Sport during and after the war. How Allrise Capital is developing women's football in Ukraine

Football is a tool for rebuilding the country and a symbol of faith in the future. How was a women's football team created in Odesa? How can plans to attract a global sports operator change the perception of Ukrainian football, and how does big business see its role in Ukraine during a full-scale invasion? Mikhail Trubchik, Chief Operating Officer and Partner at Allrise Capital (American company), tells us about all of this.

Creating a full-fledged football club in such difficult times is a risky investment. What inspired you to form the SeaSters team?

We have always believed in the potential of Ukraine and its people. Back in 2016, Allrise Capital began investing in Ukraine. When we acquired the Chornomorets stadium in 2020, we saw it not just as a sports facility, but as a place to build a community around.

Indeed, when russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, most people expected us to withdraw from the Ukrainian market and avoid taking risks in doing business. Instead, we have expanded our projects in Ukraine, including the creation of SeaSters, a women's football team. Sport has become a way for us to give hope and strength to those who need it most.

Why did women's football become the focus of your investment?

Women's football is developing rapidly worldwide, but in Ukraine, in our opinion, it is still somewhat underestimated. We saw an opportunity not only to develop the sport, but also to overcome gender barriers. SeaSters became a symbol of the fact that even in difficult times, it is possible to build something new and truly important. In its first season, the team became the champion of the First League and moved up to the Premier League. But for us, the biggest victory is the motivation the girls give us by showing good results despite all the challenges. Looking at their ambition, faith in the future of Ukraine, and their own success, we understand that we have taken the right path.

Tell us a little about one of the elements of your "sports" strategy - free football schools for girls in the Odesa region.

After the full-scale invasion began, it was clear that the children needed space to recover – both physically and psychologically. We went through various options, studied the statistics on the welfare of the region's residents, and tried to identify a specific need that we could fully satisfy. And we came across figures on the number of children who have access to sports. This is how the idea of creating football schools for girls was born.

Many of these girls have lost their homes, schools, and friends. Their lives are filled with uncertainty and fear. It is for them that we created SeaSters football schools. We want to give girls from underprivileged families a free opportunity to train, make new friends and feel part of a community. It's more than just a football game – it's a way to bring back their childhood and help them believe in themselves again. And given the success of the SeaSters core team, this is also a great opportunity to start playing football at a professional level and build a sports career.

Currently, there are 6 schools in the Odesa region, with a total of about 150 girls. The initiative plans to open 25 more schools by the end of 2026.

In addition, we along with our friends in America are working to ensure that the new generation of Ukrainian football has everything it needs - training equipment and tools, sports equipment, and so on. For example, two professional clubs from Virginia, BRYC Elite Soccer Academy and Loudoun Soccer Club, sent a large batch of high-quality boots to Odesa at our request – which is essential for comfort and performance on the field.

How did you manage to attract international support?

I understand what you mean because I also often hear the idea that American support for Ukraine has decreased. But this is not entirely true. Rather, it has become more focused. The American people, regardless of their political preferences, actively support Ukraine. They just need to be shown why it is still important. I think we succeed because we ask the right questions: "Do you know how children feel when a missile attack starts in the middle of a game or when an air raid siren sounds? Have you seen stadiums where no one will ever play again?"

This helped lay the foundation for the exhibition "SeaSters: Strength and Hope" which we showed in Sacramento, Washington, San Francisco and Odesa. We brought the stories of our team and showed through photos how the girls train, dream, win and stay motivated even when the game stops due to air raid alerts.

These photos show destroyed stadiums and touching moments from the life of a team that emerged during the war and went out on the field against all odds.

We wanted to show that football in Ukraine is more than just a sport. It is a fight for normal life, for hope, which no war can destroy. Thanks to this exhibition, the world sees not only the ruins, but also those who continue to play.

What role does international support play in the development of the club and football schools?

The world sees and supports our work. We were visited by U.S. Congress members Celeste Maloy and Donald Norcross, received support from Merkle Standard, held meetings with representatives of Logistics Plus and the Atlantic Council – and this is just a part of the people and organizations that believe in our project. 

You also mentioned plans to attract a global sports operator. What prospects do you see in this area?

We don't just want to create a successful team, we plan to use it to transform the entire football industry in Ukraine. And for this, it is really necessary to bring a large sports operator to Ukraine. This means a company or organization with experience in developing football clubs, infrastructure and commercial sports projects. It could be a European or American operator that understands the specifics of the global football market and will help implement the most effective global practices.

The first to take this step in Ukraine will go down in history as a pioneer of a new era of Ukrainian football. We are convinced that in the face of war and challenges, this is not only an opportunity but also a great honor. Involving such an operator is not charity, but a strategic investment in the sports business.

Ukraine has all the prerequisites for success: affordable training, quality infrastructure and a unique sports culture, especially in Odesa.

What gives you confidence that Ukraine will be able to overcome challenges and succeed even in such difficult times?

I recently returned from Ukraine – my fourth visit since the full-scale invasion began. And every time I get the same impression. Beyond the obvious signs of war – damage from shelling and daily air raids – I encounter a real sense of unity and sincerity. It’s hard to explain to those who are not familiar with the Ukrainian context, but anyone who has been there will understand. The war seems to have stripped away everything that is superfluous, leaving only the real. Despite all the difficulties that Ukrainians are going through, they start a new day every morning: smiling, taking their children to school, studying, starting businesses, helping each other and believing in the future. There's a saying that the brightest people emerge in the darkest times. In the case of Ukraine, it is more like a whole solar system of light.

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