The sixth round of the Ukrainian Premier League, which was supposed to be another stage of the regular championship, was partially paralyzed due to ongoing air raid alerts. The match between Roveni's Veres and Kudrivka, scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2026, never took place: the teams were unable to take the field on time, and the organizers decided to postpone the match indefinitely. However, according to the "TaToTakoe" project, as cited by Sport RBC.UA, the managers of both clubs have already reached a compromise and agreed on a new date for the match.
Reasons for the Cancellation: Air Raid Alerts Prevented the Teams from Taking the Field
The Saturday match was originally scheduled for 18:00. However, due to large-scale air raid alerts and the overall security situation, the start of the game was postponed to 19:30. In the end, officials decided to cancel the match entirely and postpone it indefinitely. The teams simply could not reach the stadium in time and take the field under conditions that posed a real threat to players, staff, and spectators. This is not the first case in the current season when air raid alerts have become the reason for postponing UPL matches.
The Presidents' Compromise: October 3 in Kyiv
Ivan Nadiein, president of Roveni's Veres, and Roman Solodarenko, president of Kudrivka, held negotiations and agreed that the abandoned match would take place on October 3, 2026 — on a Saturday. The match will be held not in Roveni but in Kyiv, which is likely due to logistical and organizational considerations. A daytime slot has been preliminarily chosen for the start of the game: the opening whistle is set to sound at 13:00. According to Sport RBC.UA, a backup date in December was also among the options considered, but both clubs settled on the earlier date so as not to stretch the championship calendar and create an artificial pause in the standings.
Why the International Break Day Was Chosen
October 3, 2026, falls during the international break, when national teams play in the Nations League and other UEFA tournaments. Choosing this date means that a number of players called up to their national teams may not take part in the match, or the game will be played with a reduced squad. Nevertheless, for clubs whose players are not part of national teams, this does not create significant problems. In addition, holding the match on an international break day avoids a conflict with other UPL matches and preserves the integrity of the sixth round's calendar.
Context: Not the Only Victim of the Air Raid Alerts
The Veres – Kudrivka match was not the only game in the sixth round of the UPL affected by the air raid alerts. It was previously reported that, for similar reasons, another match in the round — Kryvbas against Kharkiv — was also postponed. Thus, more than half of the matches in the sixth round have been affected by postponements, which calls into question the normal progression of the regular championship and creates additional difficulties for clubs that are forced to adjust their training plans and logistics. For Veres and Kudrivka, a three-week postponement means the teams will have to play in conditions where their opponents have already played their matches and may gain an advantage in the standings.
What Comes Next for Both Clubs
By October 3, Veres and Kudrivka will each play several matches in other UPL rounds, which will allow them to maintain match fitness. However, the postponed match will be played within a tight timeframe and in a non-standard format — in a different city and during the daytime. Judging by the statements of the presidents, both clubs have taken the situation pragmatically: the safety of players and spectators proved more important than adhering to the original calendar. Final confirmation of the date, time, and venue of the match is expected from the Ukrainian Premier League in the official manner.
