Ukrainian Third League

The Ukrainian Third League (Ukrainian: Третя ліга, Tretia Liha), until 1994 known as the Transitional League (Ukrainian: Перехідна ліга), was part of the Ukrainian semi-professional football clubs competitions. In 1994, it was renamed as Third League and granted the status of professionals, but during a winter break of 1995 it was decided to discontinue it and merge back with the Ukrainian Second League.

Ukrainian Third League
Founded1992
Folded1995
Country Ukraine
Number of teams22 (last season)
Level on pyramid4
Promotion toUkrainian Second League
Relegation toKFK competitions
Domestic cup(s)Ukrainian Cup
Most championships1 – Naftokhimik Kremenchuk, Sirius Zhovti Vody, CSKA Kyiv
WebsiteOfficial site

History

The League as the fourth tier (or third smaller tier) was created after the reorganization once the first championship was completed in 1993. In 1992, original Transitional League was created, which later was transformed into the Ukrainian Second League. The league was created from the pool of clubs of the third tier that did not perform well in the previous season as well as the best new amateur clubs that had won their respective regional competitions.

Throughout its history the League yielded at least four promotions each year. That in turn fueled the rise of the Ukrainian new football clubs, FC Arsenal Kyiv and FC Metalurh Donetsk. At the end of the 1995 season, the League was incorporated back into the Second League and the teams of both Leagues were then split into two groups.

Each season the league was admitting about 10 new clubs from the KFK competitions (8 in 1993, 10 in 1994, and 12 in 1995).

In 1992–93 Ukrainian Transitional League took place several strange nuances. The third placed team withdrew after being granted promotion, the fourth place which in mid-season was forcefully merged with another entity gave away its promotion in favor of the newly acquired entity, another club which was excluded from competitions due to sportsmanship conduct sanctions was reinstated for the next season, out of the last six team, the third from the bottom of the season's standing table was allowed to stay for the next season.

Third League winners

SeasonChampionRunner-upThird place
1992–93[nb 1]Naftokhimik KremenchukDynamo LuhanskAntratsyt Kirovske
1993–94[nb 2]Sirius Zhovti VodyFrunzenets SakyViktor Zaporizhzhia
1994–95[nb 3]CSKA KyivNyva MyronivkaKhutrovyk Tysmenytsia

All-time table

Top-20.[1] All names are shown as at the time of the last participation.

2020–21 Ukrainian Premier League
2020–21 Ukrainian First League
2020–21 Ukrainian Second League
2020–21 Ukrainian Football Amateur League
2020 Regional competitions
Club is defunct
PLTeamSeasonsGPWDLGSGAPtsAchievementPromFirstLast
1Torpedo Melitopol31104829331251061734th11992–931994–95
2CSKA Kyiv2764692112670147champion11993–941994–95
3Nyva-Kosmos Myronivka3764318159943147vice-champion21992–931994–95
4Avanhard Zhydachiv31103928431211411458th11992–931994–95
5Khutrovyk Tysmenytsia27642151911667141third place11993–941994–95
6Systema-Boreks Borodianka276411718113471405th11993–941994–95
7Oskil Kupiansk276401125102841315th11993–941994–95
8Frunzenets Saky2683417179957119vice-champion11992–931993–94
9Fetrovyk Khust31073210658011910612th1992–931994–95
10Promin Sambir2682683478918610th1992–931993–94
11Avanhard Rovenky142234155950737th11994–951994–95
12Naftokhimik Kremenchuk13421103562673champion11992–931992–93
13Antratsyt Kirovske1342257463271third place11992–931992–93
14Sirius Zhovti Vody13420113562571champion11993–941993–94
15Shakhtar Horlivka276201145621177113th1992–931994–95
16Silur Khartsyzk268181634571057013th1992–931993–94
17Dynamo Luhansk13419123663269vice-champion11992–931992–93
18Viktor Zaporizhzhia1342086652568third place11993–941993–94
19FC Lviv13420865733684th11993–941993–94
20Metalurh Novomoskovsk142212195960658th11994–951994–95

Notes

Note: Teams in bold earned promotion.

References