FC Stal refuses to participate in Ukrainian Premier League

Stal Alchevsk, the club that took second place in the First League and secured a spot in the Ukrainian Premier League, has refused to participate in the country's top football division next season.

The club's president, Kostiantyn Petrov, told the Nedelia weekly (Luhansk) that the refusal to participate in the Premier League is related to the club's infrastructure not meeting the requirements of the elite division. However, he said that the decision to stay in the First League had been made by the club's leadership for the sake of the fans, as most of them would not be able to see the team's matches if they were played in another stadium.

"Our sponsors are ready to provide the necessary support for our club, which will help Stal comply with the financial fair play of the Premier League. However, the home stadium in Alchevsk, which has been visited by our fans for more than 50 years, does not meet the requirements of the top football division. It needs major reconstruction, and it, in turn, requires time," he said.

"Of course, matches can be held in another stadium. We discussed the possibility of playing the matches in Donetsk at the Olympic Stadium. But the question arises: for whom are we playing? We're playing, first and foremost, for Alchevsk fans, who have supported our team for decades. There's no point in holding matches in another stadium as most fans of Stal won't see them. This is betrayal in relation to the team that needs the support of its fans and in relation to the fans," Petrov said.