2021 A Lyga

The 2021 A Lyga, for sponsorship reasons also called Optibet A lyga is the 32nd season of the A Lyga, the top-tier football league of Lithuania. The season began on 5 March and concluded on 28 November 2021.

Teams

FK Žalgiris started the season as defending champions. None of the 6 last year's teams were relegated, and 4 teams were promoted to A lyga.

Licensing process

In addition to sporting principles of promotion and relegation, the teams and clubs need to pass rigorous licensing process. Because of this, promotion and relegation does not always follow the rights achieved by sporting principle. A total of 12 teams applied for A lyga license:
The 6 previous season's teams:
Top 4 2020 LFF I Lyga teams:
Other 2020 LFF I Lyga teams:
The controversial decision to drop FK Jonava and promote DFK Dainava was justified by the fact that FK Jonava have pending investigation to allegations of match fixing in the 2020 season. The LFF have issued sanctions and fines against three players and the club, however FK Jonava deny allegations of involvement in match fixing in the three matches that are being investigated and have appealed. The LFF have also revealed that a warning letter has been issued to FK Jonava in relation to the team's coach, who has been reportedly involved in match fixing in his previous career.

Changes

FK Nevėžis, FC Hegelmann Litauen, FC Džiugas and DFK Dainava, the latter three teams promoted to the top-flight for the first time in their history, were promoted from the 2020 LFF I Lyga.

Club	Location	Stadium	Surface	Capacity	Seasons in A Lyga	2020 position
	Gargždai	Gargždai Stadium	Artificial	2,323	8	4th
	Gargždai	—	—	—	8	4th
	Alytus	Alytus Stadium	Natural	3,790	1	6th in LFF I lyga
	Alytus	Dainava Progymnasium Stadium	Artificial	—	1	6th in LFF I lyga
	Alytus	Marijampolė Football Indoor Arena	Artificial	2,660	1	6th in LFF I lyga
	Telšiai	Telšiai Central Stadium	Natural	2,400	1	4th in LFF I lyga
	Telšiai	Ateitis Progymnasium Stadium	—	—	1	4th in LFF I lyga
	Kaunas	LFF Kaunas training center stadium	Artificial	500	1	2nd in LFF I lyga
	Kaunas	—	—	—	1	2nd in LFF I lyga
	Kaunas	SM Tauras Stadium	Natural	500	7	3rd
	Kaunas	NFA Stadium	Artificial	500	7	3rd
	Kėdainiai	Kėdainiai Stadium	Artificial	3,000	6	1st in LFF I lyga
	Kėdainiai	Central Stadium of Jonava	Natural	2,000	6	1st in LFF I lyga
	Panevėžys	Aukštaitija Stadium	Natural	6,600	3	5th
	Panevėžys	Žemyna Progymnasium Stadium	Artificial	500	3	5th
	Vilnius	LFF Stadium	Artificial	5,067	8	6th
	Vilnius	Sportima Arena	Artificial	3,157	8	6th
	Marijampolė	Sūduva Stadium	Natural	6,250	19	2nd
	Marijampolė	Marijampolė Football Indoor Arena	Artificial	2,660	19	2nd
	Vilnius	LFF Stadium	Artificial	5,067	20	1st
	Vilnius	Sportima Arena	Artificial	3,157	20	1st

2021 competitors

Personnel

Team

Coach

License

FK Banga

notsure

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

As soon as 2020 A Lyga season has completed, on 7 November 2020 COVID-19 quarantine was reintroduced in Lithuania, and extended several times. At the beginning of February, at the time LFF were building fixtures calendar, the quarantine was set to last until 28 February.
It is expected that at the beginning of the championship the matches will take place without spectators. Under the government's proposal, the matches can be attended by 100 spectators when the rate of COVID-19 infections per 100,000 inhabitants in 14 day period will drop below 50. The matches can be attended by 200 spectators when COVID-19 cases will drop below 25. On 4 February infection rate was 395.3.
Approaching the start date of the championship, scheduled for 5 March 2021, the clubs performed mandatory COVID-19 testing. Three clubs have reported infections among the players and their fixtures have been postponed. FK Žalgiris reported 7 positive cases of COVID-19, FK Panevėžys - 6, FK Riteriai initially did not reveal the number, but it was later revealed that 19 players and staff were tested positive.

Regular season

The season has kicked off as scheduled on 5 March. Each team will play four matches with all other teams this season.