Druha Liha
 |
|
| Country |
 Ukraine
|
|---|---|
| Founded | 1992 (as Transitional League) |
| Number of teams | 30+ |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | Ukrainian First League |
| Relegation to |
Ukrainian Football Amateur Association (since 2016) None (2007-2016) Ukrainian Third League (1992-1994) Amateurs (1995-2007) |
| Domestic cup(s) |
Ukrainian Cup League Cup |
| Current champions |
FC Kolos Kovalivka (2015–16) |
| Most championships | 3 – Desna and Cherkaskyi Dnipro |
| Website | Official site |
 2016–17 Ukrainian Second League
|
|
The Ukrainian Second League (Ukrainian: Друга ліга, Druha Liha) is a professional football league in Ukraine which is part of the Professional Football League of Ukraine. Football Federation of Ukraine, however, has an exclusive right on general administration and control over the organizing and conducting competitions in the league. In 1992 the league was also known as the Transitional League.
The league is lower than the Ukrainian First League (Persha Liha) and the lowest level of professional football competitions in the country. The Ukrainian Second League is the third level of professional football in Ukraine. The league's relegated teams lose their professional status and return to their regional associations.
The third division of the Ukrainian championship originally was organized as the Transitional League due to numerous amateur clubs competing in it 15 out of 18. Out of the 1992 Transitional League the top clubs qualified for the 1992-93 Second League, while the bottom - the 1992-93 Transitional League, thus, creating an extra tier. Basically in the first seasons there was no promotion.
For the second season (1992-93) the league was officially organized as the Second League, while the name of transitional league was passed to the newly formed fourth division. Between seasons 1993 and 1995, there existed a fourth professional level (the Third League in 1994-95) of the football championship in Ukraine, lower than the Second League. From 1993 season to 1995 the Second League had a single group competition of over 20 clubs.
In 1996 Ukrainian football witnessed major changes in its organization as the Professional Football League of Ukraine was established. The new organization took control of the competition of former non-amateur clubs that were given attestation of professional clubs and included all the leagues of the Ukrainian championship. Concurrently with this the Third League was disbanded and all clubs that were not in the "relegation zone" were invited to join the Second League. The Second League in its turn was split into two groups. Only in the very first season the teams in this league were divided somewhat randomly, while later becoming more of regional sub-leagues. From 1997 the league was divided into three groups (Druha Liha A (west), B (south), and C (east)).
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