Ukrainian Second League

The Ukrainian Second League (Ukrainian: Друга ліга, Druha Liha) is a professional football league in Ukraine which is part of the Professional Football League of Ukraine. Football Federation of Ukraine, however, has an exclusive right on general administration and control over the organizing and conducting competitions in the league. In 1992 the league was also known as the Transitional League.

Ukrainian Second League
Founded1992 (as Transitional League)
Country Ukraine
Number of teams22
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toUkrainian First League
Relegation toNone (2007–2016)[note 1]
Amateurs (1995–present)
Ukrainian Third League (1992–1994)
Domestic cup(s)Ukrainian Cup
Second League Cup (defunct)
League Cup (defunct)
Current championsFC Kremin Kremenchuk
(2018–19)
Most championships3 FC Desna Chernihiv
WebsiteOfficial site
2019-20 Ukrainian Second League

The league is lower than the Ukrainian First League (Persha Liha) and the lowest level of professional football competitions in the country. The Ukrainian Second League is the third level of professional football in Ukraine. The league's relegated teams lose their professional status and return to their regional associations.

Quick overview

First seasons

The third division of the Ukrainian championship originally was organized as the Transitional League due to numerous amateur clubs competing in it 15 out of 18. Out of the 1992 Transitional League the top clubs qualified for the 1992-93 Second League, while the bottom - the 1992-93 Transitional League, thus, creating an extra tier. Basically in the first seasons there was no promotion.

For the second season (1992-93) the league was officially organized as the Second League, while the name of transitional league was passed to the newly formed fourth division. Between seasons 1993 and 1995, there existed an auxiliary level (the Third League in 1994-95) of the football championship in Ukraine, lower than the Second League. From 1993 season to 1995 the Second League had a single group competition of over 20 clubs. During the 1996 reorganization, the auxiliary league was merged back to the Second League.

Creation of PFL

In 1996 Ukrainian football witnessed major changes in its organization as the Professional Football League of Ukraine was established. The new organization took control of the competition of former non-amateur clubs that were given attestation of professional clubs and included all the leagues of the Ukrainian championship. Concurrently with this the Third League was disbanded and all clubs that were not in the "relegation zone" were invited to join the Second League. The Second League in its turn was split into two groups. Only in the very first season the teams in this league were divided somewhat randomly, while later becoming more of regional sub-leagues. From 1997 the league was divided into three groups (Druha Liha A (west), B (south), and C (east)).

Further developments

In 1998 unlike other seasons the winners of the groups were not promoted automatically; instead a promotion-relegation tournament was organized involving four teams, three group winners and one of the weaker clubs of the First League. In 2006, the Ukrainian Professional Football League consolidated the Druha Liha due to a shortage of teams, and now the third level of professional football is divided into two groups once again (A - West and B - East).

Throughout its history the Second League has had some supplementary tournaments which include the Second League Cup as well as the Ukrainian Cup qualification tournament called the 2009–10 Ukrainian League Cup.

In summer of 2017 it was announced that the Second League is planned to be discontinued after the 2017-18 season.[1][2]

Team withdrawals / critical situation

The league has suffered from chronic club withdrawals since its reorganization when the Ukrainian Third League was liquidated in 1995. The first club that withdrew in the middle of a season from Ukrainian championship was FC Elektron Romny which on 5 May 1994 withdrew from the Transitional League (Third League).

The reorganization of the competition in 1995 (merging Third and Second leagues) saw a number of clubs that discontinued their participation. At the start of season withdrew Temp Shepetivka which prior to that merged with Advis as well as Kosmos Pavlohrad, and five more clubs withdrew at winter break. Withdrawal of Temp led to a major disruption in competitions when Football Federation of Ukraine allowed to enter a quickly assembled team of amateur players for the First League to replace withdrawn Shepetivka club.

