Russian Premier League

The Russian Premier League (RPL) is the top-tier professional football division in Russia. It was founded in 2001, replacing the old Russian Top Division that existed after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1992. The league is known for strong clubs, passionate fans, and world-class stadiums, particularly after the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

History and facts

After the fall of the Soviet Union, the national football structure was reorganized. In 1992, the **Russian Top Division** was created as the country’s main league.

In 2001, the competition became the **Russian Premier League** with a modern format, improved governance, and sponsorship.

Historically, **Spartak Moscow** dominated the 1990s, while **Zenit Saint Petersburg**, **CSKA Moscow**, and **Lokomotiv Moscow** became major forces in the 2000s and 2010s.

League system

The Russian Premier League sits at the top of the football pyramid. Clubs are relegated to the **Russian First League (FNL)**.

Table 1. Russian football tiers

League	Tier
Russian Premier League	1
Russian First League (FNL)	2
Russian Second League	3
Regional Amateur Leagues	4

Below the third tier, football continues through regional amateur competitions.

Stats

Teams with most titles

Table 2. Russian Premier League champions

Club	Titles
Spartak Moscow	10+
Zenit Saint Petersburg	9+
CSKA Moscow	6
Lokomotiv Moscow	3
Rubin Kazan	2
Alania Vladikavkaz	1

Spartak dominated the 1990s; Zenit has been the most successful in the 2010s and 2020s.

Teams with most league participation

Table 3. Clubs with most seasons in the RPL

Club	Seasons
CSKA Moscow	30+
Spartak Moscow	30+
Lokomotiv Moscow	30+
Zenit Saint Petersburg	25+
Dynamo Moscow	20+

These clubs have been the backbone of Russian football for decades.

Audience

Stadium capacities

Table 4. Major stadiums in the Russian Premier League

Team	Stadium	Capacity
Zenit Saint Petersburg	Gazprom Arena	68,000+
Spartak Moscow	Otkrytie Bank Arena	45,000
CSKA Moscow	VEB Arena	30,000
Lokomotiv Moscow	RZD Arena	27,000
Krasnodar	Krasnodar Stadium	34,000

Players

Top goalscorers

Seydou Doumbia — CSKA legend
Wagner Love (CSKA)
Artem Dzyuba — one of the highest scorers in RPL history
Marcus Berg
Aleksandr Kerzhakov — Zenit all-time leading scorer