On December 13–14, the V. Bannikov Training Complex in Kyiv hosted the final round matches of the first-ever Ukrainian Amputee Football Championship - a landmark event that opened a new chapter in the development of adaptive sports and Ukrainian football as a whole.
The championship was launched by the Ukrainian Association of Football within the framework of the “League of the Mighty” project. Over several months, the tournament brought together athletes from across the country, for whom football has become an important part of physical recovery, psychological resilience, and social integration.
The winner of the first Ukrainian Amputee Football Championship was Pokrova AMP (Lviv). The team went through the tournament undefeated, winning nine matches and scoring 43 goals. They claimed the Super League championship trophy, a division that united teams created by civic activists at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, as well as new teams that developed rapidly and joined the competition after the launch of the UAF championship within the “League of the Mighty” project.
With this victory, Pokrova AMP also earned the right to represent Ukraine in the 2026 EAFF Champions League.
The silver medalists of the Super League were Khrestonostsi (Lutsk). The team also received a certificate granting them participation in the 2026 Europa League.
The championship, which lasted from September to December, featured 12 teams and more than 350 players from across Ukraine:
MSK Dnipro (Cherkasy), Pokrova AMP (Lviv), Shakhtar Stalevi (Donetsk), Burevii (Kyiv region), Khrestonostsi(Lutsk), Vinnytsia AMP (Vinnytsia), Metalist 1925 Nezlamni (Kharkiv), Titany (Zhytomyr), FC Bartka (Ivano-Frankivsk), Vikings (Ternopil), Dnipro Chest (Dnipro), and Veres Mriya (Rivne).
Throughout the season, five match rounds were held in Kyiv, Lviv, Cherkasy, and Ivano-Frankivsk, with a total of 75 matches played.
Championship games attracted thousands of fans across Ukraine. Broadcasts on the UAF YouTube channel alone were watched by tens of thousands of viewers, confirming the growing interest in amputee football and the emergence of an active community of supporters of this sport.
The award ceremony, hosted by TV presenter Roman Mishcheryakov, began with the performance of the National Anthem of Ukraine by Valerii Kharchyshyn, the lead singer of the band Druha Rika.
Afterward, the teams were congratulated by honored guests.
“We are proud of the progress of amputee football in Ukraine. It was you who inspired us to launch the ‘League of the Mighty’ project, the logical continuation of which became the Ukrainian Amputee Football Championship.
First and foremost, I would like to sincerely thank those of you who stood up to defend Ukraine. And I thank the Defense Forces of Ukraine for giving us the opportunity to hold these competitions.
On this journey, we were not alone - partners stood beside us and supported us. We believe in the power of cooperation: together we can achieve more than we can alone.
We look forward to seeing you again next season. In the meantime, we will continue working for you,” said Ihor Hryshchenko, General Secretary of the Ukrainian Association of Football.
“It is a great honor for me to be here today and to be part of a movement that has already become a reality. Each of you is an example of strength of spirit, determination, and the desire to win.
We will do everything to ensure that you have the proper conditions for development. What seemed just an idea a few years ago has now become real football - with emotions, fans, and energy.
Thank you for that. I wish you victories on the field and in life, and the most important victory - our shared victory for the whole country,” said Matvii Bidnyi, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine.
“It is you who are changing Ukraine - with your strength, your example, and the community you are building. For me, this is a space where, even during war, it is possible to legitimately feel joy, where there is life, emotions, and energy.
This is the energy that must be carried back to your communities, homes, and cities. And it is certainly not the time to stop. Next year, we must do even more so that the final features twice as many teams and full stands,” emphasized Nataliia Kalmykova, Minister for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.
The organizers and partners of the championship received a commemorative gift - a football boot signed by the players. Another boot from the “League of the Mighty” team will be presented to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
An important stage in the development of the teams was the First League competition. All of its participants were created only this year through the efforts of the “League of the Mighty” project, but they have already become an important part of the amputee football community.
The winner of the First League was FC Bartka (Ivano-Frankivsk) - a team that, in just six months, progressed from its first training session to winning the tournament gold, securing four victories and scoring 29 goals during the season.
It should be noted that the organizer of the Ukrainian Amputee Football Championship is the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF). The UAF expresses its gratitude to the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the Ministry for Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, and the Mass Sports Agency of Ukraine for their support in organizing the tournament.
The official partners of the championship were Mastercard and Oschadbank.
Project partners also included adidas, Lvivske, the official broadcaster MEGOGO, Ukrzaliznytsia, and the Canada–Ukraine Foundation
