The Ukrainian Association of Football has approved a new regulation for the Ukrainian Premier League for the 2026-2027 season. The changes affect the number of foreign players allowed to participate in a match, and for the first time in 5 years, the U-21 Championship returns. This is reported on the UAF website, reports UNN.
Details
According to the updated regulation, from now on, the number of foreign players simultaneously on the field as part of one team can be eight — provided that one of them is a citizen of an EU member state. In that case, at least three Ukrainians must participate in the match.
If there is no player who is a citizen of a European Union member state on the field as part of the team, at least four players who are citizens of Ukraine must be on the field simultaneously.
Previously, no more than 7 foreign players could be on the field simultaneously as part of a club team during a match.
Fees for foreign players are also changing. The amount of fees for foreign players increases from 150 thousand hryvnias to 400 thousand hryvnias per player.
"At the same time, a new mechanism for distributing funds from the payment of such fees has been introduced, according to which 50% of the funds will be directed to financing the arbitration of matches of the National League of the Future, and the other 50% – to encourage UPL clubs that provide playing time to Ukrainian football players under the age of 21," the regulation states.
The procedure for distributing these funds among UPL clubs is also determined, depending on the place occupied by the total number of minutes played by Ukrainian football players under the age of 21 in UPL Championship matches after the end of the relevant season. The club that takes first place at the end of the season will receive 25% of the relevant funds, second place – 15%, third – 10%, and the remaining funds will be distributed among other clubs.
The regulation also defines the grounds for postponing Championship matches, in particular, regarding the participation of clubs in UEFA club competitions.
"Thus, in exceptional cases related to the participation of clubs in competitions under the auspices of UEFA, the club has the right to initiate the postponement of a round match to another date that does not fall within the boundaries of the relevant round, with the match being assigned to a reserve date of the competition calendar," the regulation states.
To do this, the club contacts the UPL no later than 7 calendar days before the date of the match. The decision is made by the UPL Directorate, taking into account the competition calendar, the availability of reserve dates, and the interests of the official broadcaster.
The number of such postponements is limited:
- two matches during the club's participation in the qualification rounds of UEFA competitions;
- one match during participation in the play-off round of UEFA competition qualification;
- one match in the event of the club reaching the quarterfinals or subsequent stages of club competitions under the auspices of UEFA.
Postponed matches are held on the designated reserve dates:
- for qualification rounds - before the end of the calendar year;
- for stages starting from the quarterfinals - before the end of the current season.
In addition, for the first time since 2021, the U-21 Championship returns, in which football players born in 2005 and younger participate. The participation of 6 older players (without restriction) is allowed, who may be included in the referee's report, but no more than 5 older players can be on the field simultaneously.
Recall
The Ukrainian Football Premier League has officially presented the match calendar for the 2026/27 season.