Soviet Union football league system

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Soviet Union football league system changed many times following the introduction of national league competitions in 1936.

1990

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 Supreme League
Vysshaya Liga
13-16 teams
Decrease 0-1
2 First League
Pervaya Liga
20-22 teams		 Increase 3
Decrease 1
3 Second League
Vtoraya Liga
West
 Center
 East
4 Lower Second League
Nisshaya Vtoraya Liga
Zone 1
 Zone 2
 Zone 3
 Zone 4
 Zone 5
 Zone 6
 Zone 7
 Zone 8
 Zone 9
 Zone 10

1971-1990

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 Supreme League
Vysshaya Liga
16-18 teams
Decrease 2
2 Soviet First League
Pervaya Liga
22 teams		 Increase 2
Decrease 3
3 Second League
Vtoraya Liga		 Increase 3
Zone 1
 Zone 2
 Zone 3
 Zone 4
 Zone 5
 Zone 6
 Zone 7
(1972-73, 1980-90)		 Zone 8
(1980-90)		 Zone 9
(1980-90)

1970

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 Supreme Group A
Vysshaya Gruppa A
16-18 teams
Decrease 2
2 First Group A
Pervaya Grouppa A
22 teams		 Increase 2
Decrease 3
3 Second Group A
Vtoraya Gruppa A		 Increase 3
Zone 1
 Zone 2
 Zone 3
4 Class B
Klass B		 Increase 3
Zone 1
(Russia)		 Zone 2
(Russia)		 Zone 3
(Russia)		 Zone 4
(Russia)		 Zone 5
(Ukraine)		 Zone 6
(Ukraine)		 Zone 7
(Kazakhstan)		 Zone 8
(Middle Asia)

1963-1969

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 First Group A
Pervaya Gruppa A
16-18 teams
Decrease 2
2 Second Group A
Vtoraya Grouppa A
 Increase 2
Decrease 3
Subgroup 1
 Subgroup 2
 Subgroup 3
 Subgroup 4
3 Class B
Klass B		 Increase 3
Russian SFSR Ukrainian SSR Union republics
Zone 1
 Zone 2
 Zone 3
 Zone 4
 Zone 5
 Zone 6
 Zone 1
 Zone 2
 Zone 3
 Zone 1
 Zone 2

1960-1962

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 Class A
Klass A
16-18 teams
Decrease 2
2 Class B
Klass B
 Increase 2
Decrease 3
Zone 1 (Russia)
 Zone 2 (Russia)
 Zone 3 (Russia)
 Zone 4 (Russia)
 Zone 5 (Russia)
Zone 1 (Union republics)
 Zone 2 (Union republics)
 Zone 1 (Ukraine)
 Zone 2 (Ukraine)
 Zone 6 (Russia) (Zone 3 Ukraine)
1961 (1962)

1953-1959

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 Class A
Klass A
12-13 teams
Decrease 2
2 Class B
Klass B
 Increase 2
Decrease 3
Zone 1
 Zone 2
 Zone 3
(1953-54, 1957-59)		 Zone 4
(1957-59)		 Zone 5
(1958-59)		 Zone 6
(1958-59)		 Zone 7
(1959)

1950-1952

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 Class A
Klass A
15-19 teams
Decrease 2
2 Class B
Klass B
14-18 teams		 Increase 2
Decrease 3

1947-1949

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 First Group
Pervaya Gruppa
13-18 teams
Decrease 2
2 Second Group
Vtoraya Gruppa
 Increase 2
Decrease 3
Zone 1 (Russia)
 Zone 2 (Russia)
 Trans-Caucasus
Zone 3 (Russia) (1949)		 Middle-Asia
Zone 4 (Russia) (1949)		 Central Zone
 Ukraine

1945-1946

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 First Group
Pervaya Gruppa
12 teams
Decrease 2
2 Second Group
Vtoraya Gruppa
18 teams (1945)		 Increase 2
Decrease 3
Southern subgroup
13 teams (1946)		 Eastern Subgroup
13 teams (1946)
3 Third Group
Tretia Gruppa
(1946)		 Increase 2
Decrease 3
North-Caucasus Zone (Russia)
 Center Zone (Russia)
 Low-Volga Zone (Russia)
 Volga Zone (Russia)
 Ural Zone (Russia)
 Sibir Zone (Russia)
 Far-eastern Zone (Russia)
Western Zone
 Trans-Caucasus Zone
 Middle Asia Zone
 Center Zone (Ukraine)
 East Zone (Ukraine)
 South Zone (Ukraine)
 West Zone (Ukraine)

1936-1941

Initially, for the Spring championship of 1936 there were only seven teams participating in the top group, while for the Fall championship the number of participants was increased to eight. A similar case scenario took place in the second group as for the spring championship saw some withdrawals. In the third group the number of participants was unchanged at eight for both parts of 1936 season. At same time in the fourth group initially there were five teams for the spring half and six for the autumn.

In 1937 the number of participants continue to grow. Some reshuffling took place between groups A and B, although initially both consisted of eight teams. Groups V and G increased their team pools to 10 and 12 participants, respectively. Also for the 1937 there was introduced the Group D with two subgroups.

In 1938 all of groups were merged into one big super league of 26 teams.

In 1939 and 1940 season Group A consisted of 14 teams. There also was a revival of Group B with 23 teams at first and then reduced to 14 as well.

In 1941 season there was only Group A championship which was heavily adjusted to 15 teams.

Level League(s)/Division(s) P/R
1 Group A
Gruppa A
7-26 teams
2 Group B
Gruppa B
7-23 teams (1936-37, 1939-40)		 Increase
Decrease
3 Group V
Gruppa V
8-10 teams (1936-37)
4 Group G
Gruppa G
5-12 teams (1936-37)
5 Group D
Gruppa D
11 teams (1937)		 Group D (Cities of the East)
Gruppa D (Goroda Vostoka)
9 teams (1937)

Evolution of the Soviet football league system

Tier\Years 1936-37 1938 1939–40 1941 1942–44 1945-46 1947-49 1950–52 1953-59 1960–62 1963-69 1970 1971-89 1990-91
1 Gruppa A Gruppa A Gruppa A Eastern Front
World War II		 Pervaya Gruppa Class A Class A 1a Gruppa Class A Vysshaya Gruppa Vysshaya Liga
2 Gruppa B Gruppa B None Vtoraya Gruppa Class B Class A 2a Gruppa Class A 1a Gruppa Pervaya Liga
3 Gruppa V None Tretia Gruppa None Class B Class A 2a Gruppa Vtoraya Liga
4 Gruppa G Republican level Class B None Nizshaya Vtoraya Liga
5 Gruppa D Republican level
6 Republican level
7+ Regional level
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