2025–26 Russian First League
The 2025–26 Russian First League is the 34th season of Russia's second-tier football league since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The season began on 19 July 2025, and will have a 3-month winter break between December 2025 and March 2026.
Team changes
To First League
; Promoted from Second League Division A; Relegated from Premier League
Khimki, which was administratively relegated from the Premier League, was then dissolved and did not enter the First League.
Pari Nizhny Novgorod, which lost in the relegation play-offs, was kept in the Premier League as a replacement for Khimki.
Orenburg, which was originally relegated from the Premier League, remained in it due to the attempted match-fixing by Torpedo Moscow in the previous season.
From First League
; Relegated to Second LeagueSokol Saratov, which finished the previous season in the relegation zone, was kept in the league as a replacement for Khimki
; Promoted to Premier League
Torpedo Moscow, which was initially promoted to the Premier League, was kept in the First League due to attempted match-fixing in the previous season.