The Ukrainian Premier League matchday 11 game between Kolos Kovalivka and Polissya Zhytomyr, scheduled for Sunday, November 1, has been officially postponed. The reason was a prolonged air raid alert in the Kyiv region: the teams were unable to start the match at the Kolos Stadium in Kovalivka, and the organizers decided to delay the encounter until the security situation stabilized.
What happened in Kovalivka
The meeting was planned at the Kolos Stadium in Kovalivka, but due to a long air raid alert in the Kyiv region, the players of both teams were unable to start the game. Match officials, assessing the security situation for players, the refereeing team, and spectators, made the decision to move the match to another day. A specific new date and kickoff time have not been announced at the time of publication—they will be determined by the Ukrainian Premier League Directorate.
Third match disrupted on matchday 11
The Kolos vs Polissya game became the third match of the current 11th round of the Ukrainian championship to be hampered by prolonged air raid alerts. Thus, three matches of the round could not be held according to the initial schedule: two of them did not start at all, and one was interrupted after the first half. This makes matchday 11 one of the most disrupted of the current season in terms of calendar adherence.
Chronicle of postponements: from Cherkasy to Livyi Bereh
Earlier the same day, November 1, the match between LNZ Cherkasy and Kharkiv was postponed due to a prolonged air raid in the Cherkasy region, which lasted more than 26 hours. Additionally, the Livyi Bereh vs Bukovyna match stands out: it began on October 31, but was suspended after the first half. The teams were supposed to continue the game on November 1, but due to a newly announced prolonged alert, the resumption had to be postponed as well.
What's next: UPL Directorate to set a new date
As of the time of publication, the updated schedule for all three affected meetings has not been announced. The Ukrainian Premier League Directorate, as follows from the organizers' statements, will determine new dates and start times for the matches taking into account the security situation in the respective regions. Fans are advised to rely solely on the league's announcements until the official schedule is released.
Context: air raids as a systemic factor for Ukrainian football
The accumulation of three disrupted matches in one round clearly shows how the threat of an air attack has become a systemic factor affecting the Ukrainian championship calendar. Postponements and suspensions of games due to air raids lasting many hours force the league and clubs to flexibly adjust schedules and reserve dates. For teams, this means additional pressure on logistics and preparation, and for spectators, it means needing to keep an eye on current announcements before each round.
