February. Chronicle of events: participation of Andriy Shevchenko in the 48th UEFA Congress, elections of heads of UAF committees, victories of the women's national team of Ukraine in the Nations League

04.03.2024 12:00

Photo fifa.com

In February, Andriy Shevchenko took part in the 48th UEFA Congress, Kateryna Monzul became the head of the UAF Referee Committee, and the women's national team of Ukraine retained its registration in the B division of the League of Nations.

February 1st. Midfielder of the national team of Ukraine Ruslan Malinovskyi became a full-fledged football player "Genoa". During the first part of the 2023/2024 season, our boy played for the Italian team on loan from the French Marseille until the end of the season. But "Genoa" used the corresponding option in the agreement and bought out all the rights to Ruslan.

February 5st. FIFA approved the calendar of the final tournament of the World Cup-2026. Selection in the European zone will last from March 2025 to March 2026 and will consist of two rounds.

February 7st. UEFA Executive Committee held a meeting in Paris and approved the UEFA Strategy for 2024-2030 "United for Success". The strategy provides a clear direction and roadmap to guide both UEFA and the entire continental football community, and aims to empower football in every community across Europe while maintaining the integral link between grassroots football and elite competition. It is based on seven key values ​​(respect, equality, honesty, openness, unity, integrity and excellence).

February 7st. The UEFA "Playmakers" program, which is implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association together with regional associations, started 2024 on the training of coaches. Project coordinators Yevgeny Stolitenko and Oleksandra Vladimirova held a kick-off meeting with representatives of regional football associations and coaches who had already participated in the project, and updated all organizational conditions, as well as presented a new section of the program called "Encanto".

Photo of UAF press service

February 8st. In Dnipropetrovsk region is actively implemented school football development program of the Ukrainian Football Association. The Dnipro Academy of Continuing Education and the Football Association of the Dnipropetrovsk Region held training courses for physical education teachers in the "Football" module.

February 8st. In Paris at La Maison de La Mutualité happened the regular 48th UEFA Congress, which was attended by UAF President Andriy Shevchenko, UAF General Secretary Ihor Hryshchenko and UAF Vice President, head coach of the national team of Ukraine Serhiy Rebrov. 

February 8st. FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the newly elected President of the Ukrainian Football Association Andriy Shevchenko during a meeting in Paris discussed prospects further cooperation.

"I was pleased to meet Andriy Shevchenko again, this time after his election as president of the Ukrainian Football Association. As a player, Andriy Shevchenko inspired the nation, and as president of the Ukrainian Football Association, I am convinced that he will do the same," noted Mr. Infantino.

Photo fifa.com

February 8st. Andriy Shevchenko, president of the Ukrainian Football Association, on the sidelines of the 48th UEFA Congress held a number of working meetings with foreign partners. In particular, the head of Ukrainian football and the general secretary of the UAF Ihor Hryshchenko discussed the issue of cooperation with the delegations of Germany and Italy.

"We held meetings with the delegations of Germany and Italy. We discussed the possibility of studying the experience of coaching and training coaches and organizing summer football camps for Ukrainian children," wrote Andriy Shevchenko on his Facebook page.

February 8st. The Ukrainian and Italian football associations are in Paris signed a memorandum about cooperation. It is about the implementation of joint technical training activities with the participation of young Ukrainian players and coaches at the Coverciano Center. 

"Italy has always been a second home for me, filled with unforgettable memories. I am grateful to every Italian for their constant support from the first day of the full-scale war in Ukraine. And I look forward to the implementation of joint projects for the development of Ukrainian football," Andriy Shevchenko noted.

Photo by uefa.com

February 8st. The draw ceremony for the 2024/2025 League of Nations took place in Paris, based on the results of which the opponents of the national team of Ukraine were determined. Our team got to another basket League B received one opponent each from the first, third and fourth baskets. In group B1, the blue and yellow team will play the Czech Republic, Albania and Georgia.

February 8st. Spanish "Girona" announced the winner voting among the team's fans to determine the best football player of January 2024. Artem Dovbyk, a football player of the Ukrainian national team, won this honorary title for the third month in a row.

February 8st. In the press hall of the Chornomorets stadium in Odessa a ceremonial handover took place coaching C-licenses of the Ukrainian Football Association. The coaches received licenses from the hands of the Deputy Chairman of the Scientific and Methodological Committee of the Odesa Regional Football Association, Yuriy Ovcharenko, and the invited star guest - the master of sports of Ukraine in football, the winner of the Cup of Ukraine as part of FC "Tavria" (Simferopol), the head coach of the amateur football club "South Palmyra NSU » Ilya Galuzy.

