The EAFF 2026 Amputee Football Champions League took place in the city of Fano, Italy, from 23 to 25 October, where the Lviv Salesian club “Pokrova AMP” became the first Ukrainian representative in history to feature in this European club competition. The team, made up primarily of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war with amputations or impaired limb function, finished the tournament in 5th place.
In the group stage, the Lviv side lost to the current runners-up, Poland’s Wisła, 0–6, and drew 2–2 with Spain’s Real Betis. It was in the match against the Spanish club that Pokrova AMP scored the first goals by a Ukrainian amputee football team in the history of the Champions League.
In the play-off for 5th place, the Ukrainian team confidently defeated seven-time champions of Georgia, AFC Tbilisi, 4–0. Throughout the tournament, the Lviv amputee footballers were backed in the stands by around fifty supporters from the Ukrainian community in Fano.
Club player Yaroslav Kachmar, a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, noted that competing in the Champions League was an important milestone for the team, as it provided invaluable experience and a clear sense of the level of their opponents. According to him, as reigning champions of Ukraine, Pokrova AMP’s amputee footballers plan to return to the tournament next year with even better preparation.
The President of the World Amputee Football Federation and the European Amputee Football Federation, Mateusz Widłak, stressed that the Ukrainian club’s debut in the Champions League is highly significant for the development of amputee football across the continent.
“The Ukrainian club demonstrated excellent organisation, a fighting spirit and an extraordinary will to win. Despite all the difficulties and the lack of European club competition experience among most of the players, Pokrova showed a worthy level of play and earned great respect from the European amputee football community,” said Mateusz Widłak.
The next key event for the Ukrainian amputee footballers will be the World Cup, to be held in Mexico from 13 to 22 November. The core of the Ukraine national team is made up of Pokrova AMP players: nine footballers have been named in the main squad, with another in reserve. Members of the Lviv club are also part of the national team staff, including the head coach of the Ukraine amputee football team, Nazarii Rusetskyi.
The Pokrova AMP club was founded in Lviv in September 2023 within the structure of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The team brings together amputee footballers, many of whom are veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war with amputations or impaired limb function.
Earlier, the Lviv amputee football club successfully completed the Ukrainian league season, securing two championship titles at once: the first team became Super League champions for the second year running, while Pokrova AMP-2, which was making its debut in national competition, won the First League. Both sides went through the season unbeaten.