Important changes for the certification of UPL clubs

The new requirements will come into effect from the 2027/2028 season and are aimed at developing the youth football system.

The main innovation in the certification procedure is the gradual integration of youth teams into the club's structure or the creation of corresponding branches, where the UPL club will directly own no less than 51% of the DYUZ property.

The full implementation period of the regulatory norm will last for four seasons: from 2027/2028 to 2030/2031. The initial stage involves having U-11 and U-12 age group teams in the club's structure or its branch.

UPL clubs that currently cooperate with external DYUZ on contractual terms must fully adapt to the new standards over a four-year period, involving young footballers from other years of study to create appropriate training groups.

The number of mandatory youth teams will increase annually:

2027/2028 season: two age groups - U-11 and U-12;

2028/2029 season: four age groups - from U-10 to U-13;

2029/2030 season: six age groups - from U-10 to U-15;

2030/2031 season (final stage): eight age groups - from U-10 to U-17.

What was it like before?

For over twenty years, UPL clubs were not required to create their own DYUZ.

Mainly, the contractual cooperation between the club and DYUZ covered basic principles that limited the prospects for nurturing their own generation of young footballers.

Why is this important?

The innovations approved by the UAF Executive Committee will allow to fundamentally change the cooperation between UPL clubs and DYUZ, which currently in some cases has a purely formal nature due to the presence of only written agreements.

The transitional period gives clubs enough time to build full-fledged youth football verticals - from the youngest age groups to youth and junior teams.

These changes are aimed at motivating clubs aspiring to UPL certification to move away from the practice of cooperating with youth sports institutions through written agreements and instead obligate them to have their own DYUZ with at least eight age categories, which will contribute to the comprehensive development of club systems and youth football in general.

Regulations of the UAF on the certification of UPL football clubs (2025 edition)