Professional Football League of Ukraine

Discussions about the creation of the league had been taking place for several years.^[2] There existed a Council of Top League headed by the president of FC Dynamo Kyiv Viktor Bezverkhyi, later there was created an orgcommittee in preparation to create PFL and headed by the FFU president Viktor Bannikov.^[2] However the issue on organization of the league was being postponed until it was taken over by a renewed council of football clubs' presidents headed by the new president of Dynamo Hryhoriy Surkis.^[2]

The council of presidents, along with the FFU experts, had prepared a great collection of documents with a draft of the PFL statute, a structure of leagues, and a competition calendar.^[2] In span of preparatory work those documents were available to get familiar by people of football from all Ukraine.^[2] In the beginning of May at a constituent assembly arrived representatives of 53 out of 77 professional clubs at that time, who unanimously voted for creation of the Association of football clubs "Professional Football League".^[2] The league's constituent assembly elected the president of PFL Hryhoriy Surkis (Dynamo Kyiv), first vice-president was Dmytro Zlobenko (CSKA-Borysfen), other vice-presidents became Anatoliy Revutskyi (Prykarpattia, TL), Viktor Novykov (Naftovyk Okhtyrka, 1L), Ivan Fedorets, (Desna Chernihiv, 2L).^[2] The PFL council consisted of 17 members (Top League – 9, First League – 4, Second League – 4).^[2]

Besides the FFU and football clubs, the creation of PFL was also supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which was headed by Valeriy Borzov.^[2] Coaches also were delighted with this event. Particularly, Leonid Buryak, who was coaching Chornomorets, said that the creation of PFL is a "life ring" for domestic football.^[2]

The PFL was established on May 26, 1996, during the Conference of non-amateur clubs (teams) of Ukraine. The first president of that organization became Hryhoriy Surkis. On July 17, the organization was contracted by FFU for the organization of all competitions among the non-amateur clubs in the country. In August 2000, Hryhoriy Surkis was elected the president of Football Federation of Ukraine, and, on December 22, the newly elected president of PFL became the vice-president of FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Ravil Safiullin. He was later reelected for a second term. In the summer of 2008, the Supreme League was reformed into a self-governing organization that protects the interests of the elite clubs of Ukraine. That left the PFL to govern only the First and the Second Divisions. The PFL itself was also reformed, creating the Councils of each Division in the League.

Every year, before the beginning of every season, the Professional Football League gathers the "PFL Conference" that represents all members and approves the composition of the leagues and the season's calendar.

Any disciplinary actions are being addressed through the PFL Disciplinary Committee (PFL DK) as a primary institution, before it is reviewed by the FFU Control and Disciplinary Committee (FFU KDK).

Other important administrative and executive bodies of the league include the PFL Anti-Crisis Council and the PFL Administration.

Along with Sport Arena, the PFL awards the best players, squad, manager, young player, and goal of the round for each round of the playing season. In addition, starting in 2018, the PFL awards player of the month until 2022 with UA-Football, and after Ukrfootball. Oleksandr Akymenko became the first player to be given the award, while Oleksandr Mishurenko became the first player to be given the award more than once.