February 9st. In the House of Football the final seminar took place for referees in the second year of training at the National School of Football Referees, which is governed by the UAF Referee Committee under the UEFA Convention. Since the beginning of 2023, more than 100 of the best young referees from all over Ukraine have trained at the NSFA, but only 20 referees made it to the final seminar, who successfully passed all the tests during the year — both theoretical (including English) and various practical (fitness FIFA tests, amateur, student and DUFL matches).

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

February 10st. In the city of Varash, in the Rivne region, there was another event was held within the framework of the FIFA TDS program for the search and development of young football talents, which is implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association together with the Football Institute of UAF and NUFVSU. In total, 230 young talents passed the test. The weather conditions in the city that day did not allow outdoor events to be held. But the local organizing committee, having at its disposal a sufficiently extensive sports infrastructure, offered appropriate sports facilities in which the children were comfortable to work.

February 13st. President of the Ukrainian Football Association Andriy Shevchenko and General Secretary of the Ukrainian Football Association Ihor Hryshchenko visited Transcarpathia. In the morning, the leaders of the UAF met with the referees of the Premier League, who were conducting a training camp in the region. During the conversation with the referee, Andrii Shevchenko emphasized that it is necessary to restore the confidence of the football community not only in the UAF as a whole, but also in the referees in particular.

After that, the heads of the UAF held a working meeting with the head of the regional military administration Viktor Mykyta, which was also attended by the head of the Transcarpathian Football Association Ivan Duran and the deputy head of the ZAF, the head of the Transcarpathian Women's Football Association Ihor Shynkaryuk.

During the meeting in OVA, the participants discussed, in particular, the creation of football camps in the region for children from the frontline areas.

Photo of UAF press service

February 15st. FIFA updated the rating national teams, in which Ukraine is in 24th place. Blue and yellow have 1553,35 points. The Ukrainian team is the 12th among UEFA representatives. After the publication of the previous list, the Ukrainian national team did not play any matches, but it dropped two positions.

February 15st. Women's National Team of Ukraine went to face-to-face matches League of Nations with Bulgaria. Volodymyr Pyatenko, head coach of the blue-yellow team, invited the 23-year-old football players to the location of the team for the match against the Bulgarian women.

February 15st. An educational seminar was held for delegates and assistant delegates of the UAF before the start of the second part of the 2023/2024 football season. The event was held online. During the seminar, the participants considered a number of important issues.

February 15st. Shakhtar Donetsk started in the playoffs of the Europa League with a home match against the French "Marseille", which took place in Hamburg. The match ended in a productive draw — 2:2.

February 16st. Ukrainian Association of Football sent an official letter to his colleagues from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, as well as FIFA, UEFA and AFC regarding the possible participation of the youth national teams of these countries in the tournament that was to be held in Minsk (Belarus).

"We at the UAF are convinced that the above-mentioned measures cannot take place, because - we insist on this - all Russian and Belarusian football players are equally responsible for the war crimes committed by their states in Ukraine, and must remain excluded from FIFA, UEFA and others members of the football family.

In connection with the above, we ask you to reconsider the decision regarding the participation of the youth national teams in the specified event," says the letter signed by the General Secretary of the UAF Ihor Hryshchenko.

February 19st. In Uzhgorod, as part of the preparation of officials for work at the matches of the spring part of the 2023/2024 season was a training gathering referees and assistant referees of the Premier League.

In preparation for the resumption of the football campaign, 31 referees and 41 assistant referees participated, who worked for five days in theoretical and practical sessions under the leadership of the famous referee who cooperates with the UAF, Nicola Rizzoli, FIFA instructors Viktor Derd and Volodymyr Petrov, as well as other members of the UAF Referee Committee.

February 20st. In the capital's House of Football there was a meeting Executive Committee of the Ukrainian Football Association.

