---
title: "FC Kharkiv to Remain in Zhytomyr: Reasons and Season Plans"
description: "FC Kharkiv has officially confirmed: home matches for the next season will take place in Zhytomyr. The club's vice-president explained that returning to their home city is impossible due to air raid statistics, which reach 12 hours a day. 🏟️🚫\n\nIn addition to logistics, the team has announced a major squad strengthening: five new players will be signed during the upcoming off-season. 🔄⚽"
date: 2026-06-16T12:28:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/fc-kharkiv-to-remain-in-zhytomyr-reasons-and-season-plans
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# FC Kharkiv to Remain in Zhytomyr: Reasons and Season Plans

![FC Kharkiv representative in Zhytomyr: contemplating the club’s future amid construction materials](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/16/fk-kharkov-ostanetsya-v-zhitomire-prichiny-i-plany-na-sezon/fk-kharkov-ostanetsya-v-zhitomire-prichiny-i-plany-na-sezon-1.webp)

FC Kharkiv has officially confirmed that in the upcoming Ukrainian Premier League season, it will continue to host its home matches in Zhytomyr. Vice-president of the club, Yuriy Korotun, discussed the details of logistics, the reasons for the inability to return to their home arena, and transfer plans during a press conference.

### The Numbers That Decide Everything

The question of returning the team to its home city remains open and is constantly discussed by the management. However, according to Korotun, the decision is dictated not by a lack of infrastructure or fan desire, but by the harsh statistics of safety. After the Ukrainian Cup semi-final, officials conducted calculations that showed the physical impossibility of organizing matches under current conditions.

"We think about this very often. After the Cup semi-final, we sat down to calculate how many hours a day air raid sirens last in Kharkiv. At that time, it was from 8 to 12 hours. Therefore, playing in the city is currently physically impossible," noted the vice-president.

At the same time, the stadium in Kharkiv is ready to host matches, and support from local fans remains high. The problem lies exclusively in the inability to ensure the safety of players and spectators throughout the entire game.

### Why Zhytomyr Was Chosen

The club management considered various options for temporary basing. The list of candidates included geographically closer locations, such as Poltava. However, in the end, a decision was made to abandon the search for new venues in favor of an already proven option.

Yuriy Korotun explained that from a logistical point of view, there is no fundamental difference between a trip to neighboring Poltava or Zhytomyr. Stability and experience in organizing games in Zhytomyr became the decisive factors for maintaining the current scheme.

### A New Name and New Faces

It is worth noting that the club recently underwent a major rebranding. The team, which fans have known for a decade as "Metalist 1925," now plays under the name FC Kharkiv. Along with the new name, the management announced ambitious plans to strengthen the squad.

In the summer transfer window, the club plans to sign five new players. The first of them will be presented to the public just three days after the press conference. Thus, despite the forced change of location, the team is preparing for the season with active investments in the squad.