The line-up for the 2025/26 Ukrainian Premier League has been finalised after the conclusion of the relegation play-offs, with Metalist 1925 securing a return to the top division and Kudrivka earning a place in the elite tier for the first time in the club’s history.
Poltava-based Vorskla and Kyiv’s Livyi Bereh entered the play-offs as the 13th and 14th-placed sides in the UPL, facing off against Metalist 1925 and Kudrivka respectively. Metalist 1925 had been relegated at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, while Kudrivka were making their debut in promotion contention.
Vorskla claimed a narrow 2-1 victory in the first leg against Kudrivka but failed to hold their advantage. A 1-0 win in the second leg for the underdogs from Chernihiv region sent the tie to extra time and penalties, where Kudrivka held their nerve to win 4-3 in the shootout and clinch an historic promotion.
In the other tie, Metalist 1925 edged Livyi Bereh 1-0 in the first leg thanks to a goal from Ari Moura. The decisive second leg on 1 June saw the tie settled deep into stoppage time when Ermir Rashica weaved through the box and found Vladyslav Kalytvyntsev, who headed home to secure a 2-0 aggregate win.
For Metalist 1925, it marks an immediate return to the top tier after just one season away. For Kudrivka, their remarkable rise continues as they prepare for a maiden campaign among Ukraine’s elite.