November 22-23 at the sports complex "Revera 1908" in Ivano-Frankivsk, the fourth round of the Ukrainian amputee football championship is taking place. The championship was initiated by the Football Association of Ukraine as part of a social project called "League of Strong." This is the first tournament of this scale in Ukraine.

The tournament, which started in August and will run until the end of the year, involves 12 teams from various regions of Ukraine with over 300 participants. Most players are war veterans who have returned to sports after rehabilitation.

Based on the results of three previous rounds, the teams were divided into two leagues, and a new stage of competition will start with a clean slate — each participant will have zero points.

Super League:

— "MSK Dnipro" (Cherkasy);

— "Pokrova AMP" (Lviv);

— "Shakhtar Stalevi" (Donetsk);

— "Burevay" (Kyiv region);

— "Crusaders" (Lviv);

— "Metalist 1925 Unbreakable" (Kharkiv).

First League:

— "Vinnytsia AMP" (Vinnytsia);

— "Titans" (Zhytomyr);

— FC "Bartka" (Ivano-Frankivsk);

— "Vikings" (Ternopil);

— "Dnipro Honor" (Dnipro);

— "Veres Mirage" (Rivne).

In subsequent rounds of the championship, teams in the Super League and First League will play matches against each other within their leagues.

Football clubs from Ukraine's Premier League support two amputee football teams in the championship: "Shakhtar" Donetsk ("Shakhtar Stalevi") and "Metalist 1925" Kharkiv ("Metalist 1925 Unbreakable").

Photo: Dan Balashov

In the first three rounds, 45 matches were played, with broadcasts attracting tens of thousands of views on media service MEGOGO and YouTube channel UAF, as well as millions of impressions in social networks.

During the second round of the Ukrainian amputee football championship in Lviv, we witnessed the first hat-trick in tournament history and the birth of a new family: player FC "Pokrova AMP" Mykola Hatala proposed to his girlfriend Dzvinca.

In the third round, an unprecedented moment occurred — a goal scored from the penalty line by goalkeeper MCK "Dnipro" Stanislav Kapli. He did not concede any goals in three rounds and rightfully earned the title of Goalkeeper of the Third Round.

Simultaneously with the third round of the championship, the Autumn Cup of the "League of Strong" took place. Two teams that reached the final joined the First League of the Championship: "Dnipro Honor" (Dnipro) and "Veres Mirage" (Rivne).

Photo: Dan Balashov

At the official opening ceremony of the fourth round of the championship, participants were greeted by honored guests.

Yuriy Haponchuk, deputy mayor and head of the department for veterans' support and demobilized individuals in Ivano-Frankivsk City Council:

"Thank you all for coming to Ivano-Frankivsk. Special thanks to the Football Association and everyone who helped us organize the game here. Thank you, fans, for your support. I wish everyone a bright and fair game. Glory to Ukraine!"

Volodymyr Babanin, deputy head of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast State Administration:

"Thank you to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for allowing us to play football even in difficult conditions. Congratulations to all participants, coaches, referees, and fans on the fourth round of the Ukrainian amputee football championship in Ivano-Frankivsk.

This sport is actively developing, and we are glad to see its growth and popularity. I wish everyone health, good games, and fair competition on the field."

Photo: Dan Balashov

Vasyl Sykor, deputy head of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast Football Association:

"Today on this wonderful pitch, 12 teams from different corners of our country have gathered. This once again confirms that Ukraine is united and no enemy can tear us apart.

I wish all participants a fair, exciting game, true satisfaction from the competition, and victory for the stronger."

Also present at the ceremony were Konstantin Liseyko, head of the sports and youth policy department in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast State Administration, and Kristina Torgana, deputy head of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast State Administration.

The festive atmosphere was enhanced by the performance of the National Guard's 50th Battalion orchestra playing the Ukrainian national anthem. The event was also marked by the sound of trumpets that echoed at the start of the ceremony.

Photo: Dan Balashov

The championship runs from August to December and will take place in Kyiv, Kyiv region, Lviv, Cherkasy, and Ivano-Frankivsk. The champion of the tournament will represent Ukraine at the European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF) Champions League in 2026.

Next round:

5th round (final), Kyiv, December 13-14.

The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, and the Agency for Mass Sport of Ukraine.

Official partners: Mastercard and Oschadbank.

Among project partners are also MEGOGO, Ukrainian Railways, "Lvivske," adidas, and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

Live broadcasts of matches are available on media service MEGOGO and YouTube channel UAF.

Photo: Dan Balashov

*Amputee football (ampfoot) is a sport for people with amputations or congenital limb deficiencies. The game follows these main rules. Seven players are on the field (six outfield and one goalkeeper). Outfield players must have an amputation or deficiency of the lower limb, while the goalkeeper must have an upper-limb amputation. Outfield players move around using prosthetic blades without prostheses, while goalkeepers play without blades. The game consists of two halves of 25 minutes each with a 10-minute break. The pitch is smaller than a standard football field (60x40 m). Adapted rules of football are used with an emphasis on player safety. There are women's, men's, and mixed teams. This dynamic and exciting sport promotes inclusion and inspires with its fighting spirit and teamwork.

Over 100,000 people in Ukraine live with amputated limbs. For many of them, amputee football opens the way to physical and psychological recovery, returning to an active life, and joining a community of like-minded individuals.

*"League of Strong" is a social project by the Football Association of Ukraine that helps people with amputations or limb deficiencies return to an active life and find inspiration through sports. The project covers a wide range of tasks: recruiting new players, creating teams in cities, organizing training sessions, preparing professionals (coaches and managers), as well as equipping teams with full-fledged sporting equipment. UAF also develops the competitive component by holding cups and initiating championships. Official partners of "League of Strong" are Mastercard and Oschadbank.

In a year, amputee football centers were established in 18 cities across Ukraine: Boryspil, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhya, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Lviv, Odessa, Rivne, Ternopil, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, and Chernihiv. The project has spurred the creation of 20 teams that are dynamically developing and promoting amputee football across Ukraine. In total, over 500 players have been recruited who actively train, develop their skills, and participate in competitions.

In January 2025, the first tournament, Winter Cup "League of Strong," took place with five teams participating. In March, the "League of Strong" team played an historic match against Red Flamingos in Belgium, winning 1-0. And already in May, the Spring Cup "League of Strong" was held, featuring eight teams.

Less than a year after its inception, "League of Strong" became a laureate of the prestigious UEFA FootbALL Awards 2025 in the category of "National Association."

*UAF Foundation is a charitable foundation established by the Football Association of Ukraine that implements social projects and fundraising aimed at developing football in Ukraine. The main areas of activity of the foundation include adaptive football, mass children's football, women's football, social support, and restoring sports infrastructure. The foundation also initiates projects related to overcoming war consequences using the unifying power of football for positive changes in society.