2025–26 Russian First League
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 19 July 2025 - May 2026 |
| Matches played | 27 |
| Goals scored | 54 (2 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Matvey Bardachyov Stanislav Biblyk Aleksandr Zhirov Amur Kalmykov David Karaev Martin Sekulić Ruslan Apekov Batraz Gurtsiyev (2 goals each) |
| Biggest home win | Chelyabinsk 1–0 Rotor 26 July 2025 Fakel 1–0 Ufa 27 July 2025 Ural 3–2 Chernomorets 28 July 2025 Ural 2–1 Rodina 2 August 2025 Ufa 1–0 Shinnik 2 August 2025 KAMAZ 2–1 Chelyabinsk 2 August 2025 SKA-Khabarovsk 1–0 Torpedo 3 August 2025 Fakel 1–0 Sokol 3 August 2025 |
| Biggest away win | Yenisey 0–3 Chayka 20 July 2025 |
| Highest scoring | Torpedo 2–3 Chelyabinsk 20 July 2025 Ural 3–2 Chernomorets 28 July 2025 |
| Longest winning run | 3 matches Fakel Ural |
| Longest unbeaten run | 3 matches Arsenal Chayka Fakel KAMAZ Neftekhimik SKA-Khabarovsk Ural |
| Longest winless run | 3 matches Chernomorets Neftekhimik Rodina Shinnik Sokol Torpedo Volga Yenisey |
| Longest losing run | 2 matches Chernomorets Rodina Volga Yenisey |
| Highest attendance | 15,838 Rotor 0–0 Yenisey 4 August 2025 |
| Lowest attendance | 1,007 Rodina 1–1 Chernomorets 21 July 2025 |
| Total attendance | 131,199 |
| Average attendance | 4,859 |
← 2024–25 2026–27 →
All statistics correct as of 4 August 2025. | |
The 2025–26 Russian First League (First League Pari for sponsorship reasons) is the 34th season of Russia's second-tier football league since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The season began on 19 July 2025, and will have a 3-month winter break between December 2025 and March 2026.
Team changes
[edit]To First League
[edit]- Promoted from Second League Division A
- Relegated from Premier League
Khimki, which was administratively relegated from the Premier League, was then dissolved and did not enter the First League.[1]
Pari Nizhny Novgorod, which lost in the relegation play-offs, was kept in the Premier League as a replacement for Khimki.
Orenburg, which was originally relegated from the Premier League, remained in it due to the attempted match-fixing by Torpedo Moscow in the previous season.[2][3]
From First League
[edit]- Relegated to Second League
Sokol Saratov, which finished the previous season in the relegation zone, was kept in the league as a replacement for Khimki
- Promoted to Premier League
Torpedo Moscow, which was initially promoted to the Premier League, was kept in the First League due to attempted match-fixing in the previous season.[2][3]
Stadiums by locations
[edit]
League table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ural Yekaterinburg | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 9[a] | Promotion to Premier League |
| 2 | Fakel Voronezh | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 9[a] | |
| 3 | KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7[b] | Qualification to Premier League play-offs |
| 4 | SKA-Khabarovsk | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 7[b] | |
| 5 | Chelyabinsk | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 6 | |
| 6 | Chayka Peschanokopskoye | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 5[c] | |
| 7 | Arsenal Tula | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 5[c] | |
| 8 | Spartak Kostroma | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4[d] | |
| 9 | Rotor Volgograd | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4[d] | |
| 10 | Ufa | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4[d] | |
| 11 | Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| 12 | Sokol Saratov | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 2 | |
| 13 | Chernomorets Novorossiysk | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 1[e] | |
| 14 | Volga Ulyanovsk | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 1[e] | |
| 15 | Torpedo Moscow | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1[e] | |
| 16 | Shinnik Yaroslavl | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 1[e] | Relegation to Second League |
| 17 | Rodina Moscow | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 1[e] | |
| 18 | Yenisey Krasnoyarsk | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 1[e] |
Updated to match(es) played on 4 August 2025. Source: Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head matches won; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Head-to-head goals scored; 6) Matches won; 7) Goal difference; 8) Goals scored; 9) Away matches won; 10) Away goals scored; 11) Disciplinary record in ascending order (3 points for direct red card, 1 point for yellow card, 2.5 points for red card after two yellows); 12) 2024–25 position (does not apply to final standings); 13) Play-offs. If the teams tied on points did not all play equal number of head-to-head matches, head-to-head criteria are not used to determine the standings.[5]
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head matches won; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Head-to-head goals scored; 6) Matches won; 7) Goal difference; 8) Goals scored; 9) Away matches won; 10) Away goals scored; 11) Disciplinary record in ascending order (3 points for direct red card, 1 point for yellow card, 2.5 points for red card after two yellows); 12) 2024–25 position (does not apply to final standings); 13) Play-offs. If the teams tied on points did not all play equal number of head-to-head matches, head-to-head criteria are not used to determine the standings.[5]
Notes:
- ^ a b Ranked on goals scored.
- ^ a b Ranked on goals scored.
- ^ a b Ranked on goal difference.
- ^ a b c Goal difference: Spartak +1, Rotor, Ufa 0. Away mathes won: Rotor 1, Ufa 0.
- ^ a b c d e f Head-to-head matches played: Chernomorets, Rodina 1, Shinnik, Torpedo, Volga, Yenisey 0. Goal difference: Chernomorets, Volga, Torpedo, Shinnik –2, Rodina –3, Yenisey –4. Goals scored: Chernomorets 4, Volga 3, Torpedo 2, Shinnik 1.
Results
[edit]Positions by round
[edit]| Promotion | |
| Play-offs | |
| Relegation to 2026–27 Russian Second League |
Updated to match(es) played on 4 August 2025. Source: everysport.com
Results by round
[edit]Updated to match(es) played on 4 August 2025. Source: Soccerstats.com (in English)
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose
Season statistics
[edit]Top goalscorers
[edit]| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[6] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Matvey Bardachyov
|
Ural | 2 |
 Stanislav Biblyk
|
Chayka | ||
| Aleksandr Zhirov
|
Chelyabinsk | ||
| Amur Kalmykov
|
Arsenal | ||
| David Karaev
|
KAMAZ | ||
| Martin Sekulić
|
Ural | ||
| Ruslan Apekov
|
KAMAZ | ||
| Batraz Gurtsiyev
|
SKA-Khabarovsk | ||
| 9 | 36 players | 1 |
References
[edit]- ^ ""Химки" приостанавливают свою деятельность" (in Russian). FC Khimki. 18 June 2025.
- ^ a b "КДК РФС принял решение об исключении «Торпедо» из состава участников Мир РПЛ" [RFU CDC decided to exclude Torpedo from Mir RPL] (in Russian). Russian Premier League. 10 July 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Бюро исполкома РФС включило «Оренбург» в состав участников МИР РПЛ" (in Russian). Russian Football Union. 11 July 2025.
- ^ "TEAMS". Russian Football National League. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ "First League 2025-26 regulations - paragraph 3.5" (PDF) (in Russian). Russian First League. Retrieved 14 July 2025.
- ^ "Top Scorers" (in Russian). Russian First League. Retrieved 4 August 2025.