The Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) ( uk, Українська асоціяція футболу, Ukrayins'ka Asotsiyatsiya Futbolu) is the governing body of football in

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

. Before 2019 it was known as the Football Federation of Ukraine, FFU ( uk, Федерація Футболу України, Federatsiya Futbolu Ukrayiny). As a subject of the International

Olympic Movement The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...

, UAF is a member of the

National Olympic Committee of Ukraine The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine ( uk, Нацiональний олiмпiйський комiтет України) is a non-profit all-Ukrainian public organization responsible for development, reinforcement, and protection of the Olym ...

. UAF is also member of international football organizations such as

UEFA Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...

and FIFA. Ukrainian Association of Football governs all sport events and organizations associated with the game of football including irregular competitions of beach football, mini-football, street football and others. Its main features include football competitions including the Ukrainian Professional League, the

Ukrainian Cup The Ukrainian Cup ( uk, Кубок України) is an association football national knockout cup competition run by the Ukrainian Association of Football. The competition is conducted almost exclusively among professional clubs. Since the 2003� ...

, the

Amatory Amatory (commonly stylized as MATORY'', to fit their logo) is a Russian metal band from Saint Petersburg, formed in 1998 by Denis ''DENVERZhivotovsky and Daniil ''STEWARTSvetlov. Later in 1998, they were joined by Evgenyy PJ Potekhin but the ...

, the competitions among the youth (under-18), and also the

Ukraine national football team The Ukraine national football team ( uk, Збірна України з футболу) represents Ukraine in men's international football and is governed by the Ukrainian Association of Football, the governing body for football in Ukraine. Uk ...

. It also sets the regulations to the

Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...

and the Professional Football League. It is headquartered in the national capital,

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...

near the

Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex The Olympic National Sports Complex (also known as Olympic Stadium; uk, Національний спортивний комплекс "Олімпійський", translit=Natsionalnyi sportyvnyi kompleks "Olimpiiskyi") is a multi-use sports ...

at the House of Football. The organization was established in 1991. Between 1932-1991 with the

Football Federation of the Soviet Union The Football Federation of the USSR (russian: Федерация футбола СССР) was a governing body of football in the Soviet Union and since 1972 the main governing body of football in the country. The Federation was created late i ...

there existed its direct predecessor, Football Federation of Ukraine (Ukrainian SSR). The Soviet federation of Ukraine also conducted own championship, cup competitions, competitions among amateur teams (collectives of physical culture), as well as had own national team which participated exclusively in Soviet competitions such as the Spartakiad of Peoples of the USSR.

History

Organizations' names

* Football Section of the Ukrainian SSR (1932–1959) * Football Federation of the Ukrainian SSR (1959–1991) * Football Federation of Ukraine (1991–2019) * Ukrainian Association of Football (since May 2019) Logo of Football Federation of Ukraine

First steps in football sport administration

The Ukrainian Association of Football as organization takes its roots to the All-Ukrainian Football Section that was created in 1932 in

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.Is it true that Football Federation of Ukraine is only 25 years? (Чи правда що Федерації футболу України лише 25 років?)
'. Football Federation of Kyiv. The first elected president was a Kharkiv football referee Oleksandr Yakovych Levitin who published a book "Game rules of football in questions and answers" ( uk, "Правила гри у футбол у питаннях і відповідях"). In 1934 after the capital of the

Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...

was transferred from Kharkiv to

, there was moved the Council of Physical Culture along with its football section. Levitin was replaced for not being not really a correct person with another Kharkiv football specialist Ivan Serhiyovych Kosmachov. On 27 December 1934, on resolution of the All-Union Council of Physical Culture (VSFK) of the Soviet Union, there was established Football-Hockey section as the higher public organization in administration of football in the country and had to help the VSFK. During that period there started a struggle between people's commissariats and trade union for the right to lead the physical culture movement. Trade unions started actively create volunteer sports societies (the first were "Spartak" and "Lokomotiv"). However, already in 1936 took place big changes when the VSKF that existed at the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union was liquidated and instead at the Council of People's Commissariats (

Sovnarkom The Councils of People's Commissars (SNK; russian: Совет народных комиссаров (СНК), ''Sovet narodnykh kommissarov''), commonly known as the ''Sovnarkom'' (Совнарком), were the highest executive authorities of ...

