Last Friday, Kolos Kovalivka opened the second half of the Ukrainian Premier League season with a home match against Chornomorets Odessa. The kickoff was taken by Dmytro Orel, a soldier who has fought on the front lines in the east of the country. Although Kolos scored a goal in the first two minutes, the match ended in a 2-1 defeat, dragging the team into the relegation battle.
However, football in Ukraine is not just about results. The day before, devastating news broke: Mykyta Kalin, a former Kolos youth player, was killed in action in the Kharkov region. Three years after the full-scale invasion of Russia, football remains a reflection of the country’s daily struggle, a space where life goes on despite violence and pain, as expressed in a report this Monday in ‘The Guardian’.
BETWEEN WAR AND HOPE
Andriy Shevchenko, president of the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF), explained in statements to ‘The Guardian’ that football in Ukraine faces two possible scenarios: one in which the war continues and one in which it ends. “They are very different visions,” he said. For now, the main challenge is to keep the sport viable. Funds for infrastructure projects, provided by FIFA and UEFA, are frozen until the country can plan more far-reaching initiatives.
Ukraine’s economic situation remains fragile, and this directly affects football. According to Serhii Palkin, CEO of Shakhtar Donetsk, local revenues from sponsorship, TV rights and gate receipts are minimal. “We survive thanks to Ukrainian owners who invest their own money in the clubs,” he explained to ‘The Guardian’. However, the long-term goal is for the clubs to become self-sufficient, something that seems distant in the current context.
FOOTBALL AS AN EMOTIONAL REFUGE
Despite the difficulties, football remains a source of hope for Ukrainians. Denys Miroshnichenko, Karpaty Lviv defender, highlighted in ‘The Guardian’ the importance of matches in distracting people from the war and providing positive emotions. Although fans can only attend in limited numbers, their presence in the stadiums is a testament to the resilient spirit of the Ukrainian people. “What they experience day in and day out is an act of heroic bravery,” Miroshnichenko said.
The return of the league, six months after the invasion, was a significant achievement. For many, the simple fact that football continues is a victory in itself. “Football and clubs exist for their fans, who should not be fighting and dying, but enjoying life with their families in the stands,” Miroshnichenko added.
SHEVCHENKO’S ROLE
At the highest levels of the FAU, Andriy Shevchenko is working to strengthen Ukraine’s position in European football. He is currently running for a seat on UEFA’s executive committee, an opportunity that could increase the country’s influence at a critical time. According to ‘The Guardian’, Shevchenko has spearheaded innovative projects, such as football for amputees and post-traumatic rehabilitation programs for soldiers, demonstrating how sport can be a tool for positive change.
CRIMEAN TEAMS ALREADY COMPETING IN RUSSIAN LEAGUES
Meanwhile, Russia continues to try to use football as a political tool. Teams from occupied Crimea, such as Sevastopol and Rubin Yalta, are competing in Russian leagues, creating tensions in the sporting arena. Ukraine, for its part, maintains a firm stance: football cannot be a place where the horrors of the past and present are ignored.
