# Belarusian First League

The Belarusian First League (Belarusian: Першая ліга чэмпіянату Беларусі па футболе, romanized: Pershaya liha chempiyanatu Byelarusi pa futbole) is the second tier of professional football in Belarus. It was created in 1992, following the Belarusian independence.

## History and format

The typical format of the league involves 16 clubs playing a double round-robin tournament over 30 matchdays (with the exception of shortened 1992 and 1995 seasons, which were a single round-robin tournaments). On several occasions the number of participating teams was smaller (15 or 14), due to last minute withdrawals and no teams available for replacement. In most of the seasons, two best teams are getting promoted to Belarusian Premier League, while two worst teams are relegated to the Belarusian Second League.

## First League in 2024

In 2024, the Belarusian First League will consist of the following 18 teams:
| Team | Location | Position in 2023 |
| Energetik-BGU Minsk | Minsk | 14 (Premier League) |
| Belshina Bobruisk | Bobruisk | 15 (Premier League) |
| Lokomotiv Gomel | Gomel | 4 |
| Maxline Vitebsk | Vitebsk | 5 |
| Baranovichi | Baranovichi | 6 |
| Volna Pinsk | Pinsk | 8 |
| Niva Dolbizno | Dolbizno [be] | 9 |
| Lida | Lida | 10 |
| Molodechno | Molodechno | 11 |
| Ostrovets | Ostrovets | 12 |
| Bumprom Gomel | Gomel | 13 |
| Orsha | Orsha | 14 |
| Slonim-2017 | Slonim | 15 |
| Shakhtyor-2 Soligorsk | Soligorsk | 16 (First League) / 11 (Reserves League) |
| Dinamo-2 Minsk | Minsk | 1 (Reserves League) |
| BATE-2 Borisov | Borisov | 2 (Reserves League) |
| Torpedo-BelAZ-2 Zhodino | Zhodino | 3 (Reserves League) |
| ABFF U-17 | Minsk | n/a |

## Winners and promoted teams

Teams in bold were promoted to Premier League at the end of the season.
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| 1992 | Dinamo-2 Minsk | Shinnik Bobruisk | Kommunalnik Pinsk |
| 1992–93 | Shinnik Bobruisk | Polesye Mozyr | Selmash Mogilev |
| 1993–94 | Obuvschik Lida | Polesye Mozyr | Kommunalnik Pinsk |
| 1994–95 | MPKC Mozyr | Ataka-Aura Minsk | Kommunalnik Pinsk |
| 1995 | Naftan-Devon Novopolotsk | Kommunalnik Pinsk$^1$ | Fomalgaut Borisov |
| 1996 | Transmash Mogilev | Kommunalnik Slonim | Khimik Svetlogorsk |
| 1997 | Gomel | BATE Borisov | Lida |
| 1998 | Lida | Svisloch-Krovlya Osipovichi | Pinsk-900 |
| 1999 | Kommunalnik Slonim | Vedrich-97 Rechitsa | Dinamo-Yuni Minsk |
| 2000 | Molodechno | Luninets | Neman Mosty |
| 2001 | Torpedo Zhodino | Zvezda-VA-BGU Minsk | Darida Minsk Raion |
| 2002 | Darida Minsk Raion | Naftan Novopolotsk | Lokomotiv Minsk |
| 2003 | Lokomotiv Vitebsk | MTZ-RIPO Minsk | Smorgon |
| 2004 | Lokomotiv Minsk | Vedrich-97 Rechitsa$^2$ | Smorgon |
| 2005 | Belshina Bobruisk | Lokomotiv Vitebsk | Smorgon |
| 2006 | Minsk | Smorgon | Khimik Svetlogorsk |
| 2007 | Savit Mogilev | Granit Mikashevichi | Lokomotiv Minsk |
| 2008 | Minsk | Khimik Svetlogorsk | Belshina Bobruisk |
| 2009 | Belshina Bobruisk | Volna Pinsk | DSK Gomel |
| 2010 | Gomel | SKVICH Minsk$^1$ | DSK Gomel |
| 2011 | Slavia Mozyr | Partizan Minsk$^3$ | Gorodeya |
| 2012 | Dnepr Mogilev | Gorodeya$^1$ | Vitebsk |
| 2013 | Slutsk | Gorodeya$^1$ | Vitebsk |
| 2014 | Granit Mikashevichi | Slavia Mozyr | Vitebsk |
| 2015 | Isloch Minsk Raion | Gorodeya | Krumkachy Minsk |
| 2016 | Gomel | Dnepr Mogilev | Gomelzheldortrans |
| 2017 | Luch Minsk | Smolevichi-STI | Torpedo Minsk |
| 2018 | Slavia Mozyr | Energetik-BGU Minsk | Belshina Bobruisk |
| 2019 | Belshina Bobruisk | Smolevichi | Rukh Brest |
| 2020 | Sputnik Rechitsa | Gomel | Krumkachy Minsk (Smorgon$^4$) |
| 2021 | Arsenal Dzerzhinsk | Belshina Bobruisk | Dnepr Mogilev |
| 2022 | Naftan | Smorgon | Rogachev |
| 2023 | Arsenal Dzerzhinsk | Dnepr Mogilev | Vitebsk |
| 2024 | Molodechno | Maxline Vitebsk | Niva Dolbizno |
* $^1$ Team lost promotion/relegation play-off
* $^2$ Team was eligible for promotion but was denied Premier League license
* $^3$ Team won promotion/relegation play-off but disbanded after the season
* $^4$ Smorgon promoted from the 6th place