The Ukrainian Hockey Federation (UHF) has officially released the schedule for the opening matches of the men's national championship for the 2026/27 season. As reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the federation's press service, the first round will be "stretched" over several days: from the Odesa opening on September 26 to Kyiv's "Sokol" traveling to Kremenchuk on October 1. This format of the start allows the teams' logistics to be taken into account and ensures maximum audience attention to each of the matches.
Season Opening in Odesa
The 2026/27 season will open on Saturday, September 26, with a match at the Odesa Palace of Sports. In the opening game, "Odeschyna" will face "Dnipro." Choosing Odesa as the starting point is a traditional gesture by the federation: the southern city has hosted the championship's opening matches more than once, and "Odeschyna's" home crowd sets a high emotional tone for the start of the season.
Debutant Against the Runner-Up
The first round will continue on Sunday, September 27. In Bohuslav, the season's debutants — "Sherhniv" — will play their first home match for their senior team. Their opponent will be the country's current runners-up, Kremenchuk's "Kremenchuk." The match is expected to be an indicator of the league's depth: how the debutant copes with the experienced opponent will largely determine the character of the entire championship.
"Sokol" Defends Its Title
The reigning champions and Ukrainian Cup holders — Kyiv's "Sokol" — will begin their title defense later than the others, on Wednesday, October 1. The team is set to travel to Kremenchuk, where they will be hosted by "Kremenchuk." Thus, last season's leader will start on the road against the runner-up, adding intrigue already in the first round and shifting the focus to how "Sokol" conducts its preseason preparation.
Broadcasts and Media Coverage
All opening matches of the Ukrainian championship will be shown live on the UHF's YouTube channel and on the "Kyivstar.TV" platform. The dual broadcast format — a free video platform and television — allows the federation to reach both the online audience and viewers accustomed to sports television, expanding the audience for hockey in the country.
Context: The Ukrainian Cup Final
A reminder of the recent Ukrainian Cup final heightens interest in the new season: "Sokol" then snatched victory over "Kremenchuk" in a tense final match. Now these two clubs will meet again — this time within the championship, on October 1 in Kremenchuk — turning the first round into a continuation of the recent cup story and setting a high bar of drama for the entire 2026/27 season.
