2026–27 Russian First League
| Season | 2026–27 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 11 July 2026 - June 2027 |
| Matches | 67 |
| Goals | 185 (2.76 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Amur Kalmykov Vyacheslav Grulyov (9 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Sochi 5–0 Arsenal 26 July 2026 |
| Biggest away win | Chelyabinsk 0–4 Torpedo 15 August 2026 |
| Highest scoring | Nizhny Novgorod 4–2 Rotor 12 July 2026 Nizhny Novgorod 5–1 Neftekhimik 8 August 2026} Nizhny Novgorod 4–2 SKA-Khabarovsk 24 August 2026 |
| Longest winning run | 6 matches Nizhny Novgorod |
| Longest unbeaten run | 6 matches Nizhny Novgorod Spartak Ural |
| Longest winless run | 8 matches KAMAZ |
| Longest losing run | 5 matches SKA-Khabarovsk |
| Highest attendance | 16,063 Rotor 1–1 Ural 14 August 2026 |
| Lowest attendance | 315 Spartak 2–2 Yenisey 1 August 2026 played in Khimki |
| Total attendance | 286,633 |
| Average attendance | 4,278 |
← 2025–26 2027–28 →
All statistics correct as of 24 August 2026. | |
The 2026–27 Russian First League (First League Pari for sponsorship reasons) is the 35th season of Russia's second-tier football league since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The season began on 11 July 2026, and will have a 3-month winter break between December 2026 and March 2027. The regular season will end on 29 May 2027 and will be followed by promotion play-offs.
Team changes
To First League
- Promoted from Second League Division A
- Relegated from Premier League
- Nizhny Novgorod (renamed from Pari Nizhny Novgorod)
- Sochi
From First League
- Relegated to Second League
- Promoted to Premier League
Stadiums by locations
Location of teams in 2026–27 First League.[1]
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nizhny Novgorod | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 11 | +14 | 21 | Promotion to 2027–28 Premier League |
| 2 | Veles Moscow | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 18 | |
| 3 | Sochi | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 10 | +6 | 16 | Qualification to Premier League play-offs |
| 4 | Ural Yekaterinburg | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 2 | +10 | 14 | |
| 5 | Torpedo Moscow | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 13 | |
| 6 | Shinnik Yaroslavl | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 9 | +3 | 12[a] | |
| 7 | Spartak Kostroma | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 12[a] | |
| 8 | Ufa | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 12[a] | |
| 9 | Arsenal Tula | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 12 | −5 | 11 | |
| 10 | Rotor Volgograd | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 11 | +1 | 10 | |
| 11 | Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 9[b] | |
| 12 | Yenisey Krasnoyarsk | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 12 | −1 | 9[b] | |
| 13 | Chelyabinsk | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 13 | −5 | 7 | |
| 14 | Volga Ulyanovsk | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 12 | −5 | 6[c] | |
| 15 | Tekstilshchik Ivanovo | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 6[c] | |
| 16 | Leningradets Leningrad Oblast | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 6[c] | Relegation to 2027–28 Second League |
| 17 | SKA-Khabarovsk | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 15 | −9 | 3 | |
| 18 | KAMAZ Naberezhnye Chelny | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 16 | −8 | 2 |
Updated to match(es) played on 24 August 2026. 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) 2025–26 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.[2]
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) 2025–26 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.[2]
Notes:
Results
Positions by round
| Promotion | |
| Play-offs | |
| Relegation to 2027–28 Russian Second League |
Updated to match(es) played on 24 August 2026. Source: everysport.com
Results by round
Updated to match(es) played on 24 August 2026. Source: Soccerstats.com (in English)
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose
Season statistics
Top goalscorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals[3] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Amur Kalmykov |
Spartak | 9 |
| Vyacheslav Grulyov |
Nizhny Novgorod | ||
| 3 | Ilya Azyavin |
Shinnik | 5 |
| 4 | Mikhail Ignatov |
Sochi | 4 |
| Aleksei Kashtanov |
Torpedo | ||
| Abu-Said Eldarushev |
Rotor | ||
| 7 | Denis Bokov |
Ural | 3 |
| Ramazan Gadzhimuradov |
Chelyabinsk | ||
| Ilya Porokhov |
Shinnik | ||
| Artyom Sokolov |
Nizhny Novgorod | ||
| Marat Tlekhugov |
Yenisey | ||
| Matvey Urvantsev |
Chelyabinsk | ||
 Dilan Ortiz |
Ufa | ||
 Martin Sekulić |
Ural | ||
References
- ↑ "TEAMS". Russian Football National League. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ "First League 2026-27 regulations - paragraph 3.5" (PDF) (in Russian). Russian First League. Retrieved 13 July 2026.
- ↑ "Top Scorers" (in Russian). Russian First League. Retrieved 24 August 2026.