) was created the All-Union Committee in affairs of Physical Culture and Sports (VKFK) which also contained a department of football and hockey as well as the public Football Section. In Ukraine was created the Ukrainian Committee in affairs of Physical Culture and Sports (UKFK) at the Ukrainian Council of People's Commissars and quartered in

. The committee supervised 15 oblasts committees along with the Committee of

Moldavian ASSR * ro, Proletari din toate țările, uniți-vă! (Moldovan Cyrillic: ) * uk, Пролетарі всіх країн, єднайтеся! * russian: Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! , title_leader = First Secr ...

quartered in

Tiraspol Tiraspol or Tirișpolea ( ro, Tiraspol, Moldovan Cyrillic: Тираспол, ; russian: Тира́споль, ; uk, Тирасполь, Tyraspol') is the capital of Transnistria (''de facto''), a breakaway state of Moldova, where it is the th ...

. At the end of February 1937, at the Ukrainian Committee in affairs of Physical Culture and Sports was established the Football-Hockey Section which in mass media was better known as Football Section. The head of the section was appointed Samuyil Izepilyovych Khavchyn. With the Nazi Germany invasion of the Soviet Union, all Soviet government institutions were evacuated or liquidated. The Football-Hockey Section was reinstated in 1944 and headed by Stepan Dmytrovych Romanenko. In 1946 the VKFK was renamed into the Goskomsport (State Committee in affairs of Physical Culture and Sports) and a similar analogy took place in the

. In 1946 there took place a huge event when the Football-Hockey Section of Goskomsport of the Soviet Union was finally admitted to FIFA. In 1947 the Football Section separated from the Football-Hockey Section. In 1953 the Goskomsport was transferred to the Ministry of Healthcare as the Main Administration of Physical Culture and Sports, but the next year was reinstated once again. Due to such rapid changes, almost none of union republic were able adopt them therefore no changes ever took place at republican level. In 1954, the Football Section became a founding member of the

Union of European Football Associations Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...

. Within the Goskomsport, the football department was renamed into the Football Administration. In 1955 to the presidium of Football Section from the Ukrainian SSR was admitted Mykola Balakin.

Football Federation of the Ukrainian SSR

Foundation in independent Ukraine

On 6 March 1991 due to the efforts of Viktor Maksymovych Bannikov was established and legally reformed the Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU) as part of the

(FFSU).History
Football Federation of Ukraine. However, it fully was still controlled and subordinated to the Moscow's main governing body. On 24 August 1991 the Ukrainian parliament (

Verkhovna Rada The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, translit=, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy, translation=Supreme Council of Ukraine, Ukrainian abbreviation ''ВРУ''), often simply Verkhovna Rada or just Rada, is the ...

) by its Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine expressed its intent of casting away from Soviet Union and creation of a sovereign state – Ukraine. After these events the executive committee of Football Federation of the Ukrainian SSR made the decision to have a

plenum Plenum may refer to: * Plenum chamber, a chamber intended to contain air, gas, or liquid at positive pressure * Plenism, or ''Horror vacui'' (physics) the concept that "nature abhors a vacuum" * Plenum (meeting), a meeting of a deliberative asse ...

in the beginning of December where the future of the growth of the national sport would be defined. However, until then the following events took place that contribute to a certain degree of confusion. * In the beginning of the September a joined conference of the governing body of the federation and the national football society took place where it was announces to establish internal institutes which would subordinate to Moscow. * In October a meeting between Viktor Bannikov and the president

Lennart Johansson Nils Lennart Johansson (5 November 1929 – 4 June 2019) was a Swedish sports official who served as the fifth and, to date, longest-serving president of UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations. He served in the position from his elec ...

, took place. The president of the European football union promised to fully support Ukraine of joining the European football organization. About the fact that on the world map appeared a new nation the world society realized on 1 December 1991 after the conduction of the All-national

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

. After all that, on 13 December in the big hall of the State Committee of Physical Culture and Sport (also later known as Ministry in affairs of the Youth, Sport, and Tourism) the Council of federations in one voice accepted the following declaration: 13 December is the day when the Football Federation of Ukraine was established. Some time at the end of February 1992 the Agence France-Presse spread information that the FIFA without waiting for its congress granted a status of provisional members to national federations of Ukraine, Georgia, Slovenia, and Croatia.The first pancake is always lumpy (Первый блин комом)
Komanda newspaper (by Fanat). According to its commentary, that was made in order for the associations of those four countries in advance build their relations with football unions of other countries, and their footballers participate in friendlies of national team levels. Soon at address of the Football Federation of Ukraine arrived relevant official documents not only from FIFA, but from

that were signed by general secretaries of those organizations, Sepp Blatter and

Gerhard Aigner Gerhard Aigner (born 1 September 1943 in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany) is a retired football executive. Aigner became on 22 September 1989 General Secretary of UEFA Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associa ...

