A total of sixteen teams participated in the league. Fifteen teams from last season's competition and one promoted club from the 2012–13 Ukrainian First League formed the league. The competition commenced on the 12 July 2013 when Tavriya Simferopol hosted Zorya Luhansk.[4] Eighteen rounds were played prior to the winter recess.[5] The competition was affected by the political turmoil that affected Ukraine during the spring session.
In November 2013, during the winter break of the Ukrainian Premier League, a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest labelled Euromaidan started in Ukraine.[6] The competition was to resume on 1 March 2014,[5] but due to the Russian invasion continuing on with the Crimean crisis, the Premier League delayed the start of the spring stage.[7] A decision was made by the Ukrainian Premier League to resume the competition on 15 March.[1]
The unrest in Ukraine since November 2013 led to an unexpected sense of unity among rival Ukrainian football fans.[9] Various formerly bitter rival football fans (also those from Russophonecities in Ukraine) held pro-Ukrainian Unity marches.[9][11]
^(10) For the Round 14 match Metalist Kharkiv was managed by Ihor Rakhayev while manager Myron Markevych was hospitalized with trauma.[47]
Qualification to European competitions for 2014–15
Since Ukraine finished in seventh place of the UEFA country ranking after the 2012–13 season,[48] the league will have the same number of qualifiers for UEFA Europa League 2014–15. The Ukrainian Cup winner qualifies for the play-off round.
Qualified teams
After the 24th Round, Shakhtar Donetsk qualified for European football for the 2014–15 season.[49]
During the 26th Round, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk qualified for European football for the 2014–15 season.[50]
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League 3rd qualifying round after they defeated Metalurh Donetsk in Round 30. After that victory Metalist Kharkiv qualified the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League playoff round.
Zorya Luhansk qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League 2nd qualifying round after Metalurh Donetsk was excluded from participating by the UEFA Club Financial Control Body due to failing to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.[54]
^On 18 June 2014 UEFA published seeding ranking for the upcoming 2014-15 UEFA Champions League season where FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk were pending approval of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) on 19 June 2014 to participate in the competition.[55] The main issue that might have impeded Dnipro to participate in the continental competitions was the "Boateng case".[56] The conflict arose during the 2012-13 season[57] when Derek Boateng unsuccessfully tried to leave the club due to breach of contract and was forced to file a case against the club through the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.[56][58] The end result was that Dnipro did play in the 2014-15 Champions League 3rd qualifying round (and, subsequently, the Europa League).
^FC Dynamo Kyiv qualified for the Group Stage of the 2014-15 Europa League as the 2013-14 Ukrainian Cup winner.
^ abAfter the annexation of Crimea by Russia, FC Sevastopol and SC Tavriya Simferopol were officially disbanded and in their place were created new clubs that aimed to participate in the Russian competitions next season.[59][60]
^On 20 May 2014, FC Volyn Lutsk were deducted three points by the FFU for breach of financial rules.[61]
^On 29 October 2013, the general director of FC Arsenal Kyiv Viktor Holovko announced that the club was filing for bankruptcy and withdrawing from competitions as it was unable to find any sponsors.[62][63] The General Assembly of the Ukrainian Premier League was unable to reach a quorum and hence no decision was made on the expulsion of the club from the UPL.[64](18 December 2013) On 12 February 2014 Arsenal Kyiv was officially expelled from the league and all the club's results were annulled.[65] Arsenal played 13 games with record 3 wins, 1 draw and 9 losses with 10 goals scored and 28 goals scored against and also one technical defeat was recorded against them.
Results
The following table displays match results between each team in the competition.
^The Round 12 match between Dnipro and Metalist on 6 October 2013 was suspended at a halftime with the score 2–1 due to lighting issues at Dnipro-Arena. The Ukrainian Premier League decided in an executive meeting on 7 October 2013 that the match was to be continued from the start of the second half on 4 December 2013.[67]
^Administration of Arsenal Kyiv informed that the club would not travel to their Round 14 match against Tavria Simferopol indicating that the football club Arsenal Kyiv may cease operations.[72] The Ukrainian Football Federation Control Disciplinary Committee originally awarded a technical victory to Tavriya.[73](21 October 2013) After Arsenal Kyiv was expelled, the result was annulled.[65](12 February 2014)
The following table represents the teams' position after each round in the competition. The competition resumes with the spring stage with Round 21 due to the postponement of the competition due to the civil unrest in the country after the riots in Kyiv and continuing on with the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. Originally scheduled Round 19 was played 15–17 April after Round 25 and Round 20 was played 23–24 April after Round 26.[1]
^Shvets', Serhiy (18 May 2013). "Говерла" - "Волинь" 1:1. Кінець інтризі [Hoverla - Volyn 1–1. End of intrigue] (in Ukrainian). uafootball.com. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
^ abМеталіст прийме Ворсклу в Києві [Metalist will host Vorskla in Kyiv]. Vorskla Official web site (in Ukrainian). ua-football.com. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
^ abЗаря примет Шахтер в Черкассах [Zorya will host Shakhtar in Cherkasy]. Shakhtar Official web site (in Russian). ua-football.com. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
^СКС Инфо [SKS Info]. FC Sevastopol Official Web Site (in Russian). 3 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
^ abЧерноморец примет Карпаты в Киеве [Chornomorets hosts Karpaty in Kyiv]. Chornomorets Official Website (in Russian). ua-football.com. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
^Севидов подал в отставку [Sevidov resigns] (in Russian). ua-football.com. 26 May 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
^Грозный возглавил "Говерлу" [Hrozny is heading "Hoverla"] (in Russian). ua-football.com. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
^Сергей Свистун: Я переведен в дубль [Serhiy Svystun transferred to reserves]. Official Vorskla website (in Russian). ua-football.com. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
^Севидов стал тренером Карпат [Sevidov becomes trainer of Karpaty]. Official Karpaty website (in Russian). football.ua. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
^ФК "Севастополь" подтвердил уход Кононова [FC Sevastopol confirms Kononov's departure]. Official FC Sevastopol Site (in Russian). ua-football.com. 10 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
^Маркевич: Я решил подать в отставку [Markevych: I decided to give my resignation] (in Russian). ua-football.com. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
^Динамо підтвердило звільнення Блохіна [Dynamo confirmed about sacking of Blokhin] (in Ukrainian). ua-football.com. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.