Among other issues, the UAF Executive Committee terminated the powers of all acting heads, deputy heads and members of standing committees of the UAF. After that, the executive committee, on the proposal of the president of the Ukrainian Football Association Andriy Shevchenko, elected the heads of the following standing committees of the UAF:

the committee of the national teams — Andriy Shevchenko;

professional football committee — Oleg Luzhnyi;

of the children's and youth football committee — Oleksandr Shevchenko;

the committee on issues of stadiums and security of competitions — Andrii Taran;

of the committee of arbitrators — Kateryna Monzul;

football development committee — Serhiy Vladyko (co-chairman), Oleksandr Kadenko (co-chairman);

committee on status and transfer of football players — Yevgenia Yershova;

of the sports and medical committee — Maksym Perebiynis;

of the Committee for Certification of Football Clubs — Viktor Bezsmertny;

Ethics and Fair Play Committee — Francesco Baranca.

February 20st. Executive of the UAF supported the proposal introduce a mandatory examination by referees using a polygraph ("lie detector") in competitive and non-competitive periods. In addition, a lottery system will be used to appoint referees for the match.

February 20st. According to the decision of the UAF Executive Committee, the final of the Vbet Cup of Ukraine for the 2023/2024 season will be played May 15 in Rivne at the "Avangard" stadium. This city will host a match of this level for the first time. 

February 21st. In the House of Football on the initiative of the President of the Ukrainian Football Association Andrii Shevchenko a meeting took place with heads of clubs of the Professional Football League and PFL president Oleksandr Kadenko. The first vice-president of UAF Pavlo Boychuk, general secretary of UAF Ihor Hryshchenko and head of the Committee of Professional Football of UAF Oleg Luzhnyi also took part in the event.

February 21st. An online conference was held between UEFA and UAF regarding Ukrainian arbitration in grassroots football, which is part of the process of signing the updated Grassroots Football Charter. On behalf of the UAF, the conference was attended by those responsible for the respective areas — Serhii Lysenchuk (young referees) and Oleksandra Volodymyrova (mass football).

February 22st. A meeting was held presidium of the All-Ukrainian Women's Football Association, at which a decision was made to hold a report-election conference. The place and date of the conference were determined and the agenda was approved. The conference of the All-Ukrainian Women's Football Association will be held in Ternopil on March 23.

February 22st. In the House of Football a meeting took place President of the Ukrainian Football Association Andrii Shevchenko with the owners and managers of all clubs of the Ukrainian Premier League. The event was also attended by UAF general secretary Ihor Hryshchenko, head of the UAF Professional Football Committee Oleh Luzhnyi, UPL executive director Yevhen Dykiy and UPL.TV head Maksym Radchenko.

Photo by Dan Balashov

February 22st. Donetsk "Shakhtar" in the return match of the contact round of the Europa League yielded to the French "Marseille" (1:3) and ended the European cup season.

February 23st. The first match took place of the 18th round of the championship of Ukraine, which started the spring part of the championship. Kryvyi Rih "Kryvbas" beat Cherkasy "LNZ" 3:0 in Kovalivka at the "Kolos" stadium. It is worth noting that the president of the Ukrainian Football Association, Andriy Shevchenko, was present at the match.

February 23st. Women's National Team of Ukraine held an away match against the Bulgarian team in the play-offs for the right to play in the B division of the Nations League. In the end, the match ended with a score of 4:0 in favor of Volodymyr Pyatenko's team.

February 24st. President of the Ukrainian Football Association Andriy Shevchenko on the day of the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the aggressor delivered a speech to the community, in which he mentioned the representatives of the football family in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and emphasized the indomitability of the Ukrainian people in their struggle for a common victory.

February 24st. FIFA on its official website announced, that the draw for football tournaments of the 2024 Olympics is scheduled for March 20 in Paris. The national team of Ukraine is also a participant in the competition among the men's national teams.

February 25st. President of the Ukrainian Football Association Andriy Shevchenko answered several pressing questions on the air of the "UPL.TV" channel.

"First of all, I would like to once again thank the boys and girls who serve in the Armed Forces and choose for us the opportunity to live. And even play football. All fans wanted football to return after the winter break, and expect from the teams a quality game that gives positive emotions.

The training of the national team of Ukraine will soon begin before the Euro-2024 qualification play-off match with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The players from the domestic championship will go to Marbella, where representatives of foreign clubs will come later. It is important that the boys come motivated, and we will do everything necessary for their effective training," the head of the UAF said in particular.

February 27st. Women's National Team of Ukraine held a return match against the Bulgarian team in the play-offs for the right to play in the B division of the Nations League. Our girls won with a score of 3:0 and secured their place in League B.

Photo by Oksana Vasilyeva