. In his interview in that regard the FFU first president Viktor Bannikov noted, "The relate to the powers of our federation on implementing of all transferring rights and participation of national and club teams in international competitions. Questions about such powers were placed before the relevant authorities during my stay in Zurich in mid February. On 24 February we sent a request to the FIFA asking for an answer. The returning fax did not make us wait long." On 16 February 1992 there kicked off the 1992 Ukrainian Cup which became the first football tournament among professional teams since Ukraine revived its independence. The first round of the 1992 Higher League was scheduled on 6–7 March 1992. On 29 April 1992 the FFU scheduled its first international friendly with the

Hungary national football team The Hungary national football team ( hu, magyar labdarúgó-válogatott) represents Hungary in men's international Association football, football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation. The team has made 9 appearances in the FIF ...

. The head coach of the national team was originally planned to appoint

Valeriy Lobanovskyi Valeriy Vasylyovych Lobanovskyi ( uk, Вале́рій Васи́льович Лобано́вський ; russian: Вале́рий Васи́льевич Лобано́вский; 6 January 1939 – 13 May 2002) was а Ukrainian football playe ...

, who at that time headed the

UAE national football team The United Arab Emirates national football team ( ar, منتخب الإمارات العربية المتحدة لكرة القدم) represents United Arab Emirates in international association football and serves under the auspices of the coun ...

. Viktor Bannikov did not fail to inform that to the shores of

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bod ...

was sent an invitation on the address of the Maître of domestic coaching corps, and Lobanovskyi gave a prior agreement. But he will be ready to lead the Ukraine national football team only at the end of the term of current contract, to which at that tie remained about a month. Thereby the first coach of national team had to be picked from the members of coaching council that included

Anatoliy Puzach Anatoliy Kyrylovych (or Anatoli Kirillovich) Puzach ( uk, Анатолій Кирилович Пузач, russian: Анатолий Кириллович Пузач; 3 June 1941 – 19 March 2006) was a Ukrainian football player and coach. Earl ...

(Dynamo),

Yevhen Kucherevskyi Yevhen Mefodiyovych Kucherevskyi ( uk, Євген Мефодiйoвич Кучеревський, russian: Евгений Мефодьевич Кучеревский) (6 August 1941 – 26 August 2006) was a Ukrainian football coach. He is most f ...

(Dnipro),

Yevhen Lemeshko Yevhen Lemeshko ( uk, Євген Пилипович Лемешко; 11 December 1930 – 2 June 2016) was a Ukrainian football coach and chairman of the Council of Veteran Footballers. He started his football career as a player for FC Dynamo Kyiv, ...

(Torpedo), Yukhym Shkolnykov (Bukovyna),

Viktor Prokopenko Viktor Prokopenko ( uk, Віктор Прокопенко) (24 October 1944 – 18 August 2007) was a Ukrainian football (soccer) player and coach who played in GDR and Ukrainian SSR including teams of the Soviet Top League and later worked a ...

(Chornomorets), and somewhat later they were joined by Valeriy Yaremcheko (Shakhtar). As mentioned by

Yevhen Kotelnykov Yevhen Kotelnykov (21 March 1939 – 19 December 2017) was a Soviet soccer player and coach from Ukraine. External links Yevhen Kotelnykov: "I am excited by our victory in Montenegro" Komanda. 11 June 2013. * Novobranets, V. '. Komanda. 6 Janu ...

