--- title: "New Heroes of the Ukrainian Elite: How Chernivtsi, Odesa, and Kyiv are Changing the Face of the Premier League" description: "The Ukrainian Premier League is refreshing! πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ Chernivtsi return to the elite after 30 years, Odesa's \"Chornomorets\" is back in action, and the Kyiv club proves its class after rapid growth. Find out how these teams are changing the face of Ukrainian football! ⚽️πŸ”₯" date: 2026-06-09T19:16:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/new-heroes-of-the-ukrainian-elite-chernivtsi-odesa-and-kyiv-are-changing-the-face-of-the-premier-league tags: [] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # New Heroes of the Ukrainian Elite: How Chernivtsi, Odesa, and Kyiv are Changing the Face of the Premier League ![Football players in blue and black jerseys celebrate a goal on the field, showcasing team spirit and joy of victory](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/09/novye-geroi-ukrainskoj-elity-chernovtsy-odessa-i-kiev-menyayut-oblik-premer-ligi/novye-geroi-ukrainskoj-elity-chernovtsy-odessa-i-kiev-menyayut-oblik-premer-ligi-1.webp) The Ukrainian Premier League is gearing up for a season that promises to be one of the most intriguing in recent years. The composition of the elite has undergone significant changes: instead of relegated teams, ambitious newcomers have entered the top division, each bringing its own unique story and potential. ### Chernivtsi: A Historic Return After a 30-Year Hiatus For FC Chernivtsi, promotion to the UPL is an event of grand scale. The club has returned to the strongest division of Ukrainian football, breaking an incredible pause lasting more than three decades. The last time the Chernivtsi team played in the elite was in the 1993/94 season, when it was called the Higher League. At that time, the team finished 17th out of 18 and was relegated to the First League, subsequently falling even into the Second League and suffering from a lack of funds for years. Now, the club's newest history is being rewritten thanks to a powerful title sponsor who has completely restructured the organization to meet UPL requirements, signed experienced coach Serhiy Shyshchenko, and secured a budget on par with top elite teams. ### "Chornomorets": The Return of the Legendary Odesa Sailors Odesa's "Chornomorets" is the main historical name among all the newcomers. The club has returned to the elite after a painful relegation at the end of the last season. In recent years, the team has constantly struggled due to a lack of personnel and changing investors, which led to a drop in class. However, fortunately for the people of Odesa, this period lasted only one season. "Chornomorets" is one of the most respected clubs in Ukraine. The Odesa team are two-time holders of the Ukrainian Cup (1992, 1994). Additionally, they won silver medals in the Higher League twice (1995, 1996) and took "bronze" three times (1993, 1994, 2006). The main feature of the Odesa team is that it is the only club on this list with experience in European competitions. In its time, they stood up to even Madrid's "Real" on the international stage. They defeated opponents such as "Lazio", PSV, "Red Star", and "Dinamo" Zagreb. ### The Kyiv Phenomenon: From a Children's Academy to the Premier League The Kyiv club represents a completely unique story for Ukrainian football. Founded only in 2017 as a children's academy, it went from the amateur championship of Ukraine to the Premier League in just a few years. The "Storks" already tasted elite football in the 2024/25 season, but after relegation, they were forced to prove their class again through the sieve of the First League. This time, they finished third in the First League and demonstrated an iron character in the playoff matches against "Alexandria," which allowed them to return to the elite. The main feature of the Kyiv team is their impeccable own infrastructure. The club has an ultra-modern stadium on the left bank of Kyiv, which is often rented by other UPL clubs for home matches. This makes them not just newcomers, but serious players with a powerful base for development.