1996 Belarusian First League


1996 Belarusian First League was the sixth season of 2nd level football championship in Belarus. It started in April and ended in November 1996.

Team changes from 1995 season

Winners of 1995 Belarusian First League were promoted to Belarusian Premier League. They were replaced by the lowest-placed team of 1995 Premier League.
Khimvolokno Grodno, who finished 15th, relegated to the Second League, but were disbanded before the start of 1996 season. They were replaced by best teams of 1995 Second League. Stroitel Bereza, who finished only second in their Second League group, were promoted instead of MPKC-2 Minsk.
FC Bobruisk dissolved shortly after the end 1995 season. No other club was accepted to replace them and the league was left once again with 15 clubs instead of 16.
Before the start of the season KPF Slonim were renamed to Kommunalnik Slonim. Second League winners Maxim-Orsha were renamed to Maxim-Legmash Orsha. Brestbytkhim Brest relocated to the city of Kobrin and were renamed to FC Kobrin.

Overview

In June, after 8th matchday, Fomalgaut Borisov and Kimovets Vitebsk withdrew from the league and disbanded. Both clubs were excluded from the table, their results were annulled and only 13 clubs continued and finished the season.
Transmash Mogilev won the league and were promoted to Premier League, as were league runners-up Kommunalnik Slonim. No team initially relegated to the Second League as the league was expanded to 16 teams in 1997, although Kobrin withdrew to amateur lever before the start of the next season due to financial troubles.

Teams and locations

TeamLocationPosition in 1995
KommunalnikPinsk2
FomalgautBorisov3
Kardan-FlyersGrodno4
KommunalnikSlonim5
KobrinKobrin6
TransmashMogilev7
KhimikSvetlogorsk8
GomelGomel9
LokomotivVitebsk10
TorpedoZhodino11
Dinamo-JuniMinsk12
StroitelStarye Dorogi13
KimovetsVitebsk14
Maxim-LegmashOrshaSecond League, Group B, 1
StroitelBerezaSecond League, Group A, 2

League table

Top goalscorers