For a couple of years after that, there was relative stabilization, but not perfect with at least one club being withdrawn in a middle of ongoing season. In the 1998-99 season 10 teams quit the league before the season started. During the 2002-03 season Ukrainian football saw the withdrawal of a Top League club for the first time (Polihraftekhnika Oleksandriya). Due to those withdrawals the Second League suspended relegation of clubs since 2006-07, while there were some talks for the league to be discontinued.[3] An idea surfaced during the 2009-10 season to merge the league with the First League breaking the last into several groups, but it was abandoned. During the same season a new tournament was organized to add some games to the calendar of the Second League clubs which had thinned away substantially, this was called the 2009–10 Ukrainian League Cup.

Organization

The calendar of competitions is adopted by the Central Council of PFL and the Executive Committee of FFU. The Bureau (Administration) of PFL regulates the league's operations and forms the Second League. All clubs of the PFL are obligated to own or sponsor a Children-Youth Sports School. All clubs of PFL are obligated to participate in the National Cup competition. A club of the Second League is also obligated to finance at least two junior teams from under the age of 10 to under the age of 19. The junior teams must participate either in regional competitions of the Children-Youth Football League of Ukraine.

All stadiums must have a certificate of the State Commission in control of sports structures conditions. A club cannot play matches at its training sites nor stadiums not registered with PFL. Promotions of tobacco products at stadiums are prohibited. All stadiums must fly the flags of Ukraine, FFU, and PFL. Only accredited photo-correspondents and junior footballers who collect balls are allowed behind goalposts.

The games are allowed to start not earlier than 12:00 and not later than 20:30. There must be at least a 48-hour break between two official games. Games can only be rescheduled if the following three criteria exist: a) unforeseen circumstances occur, b) delegation of four or more footballers to any national teams, or c) organization of direct tele-broadcasting.

Throughout history certain regions were represented only in certain groups, some competed in all groups. Among regions that were represented only in Group A are Lviv Oblast, Ternopil Oblast, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Rivne Oblast, Zhytomyr Oblast, Chernivtsi Oblast, Zakarpattia Oblast, Volyn Oblast, only in Group B is just Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Group C existed for short time and had no exclusive region representation.

Such regions like Kiev Oblast and City, Cherkasy Oblast, Kirovohrad Oblast, Chernihiv Oblast, Sumy Oblast, and Kharkiv Oblast at some point were represented in all three groups.

Such regions like Donetsk Oblast, Luhansk Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Zaporizhia Oblast, and Poltava Oblast were represented only in groups B and C.

Results by season

Promoted teams are indicated in bold.

