2021 Belarusian First League is the 31st season of 2nd level football in Belarus. It started in April and finished in November 2021.
Team changes from 2020 season Two best teams of 2020 Belarusian First League (Sputnik Rechitsa and Gomel) were promoted to Belarusian Premier League. They were replaced by two last-placed teams of 2020 Belarusian Premier League (Belshina Bobruisk and Smolevichi).
FC Smorgon (6th-placed team of last year's season) were additionally promoted to Premier League to replace Gorodeya, who disbanded in the winter. Smorgon were chosen ahead of Krumkachy (who were denied a Premier League license) and two other teams (Arsenal Dzerzhinsk and Lokomotiv Gomel, who did not apply for license due to insufficient financing).
Two best teams of 2020 Belarusian Second League (Dnepr Mogilev and Shakhtyor Petrikov) were promoted to the league.
Despite initial plans to restore 16 teams in the league for the first time since 2017, the league lost several clubs which all withdrew for financial reasons (Smolevichi, Oshmyany, Granit Mikashevichi and Khimik Svetlogorsk). Only one club was additionally promoted from the Second League (Baranovichi), and on 5 April it was decided to go ahead with just 12 teams (lowest in the league's history) in three round-robin system.Чемпионат первой лиги 2021 пройдет в три круга
Teams summary
TeamLocationPosition in 2020Belshina BobruiskBobruiskPremier League, 15Krumkachy MinskMinsk3Arsenal DzerzhinskDzerzhinsk4Lokomotiv GomelGomel5LidaLida7Slonim-2017Slonim8Volna PinskPinsk9OrshaOrsha11Naftan NovopolotskNovopolotsk12Dnepr MogilevMogilevSecond League, 1Shakhtyor PetrikovPetrikovSecond League, 2BaranovichiBaranovichiSecond League, 4
League table
Results Matchdays 1–22
Matchdays 23–33
Promotion play-offs First leg
Second leg
Slavia won 1–0 on aggregate and therefore both clubs remain in their respective leagues.
Top goalscorers RankGoalscorerTeamGoals1 Denis KozlovskiyLokomotiv Gomel292 Kiryl SidarenkaDnepr Mogilev193 Ramazan IsayevBelshina Bobruisk174 Iskandar ZarobekovNaftan Novopolotsk165 Artyom KiykoArsenal Dzerzhinsk14 Updated to games played on 27 November 2021 Source: football.by
See also 2021 Belarusian Premier League 2020–21 Belarusian Cup 2021–22 Belarusian Cup
References
External links Official site