The Ukrainian Premier League is the highest division in Ukraine. It is considered as one of the strongest domestic football leagues in Eastern Europe and is quite respected in the continent.
The Ukrainian Premier League was created after the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Initially it was comprised of teams from the top three Soviet divisions.
The Ukrainian Premier League currently comprises of 16 teams. Each club plays the others twice every season, once at home and once away from home. The league commenced in mid-July and ends in mid-June of the following year. After the first 15 rounds of matches, there is a winter break that lasts for three months.
From the 2005-2006 season, the golden match rule was introduced in the Ukrainian Premier League. As per this rule, if the first two teams obtain the same number of points, then the championship is to be decided by an additional “golden” match between the two teams.
At the end of the season, the bottom two clubs are relegated from the Ukrainian Premier League to the Persha Liha and are replaced by the top two clubs of that division.
FC Shakhtar Donetsk are the reigning champions of the Ukrainian Premier League.