# 2020 Tajikistan Higher League

The 2020 Ligai Olii Tojikiston (Tajik: 2020 Лигаи Олии Тоҷикистон, Russian: 2020 Высшая Лига Таджикистана), or 2020 Tajikistan Higher League is the 29th season of Ligai Olii Tojikiston, Tajikistan's top division of association football. The season began on 5 April 2020.

## Season events

On 27 March, the Tajikistan Football Federation announced that the opening round of games would be played behind closed doors due to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 25 April, the Tajikistan Football Federation announced the suspension of football, following the completion of Round 4 on 26 April, until 10 May.
On 6 May, the Tajikistan Football Federation extended the suspension of football indefinitely due to the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Tajikistan.
On 8 June, the Tajikistan Football Federation announced that the season would resume on 16 June, with the games continuing to be played without spectators.

## Teams

On 20 March 2020, the Tajikistan Football Federation announced that the season would involve ten teams, with there being 27 matches in three rounds. The teams consist of CSKA Pamir, Istiklol, Istaravshan, Khatlon, Khujand, Kuktosh, Regar-TadAZ and newly promoted Dushanbe-83, Fayzkand and Lokomotiv-Pamir.
| Team | Location | Venue | Capacity |
| CSKA Pamir | Dushanbe | CSKA Stadium | 7,000 |
| Dushanbe-83 | Dushanbe | | |
| Fayzkand | Hulbuk | Markazii Kulob Stadium | |
| Istaravshan | Istaravshan | Istaravshan Sports Complex | 20,000 |
| Istiklol | Dushanbe | Markazii Tojikiston Stadium | 24,000 |
| Khatlon | Bokhtar | Markazii Bokhtar Stadium | 10,000 |
| Khujand | Khujand | Bistsolagii Istiqloliyati Stadium | 20,000 |
| Kuktosh Rudaki | Rudaki District | Rudaki Stadium | |
| Lokomotiv-Pamir | Dushanbe | Lokomotiv Stadium | |
| Regar-TadAZ | Tursunzoda | TALCO Arena | 20,000 |

### Personnel and sponsoring

| Team | Manager | Captain | Kit manufacturer | Sponsor |
| CSKA Pamir Dushanbe | Serhiy Zhytskyi | Artem Haydash | Joma | 1Xbet |
| Dushanbe-83 | Nazirsho Rizomov | | Adidas | - |
| Fayzkand | Tokhirjon Muminov | Mahmadali Sadikov | Adidas | - |
| Istaravshan | Alier Ashurmamadov | | Joma | |
| Istiklol | Vitaliy Levchenko | Alisher Dzhalilov | Joma | Siyoma |
| Khatlon | Asliddin Khabibullaev | Umarjon Sharipov | Joma | |
| Khujand | Khakim Fuzailov | Komroni Mirzonazhod | Joma | Samsung HD TV |
| Kuktosh Rudaki | Makhmadjon Khabibulloev | | Joma | |
| Lokomotiv-Pamir | Mubin Ergashev | Emomali Ahmadhon | Joma | Parimatch |
| Regar-TadAZ | Uktam Sattorov | | Joma | TALCO |

### Foreign players

Each Tajikistan Higher League club is permitted to register six foreign players, with four allowed on the pitch at the same time.
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Player 4 | Player 5 | Player 6 | Former Players |
| CSKA Pamir Dushanbe | Dmytro Bondar | Artem Gaydash | Ivan Ponomarenko | Nodirbek Ibragimov | | | |
| Dushanbe-83 | Yavis Noah Parfat | Colins Adukhen | Idris Aminu | Agbley Jones | Emmanuel Kudiabor | Azian Joseph Adolph | Sadiq Musa Silvanus Evans Elijah Ari |
| Fayzkand | Joseph Feumba | Dilshodzhon Baratov | Abbos Ikromov | Jasur Kurbonov | Anvar Murodov | Azizdzhon Zaripov | Jasur Ashurov |
| Istaravshan | Zufardjon Akbaraliev | Saiddoston Fozilov | Shakhzod Shamsiddinov | Tulkinjon Umarov | | | Joseph Feumba Mbeke Siebatcheu |
| Istiklol | Viktor Svezhov | Marko Milić | Wahyt Orazsähedow | Oleksiy Larin | | | |
| Khatlon | Tony Bikatal | Jen Gaten | Alassa Mfuapon | Quaye Godson | | | |
| Khujand | Mamur Ikramov | Siroj Khamrayev | Sanjar Rixsiboev | Amirjon Safarov | | | Andrey Sidorov |
| Kuktosh Rudaki | Prince Arthur | Benjamin Asamoa | Ishmael Klotey | Muhiddin Odilov | Bunyod Shodiev | Mbeke Siebatcheu | Erfan Moradnezhadi Abbos Ikromov |
| Lokomotiv-Pamir | Radin Sayyar | | | | | | Benjamin Asamoa Avuku Kaleb Oduro |
| Regar-TadAZ | Arash Akbari | | | | | | Sardorbek Eminov Jalil Kimsanov Farrukh Nurliboev |
In bold: Players that have been capped for their national team.

