) | 18 |
| 2016 | Andriy Donets (Ahrobiznes Volochysk) | 6 |
| 2015 | Oleksandr Bondarenko (Kolos Kovalivka) | 11 |
| 2014 | Oleh Sheptytskyi (Rukh Vynnyky) | 7 |
| Valentyn Poltavets (Balkany Zorya) | ||
| 2013 | Oleh Sheptytskyi (Rukh Vynnyky) | 6 |
| Oleksandr Melashchenko (Nove Zhyttia Andriyivka) | ||
| 2012 | Denys Kovalenko (Sovinyon Tayirove) | 14 |
| Roman Tormozov (Torpedo Mykolaiv) | ||
| 2011 | Roman Tormozov (Torpedo Mykolaiv) | 13 |
| 2010 | Yuriy Perin (Zvyahel-750 Novohrad-Volynskyi) | 13 |
| 2009 | Serhiy Zhyhalov (Myr Hornostayivka) | 7 |
| 2008 | Yevhen Ryabchuk (Zirka Kyiv) | 8 |
| Volodymyr Baranovskyi (Sokil Zolochiv) | ||
| 2007 | Irakliy Burdzhanadze (Bastion Illichivsk) | 9 |
| 2006 | Ihor Yatsenkiv (Sokil Sukhovolya) | 8 |
| 2005 | Oleksiy Antyukhin (Feniks-Illichovets Kalinine) | 8 |
| 2004 | Volodymyr Lebid (KZEZO Khakhovka) | 16 |
| 2003 | Oleksiy Ananichev (KZEZO Khakhovka) | 11 |
| 2002 | Oleksiy Ananichev (KZEZO Khakhovka) | 13 |
| 2001 | Kostiantyn Pinchuk (Shakhtar Luhansk) | 20 |
| 2000 | Hocha Hohokhia[2] (FC Nizhyn) | 14 |
| 1999 | Volodymyr Kress (Dnister Ovidiopol) | 10 |
| 1998–99 | Valeriy Kornyev (HPZ Varva) | 11 |
| 1997–98 | Vasyl Kostyuk (Enerhetyk Burshtyn) | 9 |
| 1996–97 | Hennadiy Strilyanyi (Lokomotyv / Elektron) | 7 |
| 1995–96 | Andriy Chachkin (Zoria Khorostkiv) | 7 |
| 1994–95 | Vasyl Lomaka (Shakhtar Sverdlovsk) | 30 |
| 1993–94 | Oleksandr Dovhalets (Advis Khmelnytskyi) | 27 |
| 1992–93 | Serhiy Akymenko (Shakhtar Snizhne) | 23 |
Statistics
Winners by club
- Statistic as of 2019
- Note
- KZEZO stands for Kakhovkan Plant of Electro-Welding Equipment (Kakhovsky Zavod Elektro-Zvariuvalnoho Obladnannia).
- The first team of Yednist-2 also participated in the competition and once placed the third. That team currently competes on the professional level. On the club level at this level of competition Yednist have titles of a winner, a runner, and two of the third place.
Winners by region
- Statistic as of 2019
Championship winners that never turned professional
- FC Ivan Odessa
- FC Karpaty Kolomyia
- FC Luzhany
- FC Nove Zhyttia Andriivka
- FC ODEK Orzhiv
- FC Viktoriya Mykolayivka
- FC Zoria Khorostkiv (group winner)
Teams that skipped the tier
- 1992: FC Avanhard Zhydachiv, FC Dynamo Luhansk
- 1993: FC Medyk Morshyn, FC Viktor Zaporizhia, FC Lviv (1992)
- 1996: FC Myrhorod (Petrivtsi)
- 1997: FC Karpaty-3 Lviv (Karpaty-2), FC Borysfen Boryspil, FC SKA-Lotto Odessa, FC Dynamo Odessa, FC Dnipro-2 Dnipropetrovsk, FC Fortuna Sharhorod, FC Zirka-2 Kirovohrad, FC Vorskla-2 Poltava, FC Metalurh-2 Donetsk, FC Hirnyk Pavlohrad
- 1998: FC Avanhard Kramatorsk (VPS), FC Metalurh-2 Zaporizhia, FC Kryvbas-2 Kryvyi Rih
- 1999: FC Prykarpattia-2 Ivano-Frankivsk, FC Nyva-2 Vinnytsia (Nyva), FC Obolon-2 Kyiv, FC ADOMS Kremenchuk, FC Mashynobudivnyk Druzhkivka
- 2000: FC Ternopil-Nyva-2, FC Dnipro-3 Dnipropetrovsk, FC Cherkasy-2, FC Shakhtar-3 Donetsk, FC Metalurh-2 Mariupol, SSSOR-Metalurh Zaporizhia, FC Stal-2 Alchevsk, FC Krasyliv, FC Sokil Zolochiv (2 promoted)
- 2001: FC Zakarpattia-2 Uzhhorod, FC Borysfen-2 Boryspil, FC Obolon-2 Kyiv, FC Metalurh-2 Donetsk, FC Chornohora Ivano-Frankivsk, FC Chaika-VMS Sevastopol, FC Torpedo Zaporizhia, FC Dynamo Simferopol (5 promoted)
- 2002: none (4 promoted)
- 2003: FC Arsenal-2 Kyiv, FC Kryvbas-2 Kryvyi Rih, FC Palmira Odesa (7 promoted)
- 2004: PFC Oleksandriya, MFC Oleksandriya, FC Fakel Ivano-Frankivsk (5 promoted)
- 2005: MFC Zhytomyr, FC Kryvbas-2 Kryvyi Rih, FC Kharkiv-2, FC Knyazha Shchaslyve, FC Arsenal Kharkiv (5 promoted)
- 2006: none (2 promoted)
- 2007: FC Korosten, FC Komunalnyk Luhansk, FC Poltava, FC Tytan Donetsk (5 promoted)
- 2008: FC Knyazha-2 Schaslyve, PFC Sevastopol-2 (3 promoted)
- 2009: FC Lviv-2 (1 promoted)
- 2010: FC Chornomorets-2 Odesa, FC Dnipro-2 Dnipropetrovsk (1 promoted)
- 2011: PFC Sevastopol-2 (8 promoted)
- 2012: FC Obolon-2 Kyiv, FC Poltava-2 Karlivka (3 promoted)
- 2013: none (2 promoted)
- 2014: no teams were admitted at all
- 2015: NK Veres Rivne, FC Arsenal–Kyiv (4 promoted)
- 2016: FC Illichivets-2 Mariupol (9 promoted)
- 2017–18: MFC Mykolaiv-2, SC Dnipro-1 (6 promoted)
- 2018–19: none (6 promoted)
- 2019–20: FC Obolon-Brovar-2 Bucha, FC Chornomorets-2 Odesa, FC Avanhard-2 Kramatorsk (4 promoted)
Notes
- In place of Khimik, there was revived FC Desna Chernihiv and admitted to the Second League.
References
- On 29 June took place a conference on issues of conducting competitions next season (29-го червня відбулася нарада з питань проведення змагань наступного сезону). AAFU. 1 July 2019
- Ukrainian Amateur Football Championship at FootballFacts.ru (in Russian)
External links
- 2001 season
- Statistics of Shakhtar Sverdlovsk
- Azovets Berdiansk (photos of newspapers).
- Ukr-football.org compilations for Soviet KFK Ukraine (working site) and Amateur competitions.
- Ukrainian championship among amateurs (Чемпионат Украины среди любителей). Footballfacts.ru
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