2025–26 Russian Second League Division A
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 19 July 2025 – June 2026 |
← 2024–25 2026–27 → | |
The 2025–26 Russian Second League Division A is the 34th season of Russia's third-tier football league since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The season began on 19 July 2025 and will end in June 2026.
Overview
Before the 2023–24 season, the Russian Second League was reorganized and split into two tiers - third-tier Russian Second League Division A and fourth-tier Russian Second League Division B.[1]
Division A consists of two groups.
The Gold Group initially includes 10 teams:
- 2 teams relegated from the 2024–25 Russian First League (FC Alania Vladikavkaz and FC Tyumen). FC Sokol Saratov, which finished the First League season in the relegation spot, remained in the First League to replace FC Khimki, which was administratively relegated from the Premier League and then dissolved instead of entering the First League.[2]
- 3 teams from the Top 6 of the 2024–25 Second stage Gold Group that were not promoted to the Russian First League
- FC Veles Moscow, which finished 7th in the 2024–25 Second stage Gold Group and would have been moved to the Silver Group, but was kept in the Gold Group to replace Sokol
- Top 4 teams from the 2024–25 Second stage Silver Group
The Silver Group initially includes 8 teams (instead of usual 10):
- Bottom 3 teams from the 2024–25 Second stage Gold Group.
- Teams placed 5th to 9th from the 2024–25 Second stage Silver Group.
FC Forte Taganrog, which finished last in the 2024–25 Second stage Silver Group, was dissolved after the season and could not be replaced by a Division B team, as Division B is contested on a March-to-November cycle.[3]
In the first part of the season (summer/autumn 2025), each team in the Gold and Silver groups will play each other team in the same group twice, home-and-away, for 18 games (in the Gold Group) and 14 games (in the Silver Group) in total for each team.
For the second part of the season (spring/summer 2026), groups will be re-constituted.
Top 6 teams of the First stage Gold Group and top 4 teams of the First stage Silver Group will qualify for the Second stage Gold Group. Bottom 4 teams of the First stage Gold Group will moved be to the Second stage Silver Group.
The 8th-placed team of the First stage Silver Group will be automatically relegated to the 2026 Division B. Four winners of the 2025 Division B zones will be promoted to the Second stage Silver Group.
Team that finishes 7th in the First stage Silver Group will qualify for the relegation play-offs (two games, home-and-away) against the team that finished 9th in the Second stage Silver Group of the 2024–25 Russian Second League Division A, FC Murom. The play-offs will be held if Murom finishes 5th or 6th in the First stage Silver Group. If Murom finishes in any other place, the play-offs will not be held, and the 7th-placed team will be relegated automatically.
The teams in re-constituted groups (with Silver Group now containing 10 teams) will play each other twice more for 18 more games. Top 2 Gold Group teams at the end of the season will be promoted to the Russian First League for the 2025–26 season.
The 3rd-placed Second stage Gold Group team will play in promotion play-offs (two games, home-and-away), if they successfully apply for the 2026-27 Russian First League license. Their opponent will be:
- The 1st-placed First stage Gold Group team, unless that team finishes in the top 2 or in the bottom 4 in the second stage; if 3rd-placed Second stage team was 1st in the First stage, it would get promoted automatically; otherwise
- The 2nd-placed First stage Gold Group team, unless that team finishes in the top 2 or in the bottom 4 in the second stage; if 3rd-placed Second stage team was 2nd in the First stage, it would get promoted automatically; otherwise
- The 3rd-placed First stage Gold Group team, unless that team finishes in the top 2 or in the bottom 4 in the second stage; if 3rd-placed Second stage team was 3rd in the First stage, it would get promoted automatically.
If none of the top-3 First stage Gold Group teams qualify for the promotion play-offs under the conditions described above, the play-offs would not be held and the 3rd-place Second stage Gold Group team would be promoted to the Russian First League automatically.
If the 3rd-placed Second stage Gold Group team does not receive the 2026–27 Russian First League license prior to the play-offs, the play-offs will be contended by:
- The 1st-placed First stage Gold Group team and 2nd-placed First stage Gold Group team, unless either of those teams finish in the top 3 or the bottom 4 in the second stage; otherwise
- The 1st-placed First stage Gold Group team and 3rd-placed First stage Gold Group team, unless either of those teams finish in the top 3 or the bottom 4 in the second stage; otherwise
- The 2nd-placed First stage Gold Group team and 3rd-placed First stage Gold Group team, unless either of those teams finish in the top 3 or the bottom 4 in the second stage; otherwise
- If only one of the top 3 First stage teams finish outside of top 3 and outside of bottom 4 in the second stage, that team will be promoted directly; otherwise
- If none of the top 3 First stage teams finish outside of top 3 and outside of bottom 4 in the second stage, the highest-placed First League team that would be relegated will remain in the First League
If one or both of the Top 2 Second stage Gold Group teams do not receive the 2026–27 Russian First League license, the play-offs would not be held, and both teams that would otherwise qualify for the play-offs would be promoted automatically.
The bottom four teams in the Gold Group at the end of the season would be moved to Silver Group for the 2026–27 season, and the top four teams in the Silver Group would be moved to Gold Group. The bottom two teams in the Second stage Silver Group would qualify for the 2026 relegation play-offs.[4]
The rotation between Division A and Division B will be happening in the winter going forward, as Division B switched to spring-to-autumn, March-to-November cycle for their seasons. There will no relegation from Division A or promotion to it immediately at the end of the 2025–26 season.
First stage
Gold Group
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyumen | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 7 | +3 | 9 | Qualification for the Second Stage Gold Group |
| 2 | Mashuk-KMV Pyatigorsk | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 9 | |
| 3 | Veles Moscow | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 9 | |
| 4 | Tekstilshchik Ivanovo | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 8 | |
| 5 | Alania Vladikavkaz | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 7 | |
| 6 | Sibir Novosibirsk | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 5 | |
| 7 | Volgar Astrakhan | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 5 | Qualification for the Second Stage Silver Group |
| 8 | Dynamo-2 Moscow | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | |
| 9 | Leningradets | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 4 | |
| 10 | Dynamo Kirov | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 3 |
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 games, head-to-head criteria are not used to determine the standings.
Silver Group
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaluga | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 10 | Qualification for the Second Stage Gold Group |
| 2 | Rodina-2 Moscow | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 10 | |
| 3 | Irtysh Omsk | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 8 | |
| 4 | Dynamo Vladivostok | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 6 | |
| 5 | Kuban Krasnodar | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | Qualification for the Second Stage Silver Group |
| 6 | Murom | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | |
| 7 | Torpedo Miass | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 6 | Qualification for the 2025 relegation play-offs |
| 8 | Avangard Kursk | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 11 | −8 | 1 | Relegation to the 2026 Division B |
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 games, head-to-head criteria are not used to determine the standings.
References
- ^ "Бюро исполкома РФС утвердило реформу Второй лиги" (in Russian). Russian Football Union. 10 May 2023.
- ^ ""Химки" приостанавливают свою деятельность" (in Russian). FC Khimki. 18 June 2025.
- ^ "Футбольный клуб "Форте" из Таганрога объявил о прекращении существования" (in Russian). Match TV. 16 June 2025.
- ^ "РЕГЛАМЕНТ Всероссийского соревнования по футболу среди мужских команд "Вторая Лига Дивизион А" сезона 2025-2026 годов "LEON-Первенство по футболу среди команд Второй Лиги "Дивизион А" сезона 2025-2026 годов"" (PDF) (in Russian). Russian Football National League. Retrieved 16 July 2025.