In the 1980s, fan movements in Ukraine became expressions of Ukrainian identity challenging Soviet authority. After Ukraine's independence in 1991, football remained a source of national pride despite political and financial turmoil.
The Ukrainian Premier League is experiencing a full season with fan attendance for the first time in 2022, after public gathering bans were eased. Despite the ongoing threat of airstrikes, Dynamo Kyiv supporters show enthusiasm for the 1,700 tickets available for each home game at the Valeriy Lobanovskyi Stadium, which has a capacity of 16,000 spectators.
Although the war has forced Dynamo to move Europa League matches to Hamburg, Germany, they continue to use their home stadium in Kyiv for national league matches. During games, players enter the field wrapped in blue and yellow Ukrainian flags, eliciting cheers from a crowd that includes military personnel and families with children.
The 16-team first division league has managed to continue despite increasing challenges. Ukraine has had achievements in international competitions such as reaching the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup and co-hosting the European Championship in 2012.
The country's footballing tradition dates back to its Soviet past when it was a football powerhouse producing top-level players and coaches. Fan organizations are involved in various activities supporting the war, from military recruitment to fundraising and providing technical skills to the military.
Matches are scheduled in the afternoon due to power outages and logistical challenges amid the war. When air raid sirens interrupt matches, players and fans head to shelters while alarms sound from loudspeakers and mobile phones. Ukrainian footballers are subject to conscription at the age of 25, although clubs may request exemptions under certain rules.