The Ukrainian Association of Football presented a new format for the Ukrainian Cup, which will come into effect this season. In particular, it envisages an increase in the number of teams to 68, an updated trophy, and a blind draw.
This was reported by the UAF press service, according to UNN.
Details
In the 2025/2026 season, the Ukrainian Football Cup will be held with a record number of teams – 68, and the competition will cover representatives of all levels of Ukrainian football – from elite clubs to regional teams. A detailed presentation of the tournament format and all innovations will take place next week at the Football House
It is noted that 16 teams from the UPL, 16 teams each from the First and Second Leagues of Ukraine, 4 teams from the Association of Amateur Football of Ukraine, and 16 teams from regional football associations are involved in the tournament.
Preliminary, the start of the Cup is scheduled for August 9-10, where initially 16 regional teams will participate in the qualification round. The following will play in the qualification:
- "Ahron" (Ternopil region);
- "Athletic" (Odesa);
- "Hirnyk" (Novoyavorivsk, Lviv region);
- "Carbon" (Cherkasy);
- "Kolos" (Polonne, Khmelnytskyi region);
- "Korosten/Agro-Nyva" (Zhytomyr region);
- "Legia" (Kyiv);
- "LutskSantechMontazh №536" (Volyn region);
- "Medea–Nevytskyi Zamok" (Zakarpattia region);
- "Metalurh" (Zaporizhzhia);
- "Naftovyk-Dolyna" (Ivano-Frankivsk region);
- "NIKA SMK" (Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv region);
- "Olimpiya" (Savyntsi, Poltava region);
- "Polissia Stavky" (Piskivka, Kyiv region);
- "Fazenda" (Chernivtsi).
In the 1/32 final matches, scheduled for August 23-24, 8 winners of the qualification round, 32 teams from the First and Second Leagues, 4 representatives of the AAFU will participate:
- "Agrotech" (Tyshkivka, Kirovohrad region);
- "Denhoff" (Denykhivka, Kyiv region);
- "Kormil" (Yavoriv, Lviv region);
- "Mayak" (Sarny, Rivne region)
And also 14 UPL teams.
The holding of further stages of the tournament will be approved after the adoption of relevant regulatory and legal documents. The draw for the qualification round is tentatively scheduled for July 17, 2025
In addition, the competition format was changed, in particular, teams will play only one match against each other, and in case of a draw - immediately a series of post-match penalties, without extra time.
A maximally blind draw is also envisaged: "Shakhtar" or "Dynamo" can play against each other, or against amateurs. Matches will be broadcast on UPL TV, and for the first time in many years, the trophy will be updated.
Recall
The current holder of the Ukrainian Cup, Donetsk "Shakhtar", in the first stage of the UEFA Europa League qualification match crushed Finnish "Ilves" with a score of 6:0. The "miners" winger Alisson scored a brace and a hat-trick of assists.