The finalists of the Ukrainian Football Cup have been decided: when is the final match?
23 April 03:16
Following the results of the semifinals of the 2025/26 Ukrainian Cup, the teams that will compete in the tournament’s final have been determined. Chernihiv and Kyiv’s Dynamo will battle for the trophy. This was announced by the Ukrainian Football Association, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
Who advanced to the Ukrainian Cup final
The first finalist was Kyiv’s Dynamo, which confidently defeated Bukovyna 3-0 in the semifinals.
Chernihiv secured the second spot in the final, creating the biggest upset of the stage in Zhytomyr by defeating Metalist 1925 in a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw in regulation time.
This result is particularly significant given that Chernihiv played nearly the entire match with a man down. As early as the 5th minute, the team lost Pavlo Shushko, who received a straight red card. Despite their numerical advantage, Metalist 1925 failed to put the pressure on their opponent.
One of Kharkiv’s goals in the first half was disallowed after a VAR review due to offside.
Throughout the match, Metalist 1925 completely dominated: the team took 31 shots, 13 of which were on target, while Chernihiv did not manage a single shot on target. But the First League side held on through regulation time and then snatched victory in a penalty shootout.
That is how Chernihiv became the opponent of Kyiv’s Dynamo in the Ukrainian Cup final.
When and where will the Ukrainian Cup final take place
The final match of the 2025/2026 Vbet Ukrainian Cup is scheduled for May 20, 2026. Lviv will host the decisive match, which will be held at the Arena Lviv stadium. The UAF also clarified that Chernihiv will be the nominal host of the final.
Chernihiv’s advancement to the final was a historic achievement for the club and a major upset of the tournament. The team represents the First League, and, according to sports media, became the first finalist in the Ukrainian Cup from this division in seven years. Prior to this, Ingulets was the last team to achieve this in the 2018/19 season.
The winner of the final will receive not only the Ukrainian Cup but also the right to compete in the Europa League qualifiers next season. That is why the decisive match will be of great importance not only in terms of the trophy but also for the European prospects of both clubs.
Last season, Shakhtar won the Ukrainian Cup, defeating Dynamo in a penalty shootout in the final.