### Managerial changes

| Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
| Khujand | Vitaliy Levchenko | End of Contract | | Pre-Season | Nikola Lazarevic | 21 December 2019 |
| Istiklol | Alisher Tukhtaev (Caretaker) | End of Contract | 31 December 2019 | Pre-Season | Mubin Ergashev | |
| Istiklol | Mubin Ergashev | End of Contract | 17 February 2020 | Pre-Season | Vitaliy Levchenko | 17 February 2020 |
| Fayzkand | | | | Pre-Season | Tokhirjon Muminov | 24 March 2020 |
| Kuktosh Rudaki | Rahmatullo Fuzailov | Resigned | 7 July 2020 | 7th | Makhmadjon Khabibulloev | 7 July 2020 |
| Khujand | Nikola Lazarevic | | 12 July 2020 | 2nd | Khakim Fuzailov | 12 July 2020 |

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Istiklol (C) | 18 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 61 | 11 | +50 | 45 | Qualification for AFC Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Khujand | 18 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 30 | 23 | +7 | 35 | Qualification for AFC Cup group stage |
| 3 | CSKA Pamir | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 29 | 25 | +4 | 29 | |
| 4 | Kuktosh | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 30 | 24 | +6 | 28 | |
| 5 | Khatlon | 18 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 27 | 24 | +3 | 26 | |
| 6 | Dushanbe-83 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 29 | −9 | 20 | |
| 7 | Fayzkand | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 31 | −14 | 19 | |
| 8 | Istaravshan | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 29 | 38 | −9 | 17 | |
| 9 | Lokomotiv-Pamir (R) | 18 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 26 | −12 | 14 | Relegation to Tajik First Division |
| 10 | Regar-TadAZ (R) | 18 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 21 | 47 | −26 | 12 | Relegation to Tajik First Division |

## Fixtures and results
### Rounds 1–18

| Home \ Away | CPD | D83 | FAY | ISA | IST | KHA | KJD | KUK | LOK | RZD |
| CSKA Pamir | — | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 3–1 |
| Dushanbe-83 | 2–1 | — | 0–0 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| Fayzkand | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 |
| Istaravshan | 1–2 | 2–0 | 5–2 | — | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| Istiklol | 2–0 | 7–0 | 3–0 | 8–0 | — | 2–2 | 4–0 | 6–1 | 1–0 | 6–1 |
| Khatlon | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 4–2 |
| Khujand | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | — | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Kuktosh | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 0–0 |
| Lokomotiv-Pamir | 3–2 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | — | 1–2 |
| Regar-TadAZ | 1–5 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 1–6 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–4 | 0–0 | — |

## Season statistics
### Scoring

* First goal of the season: Ilhomjon Barotov for Istaravshan against Khatlon (5 April 2020)

### Top scorers

    As of match played 4 October 2020
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Ilhomjon Barotov | Istaravshan | 18 |
| 2 | Manuchekhr Dzhalilov | Istiklol | 16 |
| 3 | Alisher Dzhalilov | Istiklol | 12 |
| 4 | Sheriddin Boboev | Istiklol | 10 |
| 5 | Rustam Soirov | Istiklol | 8 |
| 5 | Dilshod Bozorov | Khujand | 8 |
| 7 | Shodibek Gafforov | CSKA Pamir Dushanbe | 7 |
| 7 | Shervoni Mabatshoev | CSKA Pamir Dushanbe | 7 |
| 7 | Parviz Baki-Akhunov | Khatlon | 7 |
| 10 | Elchibek Rashidbekov | Dushanbe-83 | 6 |

### Hat-tricks

| Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
| Manuchekhr Dzhalilov | Istiklol | Dushanbe-83 | 7-0 (A) | 8 April 2020 |
| Rustam Soirov | Istiklol | Kuktosh | 6-1 (H) | 25 April 2020 |
| Khudoidod Uzokov | Khatlon | Lokomotiv-Pamir | 3-2 (A) | 26 April 2020 |
| Sheriddin Boboev$^4$ | Istiklol | Regar-TadAZ | 6-1 (H) | 8 September 2020 |
| Ilhomjon Barotov$^5$ | Istaravshan | Fayzkand | 5-2 (H) | 29 September 2020 |
* $^4$ Player scored 4 goals
* $^5$ Player scored 5 goals