American football fever grows—in Ukraine

Gridiron action in the European country requires resourcefulness and plenty of patience with those unfamiliar with the sport.

Quarterback Seifadin Almazov practices with the Poltava Panthers, one of more than a dozen teams in the Ukrainian League of American Football.

The opening minutes of the first football game of the 2021 season would feel familiar to most Americans: Coaches pacing the freshly painted sidelines with nervous energy, muscular young men on the field in pads and helmets, and even a complement of cheerleaders jangling red pom-poms. Meanwhile, a gray sky threatened to unleash a downpour, suspending play and dashing the hopes of players and spectators alike. The only difference—granted, a big one—were the teams: The Lviv Lions and the Vinnytsia Wolves, facing off on a field behind a cluster of industrial buildings in the Lion’s hometown in western Ukraine.

American football is usually thought of as a uniquely national sport, with little presence in other countries. But

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