2017–18 Ukrainian First League

The 2017–18 Ukrainian First League was the 27th since its establishment. The competition commenced on 14 July 2017 when Zhemchuzhyna Odesa hosted MFC Mykolaiv. After the completion of Round 22 on 18 November 2017, the competition entered a winter break and resumed the spring session on 18 March 2018 and complete the competition on 19 May 2018.

Teams

On 21 June 2017, it was announced that 16 or 18 teams would play in the competition. This decision was dependent on the possible withdrawal of FC Stal Kamianske from the Premier League. Due to sanctions, FC Dnipro was relegated directly to the Second League which raised a discussion of a promotion possibly of another club to the First League. In addition in the case of the withdrawal of Stal, Desna had an opportunity to be accepted to the Ukrainian Premier League with another ongoing inter-season case leaving the First League with 16 participants. On 26 June 2017, FC Stal Kamianske chose to stay in the Premier League, while at same time FC Balkany Zorya was confirmed as the 18th participant of the First League season.

Promoted teams

The following teams have been promoted from the 2016–17 Ukrainian Second League:

Zhemchuzhyna Odesa – winners '
Rukh Vynnyky – runners-up '
Kremin Kremenchuk – third place
Balkany Zorya – fourth place ''''

Relegated teams

The following team has been relegated from the 2016–17 Ukrainian Premier League:

Volyn Lutsk – 12th place ''''

Location map

The following displays the location of teams.

Stadiums

The following stadiums are considered home grounds for the teams in the competition.

Rank	Stadium	Capacity	Club	Notes
1	Ukraina Stadium, Lviv	28,051	Rukh Vynnyky	Used in Round 24
2	Yuvileiny Stadium, Sumy	25,800	PFC Sumy
3	Central City Stadium, Mykolaiv	16,700	MFC Mykolaiv
4	Avanhard Stadium, Lutsk	12,080	Volyn Lutsk
4	Avanhard Stadium, Lutsk	12,080	PFC Sumy	Used in Round 25
5	Chernihiv Stadium, Chernihiv	12,060	Desna Chernihiv
6	Central Stadion, Cherkasy	10,321	Cherkaskyi Dnipro
7	Sport Complex Illichivets, Mariupol	5,500	Avanhard Kramatorsk	Used in Round 25
8	Naftovyk Stadium, Okhtyrka	5,256	Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka
9	Obolon Arena, Kyiv	5,100	Obolon-Brovar Kyiv
9	Obolon Arena, Kyiv	5,100	Arsenal Kyiv	Used in Round 23
9	Obolon Arena, Kyiv	5,100	Desna Chernihiv	Used in Round 1 and 3
10	Spartak Stadium, Odesa	5,000	Zhemchuzhyna Odesa
11	Prapor Stadium, Kramatorsk	4,000	Avanhard Kramatorsk
12	Skif Stadium, Lviv	3,742	Rukh Vynnyky	Used in Round 12
13	Lokomotyv Stadium, Poltava	2,500	FC Poltava
14	Yunist Stadium, Horishni Plavni	2,500	Hirnyk-Sport Horishni Plavni
15	Helios Arena, Kharkiv	2,057	Helios Kharkiv
16	Boris Tropanets Stadium, Zorya, Sarata Raion	1,854	Balkany Zorya
17	Kolos Stadium, Kovalivka, Vasylkiv Raion	1,850	Kolos Kovalivka
18	Inhulets Stadium, Petrove	1,720	Inhulets Petrove
19	Bannikov Stadium, Kyiv	1,678	Arsenal Kyiv	Used in round of 25
20	Oleh Babayev Kremin Arena, Kremenchuk	1,600	Kremin Kremenchuk
20	Oleh Babayev Kremin Arena, Kremenchuk	1,600	Hirnyk-Sport Horishni Plavni	Used in Round 24
21	Park Peremohy Stadium, Mykolaiv	~1,500	MFC Mykolaiv	Used in Round 24 and 25
22	Arsenal-Arena Shchaslyve	1,000	Arsenal Kyiv
23	Dinaz Stadium, Lyutizh, Vyshhorod Raion	1,000	Desna Chernihiv	Used in Round 24
23	Dinaz Stadium, Lyutizh, Vyshhorod Raion	1,000	Kolos Kovalivka	Used in Round 24
24	Zorya Stadium, Bilozirya	972	Cherkaskyi Dnipro	Round 21 match moved
25	Bohdan Markevych Stadium, Vynnyky	900	Rukh Vynnyky
26	Education Training Base "FC Poltava", Kopyly	500	Naftovyk-Ukrnafta Okhtyrka	Used in Round 23 and 25
26	Education Training Base "FC Poltava", Kopyly	500	FC Poltava	Used in Round 24 and 26
26	Education Training Base "FC Poltava", Kopyly	500	Helios Kharkiv	Used in Round 24
26	Education Training Base "FC Poltava", Kopyly	500	PFC Sumy	Used in Round 23
27	O.H.Povoroznyuk Stadium, Volodymyrivka, Petrove Raion	500	Inhulets Petrove	Used in Round 24 and 26

League table

Promotion play-offs

Apart from a break in 2014, the post-season play-offs in the First League have been actively conducted since 2011. However, the promotion play-offs were reintroduced for the first time since the 2001–02 season. Teams that placed 10th and 11th in the 2017–18 Ukrainian Premier League play two-leg play-offs with the second and third teams of the 2017–18 Ukrainian First League. On 11 May 2018, a draw for play-offs took place in the House of Football, Kyiv. The games were played on 23 May and 27 May 2018.

Top goalscorers

Rank

Scorer

Team

Goals

Awards

The 2017 annual coaching laureates

The best coaches were identified by the All-Ukrainian Football Coaches Association.

Season awards

The laureates of the 2017–18 season were:

Best player: Denys Favorov
Best coach: Anatoliy Bezsmertnyi
Top goalscorer: Oleksandr Akymenko
Fair Play award: Desna Chernihiv