2004 Belarusian Premier League


The 2004 Belarusian Premier League was the 14th season of top-tier football in Belarus. It started on April 15 and ended on November 11, 2004. Gomel were the defending champions.

Team changes from 2003 season

Two lowest placed teams in 2003 relegated and were replaced by two best teams from 2003 First League: newcomers MTZ-RIPO Minsk and Lokomotiv Vitebsk, who previously competed in Premiere League as KIM, Dvina and Lokomotiv-96 and is a different team from Lokomotiv Vitebsk, who relegated to First League in 1995 and after a few seasons in First and Second Leagues was disbanded in late 2000.

Overview

Dinamo Minsk won their 7th champions title and qualified for the next season's Champions League. The championship runners-up BATE Borisov and 2004–05 Cup winners MTZ-RIPO Minsk qualified for UEFA Cup. 2001 champions Belshina Bobruisk finished on last place and directly relegated to the First League. Lokomotiv Vitebsk and MTZ-RIPO Minsk shared 14th and 15th places with equal number of points and had to play one-legged play-off on a neutral ground to determine who will relegate and who will stay. Lokomotiv Vitebsk lost the game and relegated to the First League. Torpedo-SKA Minsk, who finished 6th, lost financial support from their sponsor in early 2005 and, after losing almost all their main squad and not having funds to pay entrance fee for next season's Premiere League, had to relegate to Second League.

Teams and venues

TeamLocationVenueCapacityPosition in 2003
GomelGomelCentral Stadium10,6001
BATEBorisovCity Stadium (Borisov)5,5002
Dinamo MinskMinskDinamo Stadium40,0003
Torpedo-SKAMinskTorpedo Stadium (Minsk)5,2004
ShakhtyorSoligorskStroitel Stadium3,0005
TorpedoZhodinoTorpedo Stadium (Zhodino)2,0206
NemanGrodnoNeman Stadium6,3007
NaftanNovopolotskAtlant Stadium5,3008
Dnepr-TransmashMogilevSpartak Stadium (Mogilev)6,8009
BelshinaBobruiskSpartak Stadium (Bobruisk)3,00010
Dinamo BrestBrestOSK Brestskiy3,00011
Zvezda-VA-BGUMinskTraktor Stadium17,60012
DaridaMinsk RaionDarida Stadium3,00013
SlaviaMozyrYunost Stadium5,30014
LokomotivVitebskVitebsky CSK8,100First league, 1
MTZ-RIPOMinskTraktor Stadium17,600First league, 2