A debate over the foreign player quota has erupted in Ukrainian football, and the club "Polissya" has taken a clear stance. Vladimir Zagursky, the General Director of the Zhytomyr team, officially stated that artificial restrictions harm the development of domestic football.
Neutrality and the UAF position
Zagursky emphasized that "Polissya" sees a conflict between the giants of Ukrainian football but has no intention of taking sides in the public dispute. Instead, the club fully supports the course of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF).
"Our position is consolidated with the UAF's position: if Ukrainian footballers are not considered foreigners in EU countries, then players with EU passports should not have the status of foreigners in Ukraine. We should not go down the path of discrimination," Sport RBC.UA quotes the General Director.
Development instead of restrictions
The head of the club noted that Polissya's president, Hennadiy Butkevych, has repeatedly stated that instead of introducing artificial barriers, efforts should focus on creating conditions for the growth of homegrown players. This involves developing infrastructure, funding youth academies, training high-quality coaching staff, and providing preferences to local footballers.
Constructive proposal for the UPL
"Polissya" has put forward a specific proposal for discussion among all Premier League clubs. The club suggests working out a mandatory rule: starting from the 2027/28 season, each team must have at least one Ukrainian player under the age of 21 on the field at all times.
According to the Zhytomyr club, this decision will stimulate youth development without discriminating against foreign players who are already integrated into the European football market.
Earlier reports indicated that the new foreign player quota in the UPL was under threat. There were also statements from other clubs about attempts to cancel European norms in Ukrainian football.