(vice-president at that time), the

Ukrainian diaspora The Ukrainian diaspora comprises Ukrainians and their descendants who live outside Ukraine around the world, especially those who maintain some kind of connection, even if ephemeral, to the land of their ancestors and maintain their feeling of Uk ...

played a key role in helping the federation and the national team in particular from very beginning.We hacked window to America (Прорубили окно в Америку)
Komanda newspaper (by Fanat) It was diaspora that made possible for the national to play games in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. In 1992 the FFU delegation received an invitation to participate in the 48th FIFA Congress that was scheduled to take place in Zurich in the beginning of July. At that forum in particular was to be reviewed an issue of accepting Ukraine and some other newly created countries as permanent members of the International federation. The relevant documents were already reviewed in the FIFA headquarters and approved with minor remarks on some four points. Sometime later arrived a personal invitation for Viktor Bannikov to participate in extraordinary session of the UEFA Executive Committee along with the Committee on conducting continental tournaments. It was about granting our country a possibility already in the next season to present one team in each of Eurocups subject to the terms presented by the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...

, creation of own league, availability of appropriate infrastructure to hold games of such levels, ensuring security while they are being held. In his turn the FFU president offered the International federation not to grant Russia a right automatically inherit the place of CIS national football team in qualification cycle of the

1994 FIFA World Cup The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the 15th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national soccer teams. It was hosted by the United States and took place from June 17 to July 17, 1994, at nine venues across the country. The United States ...

and hold an additional tournament between national teams of former Soviet republics for the place in already formed during a draw the Group 5. The proposal was supported by Georgia and Armenia, but from Russians it caused an extremely negative reaction. For example, the RFU general secretary Vladimir Radionov accused the Ukrainian federation in scheming and regarded the idea of such tournament as a legally unreasonable attempt "run ahead of a locomotive". At the same time those neighbors of Ukraine were convinced that rights of former Union federation must be transferred to them. As the result, so it happened, although until the last moment, particularly the FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Stockholm and the congress, Viktor Bannikov tried to stand his ground. In 1995 new elections took place at the 2nd conference and against Bannikov ran former goalkeeper Hennadiy Lysenchuk, but he lost.

Presidents

* Viktor Bannikov (December 1991 – August 1996) * Valeriy Pustovoytenko (August 1996 – August 2000), Prime Minister of Ukraine from 16 July 1997 to 30 November 1999 *

Hryhoriy Surkis Hryhoriy Surkis ( ua, Григорій Суркіс; born 4 September 1949) is a Ukrainian businessman, one of five vice-presidents of UEFA since 24 May 2013. Surkis was the president of Football Federation of Ukraine until September 2012.

(16 August 2000 – 2 September 2012), reelected in 2004 and 2007 *

Anatoliy Konkov Anatoliy Konkov ( uk, Анатолій Дмитрович Коньков; born 19 September 1949) is a Ukrainian former football player and recognized as the Merited Master of Sports of the USSR (1982). He was elected as the President of the Foot ...

(2 September 2012 – 22 January 2015) *

Andriy Pavelko Andriy Vasylyovych Pavelko ( ua, Андрій Васильович Павелко, Andriy Vasylyovych Pavelko; born 7 October 1975) is a Ukrainian politician and sports functionary. On 6 March 2015, he was elected as president of the Football Fe ...

(22 January 2015 – present), elected on 6 March 2015

First vice-presidents

* Serhiy Storozhenko * Anatoliy Bidenko * Oleksandr Bandurko * Vadym Kostyuchenko * Ihor Kochetov * Nazar Kholodnytskyi

Executive Committee

* Viktor Andrukhiv *Viktor Bezsmertny *Andriy Bondarenko *Sergiy Vladyko *Irek Hataullin *Taras Herula

Structure

Main governing institutions

The main decisions of all-national importance are discussed at the meetings of the Congress of Football Federation of Ukraine (FFU). Congress also elects the president and vice-presidents (presidential cabinet) of federation and confirms several football government bodies such as presidium, executive committee, appellation committee, and others. The congress is more of a legislative body of government and sets goals and directions for the development of football in the country. All official meetings of various football government institutions take place at the "Building of Football" (Budynok futbolu) in

. All structural and organizational issues are executed by the Executive Committee (Vykonkom). The executive committee consists of about 30 people and includes the presidential cabinet of federation. To assist the executive committee there exists a presidium which organizes the meetings of the Vykonkom. The presidium composed of 16 people, among which are all the members of the presidential cabinet as well.

