Football Championship of the Ukrainian SSR

Historical outlook

Established as the All-Ukrainian inter-city competition in 1921, later it was included into number of All-Ukrainian Olympiads and Spartakiads. During several seasons the competitions were suspended due to football being identified as a "non-proletariat sport". Also because of a difficult social cataclysm in 1933 (Holodomor), there was no competitions as well.

With the establishment of the All-Union competitions in 1936 (united competitions), the republican football competitions in Ukraine were degraded to regional level. Since then and before the Great Patriotic War, the champion of Ukraine title was awarded to a team that would place first in the First Group (Persha Hrupa) of championship among sports societies and agencies. In 1960 those competitions were suspended and republican title was awarded to the top team of Ukrainian Zone in the Class B (Soviet Second League). The consistent and uniform All-Ukrainian Soviet competition take their beginning from 1960 as the first All-Ukrainian league was formed as part of the Soviet Second League, more known back then as the Klass B, with UkrSSR zone. In 1964 there were also established lower level republican competitions among collectives of physical culture (KFK). In 1970 the Soviet Second League was named as the second group of Klass A for the season, before changing to simply the Soviet Second League. For 1990 and 1991 seasons this competition was moved further down the Soviet league levels into the newly formed Soviet Second League B also earlier known as the G group or simply the Third League.

Until World War II up to 11 clubs competed in the Soviet championship. Nine clubs from Ukraine participated in the first season of the Soviet competition: Dynamo Kyiv (I Division); Dynamo Dnipropetrovsk and Dynamo Kharkiv (II Division); Dynamo Odessa, Spartak Kharkiv, Ugolschiki Staline, Lokomotyv Kyiv (III Division); Traktor Plant Kharkiv, Stal Dnipropetrovsk (IV Division). Later other clubs has entered the competition: Silmash Kharkiv, Frunze Plant Kostiantynivka, Sudostroitel Mykolaiv, and Dzerzhynets Voroshylovhrad.

The Ukrainian club competition in the Second League had existed and prior to 1963, but was not such an exclusive and consistent part of the Soviet League system. In 1970 and 1990 there were few reformations. In 1970 the First League was reduced to a single group and, because of that, the Second League extended into upper and lower (B) divisions. The lower division was named as the Second League B and for the next season was liquidated. In 1990 a similar reform was taken upon the Second League. Its 10 regional groups were reduced to just three still by the regional principal while the league was renamed into the Buffer League (West, Center, and East). This reform also introduced what was planned to be a fourth level of professional competition allowing each republic to have its own professional league. That fourth level competition was named as the Second League, the former name of the Buffer League.

Championship of cities

The Championship became established in 1921 as inter-cities competition of the Ukrainian SSR. The city teams consisted of different players from various teams of the particular city. Until 1930 the competition took place in Kharkiv, in 1931 it was conducted in Kiev, and in 1932 – in Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia.

In 1936 the competition was consolidated into the Soviet competitions with some of its teams qualified for the Soviet Top League. The championship itself became a republican level competition with its best team qualifying for the Soviet competitions.

Championship of sports societies and agencies

The competitions were considered to be amateur. In Soviet Union officially all sports players were amateur athletes, however to differentiate level of teams, there were teams of sports societies and agencies (amateurs) and teams of masters (professionals).

First League

Not a part of the Ukrainian republican championship, competitions in the Soviet First League had a group named Ukraine

Class B/Second League

While many Ukrainian teams competed in the Class B before 1960, it was not until then when they were organized into own republican competition which was officially considered as the one among teams of masters (professional teams).

Note: until 1963 Class B was the second division of the Soviet football competition, analog of the First League with several zones formed by territorial principle. Since then it was degraded into the third and later renamed as the Soviet Second League.

Ukrainian competitions consisted of two zones until 1970, when it was restructured into two hierarchical leagues. After 1971 teams of the lower league lost their professional status (teams of masters).

For 1990 and 1991 the Soviet Second League was again restructured and degraded farther into the fourth division of the competition yielding to the newly formed Buffer League. Buffer League (a.k.a. Second League) covered much bigger area for the competition, while the Second League (a.k.a. Lower Second League) was assigned specifically for most of the Soviet republics including Ukraine.

Performance by club

The table does not include city teams that competed in the cities' championship.

Performance by city (Cities' championship)

The 1936 championship is not included.