2003 Belarusian Premier League


The 2003 Belarusian Premier League was the 13th season of top-tier football in Belarus. The first round was postponed from April 11–12 to later dates due to heavy snowfall. The season finally started on April 18 and ended on November 9, 2003. BATE Borisov were the defending champions.

Team changes from 2002 season

Due to Premiere League expansion from 14 to 16 teams, one lowest placed team in 2002 Lokomotiv-96 Vitebsk was replaced by three best teams from 2002 First League: [FC FC Darida Minsk Raion|Darida Minsk Raion|Darida Minsk Raion], Naftan Novopolotsk and Lokomotiv Minsk. Torpedo-MAZ Minsk changed their name to Torpedo-SKA Minsk. Darida originally was registered in Minsk suburb Zhdanovichi, while playing their games in Kuntsevschina district in Minsk. The team was renamed to Darida-TDZh Zhdanovichi for a few weeks in early 2003. However, after shopping center cancelled their sponsorship, team's name was changed back to Darida and official location became Minsk Raion, while team's office and stadium locations remained the same.

Overview

Gomel won their 1st champions title and qualified for the next season's Champions League. The championship runners-up BATE Borisov and 2003–04 Cup winners Shakhtyor Soligorsk qualified for UEFA Cup. Teams finished on the last two places relegated to the First League.

Teams and venues

TeamLocationVenueCapacityPosition in 2002
BATEBorisovCity Stadium (Borisov)5,5001
NemanGrodnoNeman Stadium15,0002
ShakhtyorSoligorskStroitel Stadium5,0003
Torpedo-SKAMinskTorpedo Stadium (Minsk)5,2004
TorpedoZhodinoTorpedo Stadium (Zhodino)5,0005
GomelGomelLuch Stadium5,0006
Dinamo MinskMinskDinamo Stadium40,0007
BelshinaBobruiskSpartak Stadium (Bobruisk)4,6008
Dnepr-TransmashMogilevSpartak Stadium (Mogilev)6,7759
Dinamo BrestBrestOSK Brestskiy3,00010
SlaviaMozyrYunost Stadium5,25011
Zvezda-VA-BGUMinskTraktor Stadium17,00012
Molodechno-2000MolodechnoCity Stadium (Molodechno)5,65013
DaridaMinsk RaionDarida Stadium3,000First league, 1
NaftanNovopolotskAtlant Stadium6,500First league, 2
LokomotivMinskLokomotiv Stadium860First league, 3