SeasonGroupChampionRunner-upThird place
1992 A Dnister Zalishchyky Hazovyk Komarno Yavir Krasnopillia
B Bazhanovets Makiyivka Tytan Armyansk Meliorator Kakhovka
1992–93 Dnipro Cherkasy Khimik Zhytomyr Yavir Krasnopillia
1993–94[note 2] FC Borispil Bazhanovets Makiyivka Zirka-NIBAS Kirovohrad
1994–95 Yavir Krasnopillia FC Lviv Dynamo Luhansk
1995–96 A CSCA Kyiv Krystal Kherson Khutrovyk Tysmenytsia
B Metalurh Mariupol Metalurh Donetsk Metalurh Novomoskovsk
1996–97 A Desna Chernihiv Fakel Varva FK Tysmenytsia
B Avanhard-Industriya Rovenky Tytan Armyansk Oskil Kupyansk
1997–98 A Podillia Khmelnytskyj Dynamo-3 Kyiv Karpaty-2 Lviv
B Krystal Kherson[note 3] SCA-Lotto Odesa SC Odesa
C Shakhtar-2 Donetsk Fakel Varva Elektron Romny
1998–99 A Zakarpattia Uzhhorod Borysfen Boryspil Tsymentnyk-Khorda Mykolaiv
B SC Odesa[note 4] Krystal Kherson Kryvbas-2 Kryvyj Rih
C Obolon-PPO Kyiv Zorya Luhansk Oskil Kupyansk
1999–00 A Bukovyna Chernivtsi Podillia Khmelnytskyj Enerhetyk Burshtyn
B Borysfen Boryspil Obolon-PPO-2 Kyiv Kryvbas-2 Kryvyj Rih
C Dnipro-2 Dnipropetrovsk ADOMS Kremenchuk Zorya Luhansk
2000–01 A Polissia Zhytomyr Sokil Zolochiv FC Krasyliv
B Obolon Kyiv Systema-Boreks Borodianka Dnipro-3 Dnipropetrovsk
C FC Naftovyk Okhtyrka Desna Chernihiv Oskil Kupyansk
2001–02 A FC Krasyliv Sokil Zolochiv Podillia Khmelnytskyj
B Systema-Boreks Borodianka Nafkom-Akademiya Irpin Dynamo Simferopol
C FC Sumy Arsenal Kharkiv Metalurh-2 Donetsk
2002–03 A FC LUKOR Kalush[note 5] Enerhetyk Burshtyn Podillia Khmelnytskyj
B Nafkom Irpin Dynamo Simferopol Elektrometalurh-NZF Nikopol
C Zorya Luhansk Shakhtar Luhansk Desna Chernihiv
2003–04 A FC Hazovyk-Skala Stryj Podillia Khmelnytskyj Rava Rava-Ruska
B Dynamo-IhroServis Simferopol Elektrometalurh-NZF Nikopol Krymteplytsia Molodizhne
C Stal Dniprodzerzhynsk Desna Chernihiv Metalurh-2 Zaporizhya
2004–05 A Rava Rava-Ruska[note 6] Enerhetyk Burshtyn Karpaty-2 Lviv
B Krymteplytsia Molodizhne Krystal Kherson FC Oleksandriya
C Helios Kharkiv Desna Chernihiv Dnipro Cherkasy
2005–06 A Desna Chernihiv Fakel Ivano-Frankivsk Rava Rava-Ruska
B MFK Mykolaiv PFC Oleksandria[note 7] PFC Sevastopol
C Dnipro Cherkasy Illichivets-2 Mariupol Metalurh-2 Zaporizhya
2006–07 A Dnister Ovidiopol Fakel Ivano-Frankivsk Yednist Plysky
B PFC Sevastopol Feniks-Illichivets Kalinine Tytan Armyansk
2007–08 A Knyazha Schaslyve Nyva Ternopil Podillia-Khmelnytskyj
B Komunalnyk Luhansk Tytan Armyansk Arsenal Kharkiv
2008–09 A Nyva Ternopil Arsenal Bila Tserkva[note 8] Nyva Vinnytsia
B Zirka Kirovohrad FC Poltava Stal Dniprodzerzhynsk
2009–10 A Bukovyna Chernivtsi Nyva Vinnytsia Bastion Illichivsk
B Tytan Armyansk Kremin Kremenchuk FC Poltava
2010–11 A MFC Mykolaiv FC Sumy Enerhiya Nova Kakhovka
B Olimpik Donetsk FC Poltava Kremin Kremenchuk
2011–12 A FC Sumy Desna Chernihiv Slavutych Cherkasy
B FC Poltava Avanhard Kramatorsk Shakhtar Sverdlovsk
2012–13 A Desna Chernihiv Nyva Ternopil Slavutych Cherkasy
B UkrAhroKom Holovkivka Shakhtar Sverdlovsk Shakhtar-3 Donetsk
2013–14[note 9] Hirnyk-Sport Komsomolsk Stal Dniprodzerzhynsk FC Ternopil
2014–15 Cherkaskyj Dnipro Obolon-Brovar Kyiv Kremin Kremenchuk
2015–16[note 10] Kolos Kovalivka Veres Rivne Inhulets Petrove
2016–17[note 11] Zhemchuzhyna Odesa Rukh Vynnyky Kremin Kremenchuk
2017–18 A Ahrobiznes Volochysk Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk Nyva-V Vinnytsia
B SC Dnipro-1 Metalist 1925 Kharkiv Enerhiya Nova Kakhovka
2018–19 A FC Mynai Cherkashchyna-Akademiya Polissia Zhytomyr
B Kremin Kremenchuk Metalurh Zaporizhia Hirnyk Kryvyj Rih
2019–20 A Nyva Ternopil Polissya Zhytomyr Veres Rivne
B VPK-Ahro Shevchenkivka Krystal Kherson Alians Lypova Dolyna

Notes:

  • indicates a championship title won in play-off game(s) between winners of groups.

