--- title: "Start of the 2026/27 Basketball Super League moved from Kyiv to Rivne and Lutsk due to security situation" description: "The UBF approved an updated schedule for the first round of the 2026/27 Super League: the season opener is set for October 1, and the opening matches have been moved from Kyiv to Rivne and Lutsk due to air raid alerts and government requirements." date: 2026-09-10T15:56:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/start-super-league-2026-27-moved-from-kyiv-to-rivne-and-lutsk-en tags: [basketball, ukraine-super-league, federation-of-basketball-ukraine, season-2026-27, khmelnytskyi, dnipro] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Start of the 2026/27 Basketball Super League moved from Kyiv to Rivne and Lutsk due to security situation ![Ukrainian basketball Super League game: players in yellow and dark jerseys battle for the ball at the arena where the 2026/27 season will now open instead of Kyiv](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/10/start-superligi-2026-27-perenesen-iz-kieva-v-rovno-i-lutsk/start-superligi-2026-27-perenesen-iz-kieva-v-rovno-i-lutsk-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The 2026/27 men's basketball Super League season starts on October 1; the UBF approved an updated schedule for the first round after a meeting with the clubs. - Due to frequent air raid alerts and new requirements from the government and the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the opening games of the first round have been moved from Kyiv to Rivne and Lutsk. - For the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, the tournament is abandoning the "bubble" format. - League debutant BK Khmelnytskyi will open the season with a home match against the reigning champion — BK Dnipro. The Ukrainian men's basketball Super League will kick off the 2026/27 season on October 1. The Ukrainian Basketball Federation (UBF) approved an updated schedule for the opening round following an unscheduled meeting with club executives. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the [federation's official website](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/basketball/start-sezonu-basketbolnoyi-superligi-perenesli-1789055563.html). As a result, clubs and fans have received the final version of the opening round calendar, which takes into account the current realities of hosting matches under martial law conditions. ### Security as the key factor in the calendar According to the source, the main reason for the schedule adjustment was the security situation: frequent air raid alerts in the capital and in other regions of the country, as well as new requirements from the government and the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Ukraine. These factors formed the basis for moving the opening games of the first round from Kyiv to Rivne and Lutsk. The decision was made at the federation level after consultations with club management, underscoring the priority of the safety of players, officials, and spectators over the original plans for match locations. ### First time since the invasion — without "bubbles" The tournament format deserves special attention: for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Super League is abandoning so-called "bubbles" — closed, isolated tournament cycles. This means a return to a more familiar model of a regular calendar with home and away matches at the clubs' arenas, which, under current conditions, requires flexible planning from the organizers and readiness to react quickly to changes in the security level in specific regions. ### Opening round: debutant versus the reigning champion In the opening round, attention will be focused on the match featuring the Super League's debutant — BK Khmelnytskyi, which will play its first game at home against the reigning Ukrainian champion, BK Dnipro. For a new entrant to the elite division, this is an immediate test of strength: starting the season against a title-holding opponent sets the tone for the entire first round and serves as an indicator of the debutant's competitiveness in its new division. ### Context: the relocation of the Kharkiv Falcons and the fight for the "gold" Additional context for the 2026/27 season is added by the recent news that the Kharkiv Falcons have changed their home base and are declaring their intention to compete for the Super League "gold." The club's relocation and its ambitions intensify competition in the league and expand the geography of match venues, which, combined with the abandonment of "bubbles," makes the new season one of the most format-rich since the start of the full-scale invasion. The outcome of the federation's work was the approved schedule for the first round, starting on October 1: the opening round matches will be held in Rivne and Lutsk, rather than in Kyiv as originally planned. Clubs receive an updated calendar, and fans get a clear picture of where and when the new season of the Ukrainian men's basketball Super League will begin. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Basketball Super League season start moved due to security situation: updated match cities and dates](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/basketball/start-sezonu-basketbolnoyi-superligi-perenesli-1789055563.html) - Источник указывает дату старта 1 октября, причину переноса (воздушные тревоги, требования правительства и Минмолодежьспорта), смену городов (из Киева в Ровно и Луцк), отказ от «бабблов» и матч дебютанта «Хмельницкий» против чемпиона «Днепр». Данные использованы без изменений. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: When does the 2026/27 men's basketball Super League season start? **A:** The season starts on October 1, 2026; the UBF has already approved an updated schedule for the first round. ### Q: Why were the opening matches of the first round moved from Kyiv? **A:** The reason was the security situation: frequent air raid alerts in the capital and in the regions, as well as new requirements from the government and the Ministry of Youth and Sport. The games were moved to Rivne and Lutsk. ### Q: What does the Super League's abandonment of "bubbles" mean? **A:** For the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, the tournament is abandoning closed, isolated tournament cycles and moving to a more familiar format of a regular calendar. ### Q: Who will play in the league debutant's first match? **A:** Super League debutant BK Khmelnytskyi will play its first match at home against the reigning Ukrainian champion — BK Dnipro.