October 16-17 at the V. Bannikov National Technical Center in Kyiv, the final stage of the All-Ukrainian Girls' Football Tournament "Development Cup-2025" among teams composed of players born in 2014-2015 took place.

This year, qualification matches saw a record number of 79 teams from all corners of Ukraine participating for this age category. They competed to qualify as one of the eight strongest teams that played for the trophy in the capital.

Photos by Lesia Zadorozhna

The competition was held in a 6x6 format. Teams were divided into two groups of four, followed by knockout matches.

Group A: Rivne Oblast, Vinnytsia Oblast, Odesa Oblast, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Group B: Lviv Oblast, Zhytomyr Oblast, Kirovohrad Oblast, Poltava Oblast.

In a tense and competitive battle, the team from Rivne Oblast emerged victorious, defeating the representatives of Lviv Oblast in the final. The bronze medals were won by the Odesa Oblast team.

Photos by Lesia Zadorozhna

The award ceremony was attended by the President of the Ukrainian Football Association, Andriy Shevchenko, Head of the Women's and Girls' Football Committee, Anastasiia Klipchachenko, Technical Director of the UFA, Igor Dedishin, head coach of the girls' national team WU-17, Ludmila Lemeschko, and player of the national team Veronika Andrukhiv.

The main goal of the tournament is not only to determine the strongest teams but also to create opportunities for young players to showcase their skills, gain new playing experience and feel the atmosphere of a real football event.

Photos by Lesia Zadorozhna

The "Development Cup" is part of the national strategy for developing girls' football in Ukraine, implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association together with regional associations. The tournament aims to create a systematic platform for competitions among girls aged WU-9 to WU-15 and become an important step towards playing at youth and national levels.