Committees and collective members

The federation also has two judicial bodies of government: the control disciplinary committee (KDK) and the appellation committee. Those are small committees and are confirmed by the congress of Football Federation of Ukraine. Aside of the above-mentioned organizations there are numerous other committees and directorates that supplement in the organization of football events in Ukraine. Among the most important are the Committee of professional football, the Committee of national teams, the Committee of referees, the Expert Commission, the Council of a strategic development of professional football, and many others. There are also collective members of federation that include various public organizations such as regional federation, student associations, independent leagues, travel agencies, others. The importance of collective members is that every single one of them can delegate up to three its representatives to the Congress and announce its own candidates on the position of the president.

Collective members

* Premier League of Ukraine *

Professional Football League of Ukraine Professional Football League of Ukraine ( uk, Професіональна футбольна ліга України, translit=Profesionalna futbolna liha Ukrayiny; also known as PFL) is a sport organization and collective member of the Footb ...

Ukrainian Football Amateur Association The Association of Amateur Football of Ukraine ( uk, Асоціація аматорського футболу України, AAFU) is a sports organization that administers national competitions of association football among amateur and childre ...

(National championship among the regions, National cup) * Association of football veterans * Association of mini-football of Ukraine (Futsal) * Association of beach football of Ukraine * Football association of handicapped * 27 regional football federations * All-Ukrainian football association of students * Children-Youth football league of Ukraine ( Ukrainian National Youth Competition) * League of Street Football * Youth Football Union * Committee of fitness education and sports of Ministry of Education * Sports office of Ministry of Defense ( CSK ZSU) * Central Council of Sports Club " Spartak" of Trade-unions of Ukraine * Central Council of Fitness Sports Club of Ukraine "

Dynamo "Dynamo Electric Machine" (end view, partly section, ) A dynamo is an electrical generator that creates direct current using a commutator. Dynamos were the first electrical generators capable of delivering power for industry, and the foundati ...

" * Central Council of Fitness Sports Club of Ukraine " Kolos" * Central Council of Fitness Sports Club "

" * Association "Futbol-Zakhid" * Association of referees of Ukraine * Ukraina Football International * Tourist agency "Sport Line Travel" * Public association "Hrayemo za Ukrainu razom" (Play for Ukraine together)

Associative members

* Association of Women Football ( Ukrainian Women's League, WFPL)

Congresses

The list of recent congress meetings. Congresses take place every year. Each FFU collective member sends three delegates.

Fighting corruption

After German weekly news magazine " Der Spiegel" published its investigation titled "How did the UEFA payments get to the British Virgin Islands?" the UAF addressed the State Bureau of Investigations, Prosecutor General's Office and the Internal Ministry of Ukraine filing a claim that Hryhorii Surkis, former president of the Football Federation of Ukraine, has committed a criminal offence stealing hundreds of millions Euro. According to "Der Spiegel", starting from 1999 (that is for almost 15 years) the UEFA has been transferring the money (in general €380 million) allocated for the Football Federation (now Ukrainian Association of Football) to Newport management Ltd. – an offshore entity. This company is registered in the British Virgin Islands and, according to the publication, is controlled by Hryhorii Surkis, who had been chairing the FFU from 2000 till 2012, and who's been a member of the UEFA executive committee for more than 10 years until February 2019).

National teams

Ukraine women's national football team The Ukraine women's national football team represents Ukraine in international women's football. The team is administered by the Ukrainian Association of Football. The team has been playing since 30 June 1992 when it hosted a team of Moldova. ...

Ukraine national under-21 football team The Ukraine national under-21 football team is also known as Youth ootballteam of Ukraine ( uk, Молодіжна збірна України) is one of junior national football teams of Ukraine for participation in under-21 international compet ...

(also known as the youth team, participates in qualifications for the Olympic tournament) *Ukraine youth women national football team (under 19) *Ukraine student football team *Other national and junior football teams ;;National team tournaments *

Valeri Lobanovsky Memorial Tournament Valeri Lobanovsky Memorial Tournament ( uk, Турнір Пам'яті Валерія Лобановського) is an international football tournament established in honour and memory of Valeri Lobanovsky since his death on 13 May 2002, hence th ...

* Viktor Bannikov Memorial Tournament *Others

Russian invasion 2022

The Association announced the suspension of Ukraine's first league in February 24, 2022, the day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

References

External links

Football Federation of Ukraine
– official website

at FIFA site

at UEFA site {{Authority control *

Football Sports organizations established in 1991 1991 establishments in Ukraine Futsal in Ukraine Collective members of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine