Ukrzaliznytsia expands into football with century-old club turning professional
The football team of Ukrzaliznytsia "Lokomotiv" passed the certification of the Ukrainian Association of Football and acquired the status of a professional football club, reported the press service of the state rail transport company.
From the beginning of the new season, the club will play in the second league of the championship of Ukraine.
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The club was founded in 1919 and was called "Zaldor". In 1925, it got its own stadium in Kyiv and was renamed Lokomotiv. Since 1935, it started playing in the Ukrainian championship. In 1987, it won the republican championship of Ukraine. That was the last year when the club performed at a professional level.
The club is part of the structure of Ukrzaliznytsia, and mostly employees of the company and Lokomotiv trainees play for it.
The club operates a children's and youth sports football school.
In 2011-2012, the Lokomotiv stadium in Kyiv was reconstructed.
