The tournament started on 21 July 2018 with the competition set to end on 25 May 2019.[3] The league took its winter intermission after Round 18 on 8 December 2018 and resumed its competition of the Championship with Round 19 on 16 February 2019. The first stage ended with Round 22 games on 17 March 2019. The draw for the second stage was announced for 5 March 2019.[4]
On completion of the 2017–18 Ukrainian Premier League season, Veres Rivne, who had moved their operations to Lviv during the season announced the merging[5] with FC Lviv who competed in the 2017–18 Ukrainian Second League and retain their name.[6][7] This is the first time of such "swap" that has occurred with a team from the Ukrainian Premier League. Its certification the club passed on 5 June 2018.[8] Along with that the FFU certification committee is consulting with the UEFA in regards of the "clubs swap".[9] On 6 June 2018, it was announced that it is too early speculate composition of the league for the next season as the UEFA will make its final decision by allowing or not participation of FC Lviv. It is possible that some of already relegated clubs might be given a second chance if UEFA will insist on impossibility of the Lviv-Veres team swap.[10][11] On 12 June 2018, Ukrainian Premier League updated its website removing any mentioning of NK Veres Rivne ever competing in the league and its record being awarded to FC Lviv.[12] Few days later the league recovered the Veres' record. More to the story, in interview to "Tribuna" a head of the FFU Attestation Committee Viktor Bezsmernyi explained that it was Veres that received certificate for the 2018–19 Ukrainian Premier League and then the club changed its name.[13] At same time the old-new president of Veres Khakhlyov demonstrated the club's certificate for the 2018–19 Ukrainian Second League.[14]
On 21 June 2018, during the club's conference of FC Poltava, the club's leadership announced that it dissolved the club.[15][16][17]
On 22 June 2018, the UPL published an official announcement about situation with FC Poltava, and while shocked with the club's decision the league is confirming that the club is withdrawing and that the league will be seeking its replacement.[18][19] Following withdrawal of FC Poltava, a crisis has seemed to ripen in the league as there is no other team can replace Poltava due to financing or infrastructure issues.[20] Based on the voting conducted among the UPL members, on 26 June 2018, the league picked FC Chornomorets Odesa for the Poltava's replacement and submitted its selection for approval by the FFU Executive Committee.[21][22][23] On 3 July 2018, Chornomorets was officially approved by FFU as 2018–19 Ukrainian Premier League participant.[24]
Home venues of teams in the 2018–19 Ukrainian Premier League. Teams in italics are from a conflict zone of the War in Donbass and are playing their home games in different cities.
Three teams play their matches outside of home towns. The minimum threshold for the stadium's capacity in the UPL is 5,000 (Article 10, paragraph 7.2).[25]
The following stadiums are regarded as home grounds:
^Originally registering Bannikov Stadium as its main stadium for the season, the club's president Piric informed that at least for next year Arsenal will play at Dynamo Stadium.[27] Bannikov Stadium does not meet all the requirements of UPL.[28]
^On 20 August 2018 in interview to internet newsmedia Footboom Serhiy Litovchenko explained his dismissal from the club pointing out that he still was under contract and will sue the club.[38] On 1 November 2018 the FFU chamber on settling of disagreements fined FC Arsenal-Kyiv and laid a transfer ban onto the club following the case Litovchenko vs FC Arsenal-Kyiv.[39]
^On 13 August 2018 the Football Federation of Ukraine informed the club that Gilmar does not have the UEFA PRO license and therefore cannot be the club's head coach (manager).[43]
^On 30 November 2018 in interview to Sport Express Hroznyi stated that he does not have a contract with Arsenal, but rather a gentlemen's agreement and expires on 30 November 2018.[53] Soon thereafter FC Arsenal Kyiv made a press-release announcing that Hroznyi's contract is valid until 30 June 2019.[54] Next day Hroznyi explained that the contract actually does exist, but there is the gentlemen's agreement as well and in case of poor financing he will leave club.[55]
Source: Ukrainian Premier LeagueSoccerway Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head higher number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Higher number of goals scored; 7) Draw or "golden match" if tied for title (Article 22, paragraph 3).[71] Notes:
^Teams play each other twice (22 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last 10 matches.
Source: UPL calendar(in Ukrainian) Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win. For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.
Notes:
^The game Mariupol – Dynamo was postponed to 26 September 2018 due to scheduling.[72][73]
Source: Ukrainian Premier League(in Ukrainian), UEFA, Soccerway Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head higher number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Higher number of goals scored; 7) Draw or "golden match" if tied for title (Article 22, paragraph 3).[71] (C) Champions Notes:
Source: UPL calendar(in Ukrainian) Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win. For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.
Source: UPL calendar(in Ukrainian) Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win. For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.
Teams that placed 10th and 11th in the 2018–19 Ukrainian Premier League play two-leg play-off with the second and third teams of the 2018–19 Ukrainian First League. The draw for play-offs took place on 24 May 2019[74] and the games will be played on 4 and 8 June 2019.[75]
Due to fan violence at the game and attack on referee, the original score 1–3 was scratched and replaced with technical score 0–3 loss to Volyn and win for Karpaty. Additionally, the Lutsk department of police started criminal proceedings on the fact of intentional damage to property during the game by the Karpaty fans.[76]
^Сайт УПЛ знищив згадки про Верес [The UPL website wiped away all mentioning of Veres] (in Russian). Sport Arena. 12 June 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
^""Карпати" очолив Жозе Мораіш" [FC Karpaty was headed by José Morais]. FC Karpaty Lviv official website (in Ukrainian). 16 August 2018. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
^Читати українською [Chitati Ukrainskoe] (30 September 2018). "Арсенал-Киев в понедельник узнает имя нового наставника" [On Monday Arsenal-Kyiv will know the name of its new manager]. Football 24.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 30 September 2018.
^ ab"Жозе Мораіш залишає "Карпати"" [José Morais leaves Karpaty]. FC Karpaty Lviv official website (in Ukrainian). 28 November 2018. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
^"Грозный покинул Арсенал-Киев" [Hroznyi left Arsenal–Kyiv]. UA-Football (in Russian). 9 January 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^"Игорь Леонов возглавил Арсенал-Киев" [Ihor Leonov takes charge of Arsenal–Kyiv]. UA-Football (in Russian). 16 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
^"Вячеслав Шевчук покинул "Олимпик"" [Vyacheslav Shevchuk leaves Olimpik]. FC Olimpik Donetsk official website (in Russian). 17 April 2019. Archived from the original on 17 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.