Post-season play-offs

Post-season play-offs are not common feature of the Second League competition. Over the years there were several instances when clubs contested promotion or relegation berths. The first post-season feature consisted of a promotion mini-tournament that took place in July 1998 in Kiev and Boryspil. It involved three group winners of the Second League and Bukovyna that placed 18th place in the First League. The tournament identified clubs which would qualify for the 1998–99 Ukrainian First League.

Championship game

SeasonGroup A teamScoreGroup B teamPlace
2011–12 FC Sumy 2–0 FC Poltava in Poltava
2012–13 FC Desna Chernihiv 2–0, 1–3 (a) FC UkrAhroKom Holovkivka home/away
2017–18 FC Ahrobiznes Volochysk 1–0 SC Dnipro-1 in Kyiv
2018–19 FC Mynai 0–1 FC Kremin Kremenchuk in Kropyvnytskyi
2019–20 PFC Nyva Ternopil x–x FC VPK-Ahro Shevchenkivka TBA
2020–21 TBD x–x TBD TBA

Third place play-offs

SeasonGroup A teamScoreGroup B teamPlace
1995–96 FC Krystal Kherson 1–3 FC Metalurh Donetsk in Kyiv
2008–09 FC Arsenal Bila Tserkva 1–0 FC Poltava in Cherkasy
2009–10 FC Nyva Vinnytsia 2–0 FC Kremin Kremenchuk in Makariv
2010–11 FC Sumy 2–0 FC Poltava in Uman
2011–12 FC Desna Chernihiv 0–1 FC Avanhard Kramatorsk in Khmelnytskyi

Promotion tournament

Relegation play-offs

  • 1997–98: Tysmenytsia – Promin Sambir, Zirka-2 Kirovohrad – Kharchovyk Popivka, Hirnyk Pavlohrad – Shakhtar Horlivka (series)

Promotion play-offs

Statistics

Top 10 winners

Club Winner Runners-Up 3rd Position Seasons Won Notes
Desna Chernihiv 3 4 1 1996–97, 2005–06, 2012–13
Obolon-Brovar Kyiv 2 2 0 1998–99, 2000–01 Obolon Kyiv, Obolon-PPO Kyiv
Nyva Ternopil 2 2 0 2008–09, 2019
Sumy (19822006) 2 0 2 1994–95, 2001–02 Yavir Krasnopillia
Dnipro Cherkasy 2 0 0 1992–93, 2005–06
Bukovyna Chernivtsi 2 0 0 1999–00, 2009–10
Mykolaiv 2 0 0 2005–06, 2010–11
Krystal Kherson 1 4 0 1997–98
Tytan Armyansk 1 3 1 2009–10 Dissolved due to the Russian agression
Kremin Kremenchuk 1 2 3 2018–19

Notes:

  indicates that the club either defunct or lost its professional status.
  indicates that the club currently plays in the league.

