Russian football is approaching the finish line, and soon we will sum up the season. Some will celebrate victories and secured positions, while others will be disappointed with this campaign and look hopefully to the future.
In recent years, the final stretch has been marred by numerous disputes, primarily due to the licensing process. Because First League clubs regularly fail to obtain licenses (usually for infrastructure reasons, such as lacking a suitable stadium), the playoff zone has largely become a formality. Teams that end up in the playoffs either do not participate because there is no opponent from the First League with the necessary license, or the matches become meaningless—like the games between Sochi and Pari NN at the end of the 2024/25 season, where both opponents were guaranteed to stay in the Premier League regardless of the results.
As noted, the main problem for First League teams aiming for the RPL is the stadium. According to the Licensing Rules (Appendix No. 5, Criterion RPL.01), to obtain the RFS-1 license for participation in Premier League matches, a club must register a home arena of the highest category (capacity at least 30,000 spectators) or first category (at least 10,000), equipped with a fan identification system and located in the same region as the club. In 2021, Orenburg was denied the right to play in the RPL because the Gazovik stadium held only 7,500 seats instead of the required minimum of 10,000. In 2025, Chernomorets from Novorossiysk failed to get a license for the Premier League due to non-compliance of the local arena, primarily lacking the fan identification system. In 2023, Alania (Vladikavkaz) also missed out on an RPL license because their stadium was under renovation, with no other suitable venue in the republic, and playing in another region (at that time, Grozny) is only allowed in the First League, not the top division.
Interestingly, the Russian Football Union (RFS) considers Moscow and the Moscow Region as a single region, as directly stated in the Licensing Rules. Therefore, Rodina, despite being based in the capital, is allowed to host opponents at the Arena Khimki, even though the city and region are legally different federal subjects.
Both leagues—RPL and First League—have two rounds remaining, so it’s time to look at the regulations regarding the order of placement and the principles of rotation between the divisions.
First, let’s examine the current standings. In the First League, Fakel is first with 64 points, Rodina second with 62, Ural third with 58, and Rotor fourth with 53. There is a four-point gap between Rotor and fifth-placed KAMAZ, so the distribution of places is unlikely to change. Most likely, Fakel and Rodina will directly advance to the RPL, while Ural and Rotor will head to the playoffs.
This season, the First League favorites have no licensing issues. According to media reports, all four leaders have obtained the RFS-1 license, granting the right to play in the RPL. Problems arose for Spartak Kostroma (6th place) and Chelyabinsk (9th), but the Urals side has no theoretical chance of reaching the playoffs. Even if all higher-placed clubs are unable to participate for various reasons, the RPL regulations (clause 4.5.2) state that only First League clubs finishing in positions 1 through 6 are eligible to play in the Premier League.
Looking at the RPL standings, it is difficult to predict the final positions at the bottom. Fighting to avoid direct relegation (15th and 16th places) are Orenburg (13th, 26 points), Dynamo Makhachkala (14th, 24), Pari NN (15th, 22), and Sochi (16th, 21). Teams finishing 13th and 14th in the Russian Championship will enter the playoffs. The 13th-placed RPL club will face the 4th-placed First League team (most likely Rotor), while the 14th-placed RPL club will meet the 3rd-placed First League side (likely Ural). That is the playoff regulation.
