Ukrainian Premier League
Highest division of Ukrainian annual football championship
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The Ukrainian Premier League (Ukrainian: "Українська Прем'єр-ліга" [ʊkrɐˈjinʲsʲkɐ preˈmjɛr ˈl⁽ʲ⁾iɦɐ]) or UPL is a professional association football league in Ukraine and the highest level of the Ukrainian football league system. Originally known as the Vyshcha Liha (Ukrainian: Вища ліга [ˈwɪʃtʃɐ ˈl⁽ʲ⁾iɦɐ], lit. 'Higher League') it was formed in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union, and the consequent discontinuation of the Soviet Top League. In the first season in 1992, the Ukrainian league included the Ukraine-based clubs that competed previously in the Soviet top three tiers competitions, as well as better clubs of the Ukrainian republican competitions.