In the first match of the first division, Shakhtar Donetsk drew without a goal with Metalist 1925 of Kharkiv at the Olympic Stadium in the capital, in front of empty stands for security reasons.

Andriy Pavelko, head of the Ukrainian Football Association, told international media that much of the impetus to restart the soccer season in these difficult circumstances came from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian military, who hope the championship will help boost the country's morale.

Among other things, several clubs play their home games outside their home towns, but most of them are in the safer western and central regions of the war-torn country.