League winners by region

Region CoA Wins Winners
Kiev Oblast6FC Borysfen Boryspil, FC Systema-Boreks Borodyanka, FC Nafkom Irpin, FC Boryspil, FC Knyazha Schaslyve, FC Kolos Kovalivka
Donetsk Oblast4FC Shakhtar Makiivka, FC Illichivets Mariupol, FC Shakhtar-2 Donetsk, FC Olimpik Donetsk
Sumy Oblast4FC Sumy, FC Sumy (Spartak) (twice), FC Naftovyk Okhtyrka
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast4FC Stal Dniprodzerzhynsk, FC Dnipro-2 Dnipropetrovsk, SC Dnipro-1, FC VPK-Ahro Shevchenkivka
Chernihiv Oblast3FC Desna Chernihiv (thrice)
Cherkasy Oblast3FC Dnipro Cherkasy (twice), FC Cherkaskyi Dnipro
Luhansk Oblast3FC Zorya Luhansk, FC Avanhard-Industria Rovenky, FC Komunalnyk Luhansk
Crimea3FC Tytan Armyansk, FC Dynamo-Ihroservice Simferopol, FC Krymteplitsia Molodizhne
Kiev3FC Obolon-Brovar Kyiv (twice), FC CSKA Kyiv
Odessa Oblast3SC Odesa, FC Zhemchuzhyna Odesa, FC Dnister Ovidiopol
Khmelnytsky Oblast3FC Podillya Khmelnytskyi, FC Krasyliv, FC Ahrobiznes Volochysk
Poltava Oblast3FC Poltava, FC Hirnyk-Sport Komsomolsk, FC Kremin Kremenchuk
Ternopil Oblast3FC Nyva Ternopil (twice), FC Dnister Zalishchyky
Chernivtsi Oblast2FC Bukovyna Chernivtsi (twice)
Mykolaiv Oblast2MFC Mykolaiv (twice)
Lviv Oblast2FC Hazovyk-Skala Stryi, FC Rava Rava-Ruska
Kirovohrad Oblast2FC Zirka Kirovohrad, FC UkrAhroKom Holovkivka
Zakarpattia Oblast2FC Zakarpattia Uzhhorod, FC Mynai
Kherson Oblast1FC Krystal Kherson
Zhytomyr Oblast1FC Polissya Zhytomyr
Sevastopol1PFC Sevastopol
Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast1FC LUKOR Kalush
Kharkiv Oblast1FC Helios Kharkiv

All-time table

Top-20. All figures are correct through the 2019–20 season.[4] Club status is current of the 2019–20 season:

2019–20 Ukrainian Premier League
2019–20 Ukrainian First League
2019–20 Ukrainian Second League
2019–20 Ukrainian Football Amateur League
2020 Regional competitions
Club is defunct
PLTeamSeasonsGPWDLGSGAPtsAchievementPromFirstLast
1 Krystal Kherson 21 671 286 122 263 890 764 980 champion 1 1992–93 2019–20
2 Tytan Armyansk 19 586 262 138 186 818 637 924 champion 1 1992 2009–10
3 Podillya Khmelnytskyi[note 12] 16 637 264 98 275 769 754 890 champion 1 1997–98 2019–20
4 Desna Chernihiv 13 397 243 68 86 670 347 797 champion 3 1994–95 2012–13
5 Kremin Kremenchuk 14 403 192 91 120 591 438 667 champion 2 1999–00 2018–93
6 Shakhtar-3 Donetsk 15 440 194 71 175 683 622 653 champion 2000–01 2014–15
7 Hirnyk-Sport Komsomolsk 19 566 182 105 279 613 826 651 champion 1 1995–96 2013–14
8 Ros Bila Tserkva 18 546 174 102 270 504 784 624 5th 1993–94 2010–11
9 Olkom Melitopol 16 474 169 116 189 536 571 623 4th 1995–96 2010–11
10 Bukovyna Chernivtsi 13 390 163 90 137 461 440 579 champion 3 1999–00 2019–20
11 Veres Rivne 16 477 159 96 222 474 653 573 vice-champion 1 1997–98 2019–20
12 Nyva Ternopil 12 355 156 86 113 420 377 554 champion 3 2002–03 2019–20
13 Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih 12 339 144 76 119 468 426 508 third place 1 2004–05 2019–20
14 Stal Dniprodzerzhynsk 9 268 149 52 67 427 246 499 champion 2 2001–02 2013–14
15 Halychyna Drohobych 11 374 137 80 157 403 435 491 5th 1992–93 2002–03
16 FC Kalush 12 361 136 64 161 414 428 472 champion 1995–96 2019–20
17 Illichivets-2 Mariupol 13 375 135 59 181 451 561 464 vice-champion 2000–01 2016–17
18 Hazovyk Komarno 10 326 130 74 122 380 354 464 vice-champion 1992 2000–01
19 Dynamo-3 Kyiv 11 328 125 89 114 364 311 464 vice-champion 1997–98 2007–08
20 Inter Boyarka[note 13] 10 308 120 86 102 313 325 446 champion 1 1993–94 2006–07

