1990 Soviet Top League
The 1990 Soviet Top League season was the 53rd since its establishment. Spartak Moscow were the defending 12-times champions, but came only fifth this season and marginally qualified for continental competitions. The league was shortened and a total of fourteen teams participated. By the start of the season both Georgian teams had withdrawn followed by another withdrawal from Žalgiris at the start of competition. The league consisted of ten teams contested in the 1989 season and the Army club promoted from the Soviet First League. The representatives of the Baltic states as well as Georgia chose not to take part in the competition.
The season began on 1 March with the game between Dnipro and Rotor and lasted until 20 October 1990. The season was won by FC Dynamo Kyiv.
Participating teams
The league was reduced to 13 after first Georgian clubs and then Žalgiris withdrew from the Soviet Top League.Lokomotiv Moscow and the last placed Zenit Leningrad of the 1989 Soviet Top League were relegated to the 1990 Soviet First League. Lokomotiv returned to the Soviet First League after two seasons absence, while Zenit was relegated for the first time since being promoted back in 1938 through the club's merger.
Originally two teams were promoted from the 1989 Soviet First League and included PFC CSKA Moscow and FC Guria Lanchkhuti. Just before the start of new season Georgian clubs and Žalgiris left the league.
Promoted teams
- PFC CSKA Moscow – champion
- FC Guria Lanchkhuti – 2nd place ''''
Withdrawn teams
- FC Guria Lanchkhuti, joined the Georgian Top League
- FC Dinamo Tbilisi, joined the Georgian Top League
- FC Zalgiris Vilnius, joined the 1990 Baltic League
Managers
Final standings
Promotion/relegation play-off
----''Lokomotiv Moscow won the promotion on 3–2 aggregate''
Top scorers
;12 goals;10 goals
;9 goals
;8 goals
Clean sheets
;11 matches;10 matches
;9 matches
;8 matches
;7 matches
Medal squads
'| 1. FC Dynamo Kyiv | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Goalkeepers: Viktor Chanov, Aleksandr Zhidkov. Defenders: Serhiy Shmatovalenko, Oleh Kuznetsov, Akhrik Tsveiba, Serhiy Zayets, Anatoliy Demyanenko, Oleh Luzhnyi, Andriy Annenkov, Volodymyr Bezsonov, Andriy Bal, Borys Derkach, Andriy Aleksanenkov, Yuriy Moroz. Midfielders: Hennadiy Lytovchenko, Vasyl Rats, Ivan Yaremchuk, Serhiy Kovalets, Oleksiy Mykhaylychenko, Pavlo Yakovenko. Forwards: Oleg Salenko, Oleh Protasov, Sergei Yuran. Manager: Valeriy Lobanovskyi, Anatoliy Puzach. Transferred out during the season:''' Oleh Kuznetsov (to  Attendances
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