Lviv football clubs "Karpaty" and "Rukh" have announced their merger.

Starting from the next season, FC "Rukh" will focus on training players for "Karpaty."

https://zaxid.net/lvivski_futbolni_klubi_karpati_i_ruh_ogolosili_pro_zlittya_n16008762025-01-01 10:36:49

On Tuesday, December 31, the two largest football clubs in Lviv – "Karpaty" and "Rukh" – announced their merger. The joint statement titled "A Great City Deserves a Great Team" was published simultaneously by both clubs on Tuesday evening.

“Lviv deserves more – a club that will consistently fight for leadership positions in Ukrainian football and represent our country with dignity in European club competitions. Achieving this goal in our challenging times requires unconventional actions and solutions. This is why the founders and leaders of both clubs decided to combine efforts for the development of the football club 'Karpaty'”, the clubs' statement reads.

It remains unclear from the statement whether this refers to a complete merger of the teams or merely a collaboration in player development, as the clubs do not specify.

“In light of this decision, the football club 'Rukh' will focus on training young talents at the established Academy starting from the 2025/2026 season, as well as the initial adaptation to adult football for their future integration into the 'Karpaty' team”, the authors of the statement added.

“We are confident that the synergy of our potentials, assets, and developments will lead to an increase in the number of quality footballers of European level, who will bring true glory to Lviv football,” the statement emphasizes.

FC "Karpaty" declined to answer clarifying questions from ZAXID.NET. However, it has become known to the editorial office that this indeed refers to the merger of the two teams into one, which will represent the city. Meanwhile, training for FC "Karpaty" will take place at the Football Academy in Vynnyky.

In the UPL standings, FC "Karpaty" is in sixth place with 24 points, while FC "Rukh" is in seventh place with 23 points.

As of October 2020, the owner of FC "Karpaty" is the agricultural enterprise "Zakhidny Buh," which is linked to businessman Volodymyr Matkivskyi. The owner of FC "Rukh" is Lviv businessman Hryhorii Kozlovskyi.