The Ukrainian Premier League season has been terminated, and the title will not be awarded due to continuing martial law in the country.

No organised football matches have been played since Russia invaded Ukraine in February in what Moscow calls a “special military operation.”

The last round of fixtures was played in December before the league went on a three-month winter break.

Shakhtar Donetsk were top of the league table then with 47 points from 18 games, two points ahead of Dynamo Kyiv.

Some sides have played friendlies during the hiatus to raise funds for victims of the war.

“The football clubs of the Ukrainian Premier League supported the proposal to terminate the 2021/2022 season… since the championship cannot be completed due to the extension of martial law status in Ukraine,” the UPL said in a statement on Tuesday. “The standings as of February 24 will be the final standings of the 2021/2022 season, with no winners to be awarded.”

It added, “The corresponding decision was submitted for approval by the executive committee of the Ukrainian Association of Football.”

The top two teams earn qualifications for the UEFA Champions League. The Ukraine national side has a strong presence of players from the country’s top division.

Such stars will now turn their attention to the crucial but delayed 2022 FIFA World Cup play-off against Scotland in June.

The clash with Scotland was rearranged for June 1 after the game was pushed back due to the conflict with Russia.

The winners of the tie will then play Wales in the final in Cardiff four days later, on June 5, after UEFA finalised the fixture schedule.

Already, Ukraine’s footballing elite has been granted special permission to leave the country for overseas friendlies.

Oleg Protasov, first vice president of the Ukrainian FA, said their national team were gearing up for a Hampden semi-final against Scotland in June.

(NAN)