Ukrainian Community Rebuilds FC Mariupol Club in Brazil

A Ukrainian community in southern Brazil has decided to turn its local football team into FC Mariupol, a top-flight club which disbanded after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This was done to show solidarity with the war-torn country.

AA Batel, a club from the Prudentopolis region of Parana, stated on Monday that they would take over the Mariupol kit, crest and logo a year after the club’s facilities and stadium were destroyed in the Russian invasion.

“The (Mariupol) club represents the identity of our community and our community is more than 70 percent Ukrainian,” said AA Batel President Alex Lopes.

“Ukraine has always been very supportive of great Brazilian football talent and has been an important gateway for players to enter the European market. This is the least we can do to help keep their club alive and give hope to Ukrainians around the world.”

Mariupol Vice President Andriy Sanin added: “We are very grateful for this warm welcome from AA Batel. The war has destroyed our city, but having a football team from this part of the world offered to keep our name alive during this dark time in our history, no maybe to express how much this means to us.”

Premier League club Mariupol, founded in 1992, has competed in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Cup and its successor Europa League, most recently in the 2019–20 season.

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