Stadiums

Most of the most attended games in the league since 1992 recorded at Zirka Stadium (Kropyvnytskyi), and since 1993–94 season FC Zirka Kropyvnytskyi all time attendance record on a single game until 2017–18 season, when Metalist Kharkiv phoenix club Metalist 1925 participated in the Druha Liha together with their original club rivals FC Dnipro and SC Dnipro-1. The record was set on in a Metalist 1925–Dnipro-1 match, which was attended by 14,521 people.[5]

# Season Attendance Home team Score Visiting team Stadium Ref
1 2017–18 14,521 Metalist 1925 Kharkiv 1:1 Dnipro-1 OSC Metalist [5]
2 1993–94 14,000 Zirka-NIBAS Kirovohrad 2:0 FC Boryspil Zirka Stadium [5]
3 2008–09 12,100 Zirka Kirovohrad 2:1 Stal Dniprodzerzhynsk Zirka Stadium [5]
4 1993–94 12,000 Zirka-NIBAS Kirovohrad 5:0 Shakhtar Pavlohrad Zirka Stadium [5]
1993–94 12,000 Zirka-NIBAS Kirovohrad 1:0 Dnister Zalishchyky Zirka Stadium [5]

The most attended seasons were in the beginning of 1990s and the beginning of 2000s.[5]

Notes

  1. Currently the Professional Football League of Ukraine does not relegate teams, as a lot of them withdraw from the league on their own due to financial difficulties. Normally the clubs placing last are subject to loss of professional status and relegation to their regional competitions.
  2. In 1993–94 four teams were promoted to the Ukrainian First League. The fourth place team in the competition was Naftokhimik Kremenchuk.
  3. Krystal Kherson failed to win the play-offs for promotion to the Ukrainian First League.
  4. In 1999 SC Odesa was merged with FC Chornomorets Odesa and its place in Ukrainian First League was fielded revived FC Chornomorets-2 Odesa.
  5. LUKOR Kalush officially was not farm team of Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk. After the season it was announced that both clubs "merged" with LUKOR Kalush being officially promoted as Spartak Ivano-Frankivsk and Prykarpattia Ivano-Frankivsk being officially relegated as Prykarpattia Kalush. In reality no real changes took place except for change of names. Rosters, coaching staff, clubs' structure were preserved with the Kalush team continued to be played in the Second League.
  6. After reviewing Rava Ruska's solvency and facilities the PFL decided not to promote them. 2nd placed Enerhetyk Burshtyn were promoted instead.
  7. PFC Oleksandria were promoted to the Ukrainian First League since they were best 2nd placed team in all Druha Liha competitions
  8. FC Arsenal Bila Tserkva were promoted to the Ukrainian First League since FC Ihroservice Simferopol as the member of the First League withdrew from competitions. Arsenal and Poltava were allowed to compete for the extra promotion due to that in the play-off game in Cherkasy. Arsenal won the game 1–0, gaining promotion.
  9. In the 2013–14 season, four teams were promoted to the Ukrainian First League. The fourth place team in the competition was Hirnyk Kryvyi Rih.
  10. In the 2015–16 season, a record of six teams were promoted to the Ukrainian First League including Bukovyna Chernivtsi, Skala Stryi, and Arsenal-Kyiv.
  11. In the 2016–17 season, four teams were promoted to the Ukrainian First League, the fourth team being Balkany Zorya.
  12. Includes record of Dynamo Khmelnytskyi.
  13. Includes record of Systema-Boreks Borodyanka, as they are officially the same team according to UAF.

References

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