According to UEFA, economic losses of up to 8 billion euros were reported last year.
Data from Transfermarkt ensure that football in Ukraine has a brand value of 287.89 million euros.
In a World Cup year, and in the midst of a war, Ukraine sends a strong message to the football industry.
More than six months later, the soccer league in Ukraine is back, albeit without an audience, without some participating teams and with a strong security device.
As we could see, The Russia-Ukraine conflict caused significant damage to various sectors of society, and football, of course, was no exception. The industry in general, even responded from different trenches.
To mention an example, EA Sports, in its FIFA 22 title, decided to eliminate all the Russian teams that appeared in the video game. This was confirmed by means of a statement in which they claimed to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people:
A statement from EA SPORTS FIFA: pic.twitter.com/v3pZvpblgS
— EA SPORTS FIFA (@EASPORTSFIFA) March 2, 2022
“EA Sports stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and, like so many voices across the world of football, calls for peace and an end to the invasion of Ukraine.”
“In agreement with our partners at FIFA and UEFA, EA Sports has initiated processes to remove the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from EA Sports FIFA products, including FIFA 22, FIFA Mobile and FIFA Online,” the company wrote. on their social networks.
Now, let us remember that after the arrival of the pandemic, attendance at the stadiums was reduced to zero, which is why in some countries the season was held behind closed doors (without fans), directly impacting a very solid industry.
A UEFA report delivered last year indicates that the absence of the public in the stadiums had such an effect that in that region economic losses of up to 8 billion euros were reported.
Currently, various European leagues are already in action in the midst of a context in which fans once again play an important role for the industry itself.
Ukraine and football meet again in the midst of war
The present day, Ukraine saw the return of its Premier League, which, according to Transfermarkt, has a brand value of 287.89 million euros.; nevertheless, far from a fan-driven environment, the return to the game was experienced in the midst of war.
This return of the Ukrainian Premier League took place with the match between the last champion of the league, the Shakhtar DonetskY Metalist 1925a club that plays to replace Mariupol, a team that, like Desna Chernigov, does not participate because it is based right in a combat zone.
That football in Ukraine has returned coincides with the day of the flag in that country, which is why, before the initial whistle, the Ukrainian flag was hoisted. Similarly, Andrei Pavelko, President of the Ukrainian Football Association, stated that: “This is a unique initiative in history. Football against war in war conditions. Football for peace”.
??? Football returns to Ukraine!
??? Beware of the incredible performance of the Ukrainian national anthem by Mykhailo Khoma before the match between #ShakhtarMetalist1925pic.twitter.com/i9rx91F2aj
— Sports carousel (@carousel) August 23, 2022
Without a doubt, it is a long-awaited return and, in a World Cup year, it seems to send an important message not only to fans, but also to the industries that decided to withdraw sponsorships in both the Russian and Ukrainian leagues.