1998 Belarusian First League


1998 Belarusian First League was the eighth season of 2nd level football championship in Belarus. It started in April and ended in November 1998.

Team changes from 1997 season

Two best teams of 1997 Belarusian First League were promoted to Belarusian Premier League. They were initially replaced by two lowest-placed teams of 1997 Premier League.
Two teams that finished at the bottom of last season's table relegated to the Second League. They were replaced by two best teams of 1997 Second League.
Following the dissolution of two Premier League clubs BFF decided to reinstall both previously relegated clubs in Premier League. To replace them, Polesye Mozyr Raion and ZLiN Gomel were additionally promoted. Veras Nesvizh were offered promotion ahead of ZLiN Gomel but declined.
Before the start of the season Kardan-Flyers Grodno were renamed to Belcard Grodno, Dnepr Rogachev to FC Rogachev and Dinamo-Energo Vitebsk to Dinamo-Energogaz Vitebsk

Overview

Two best teams of the season were promoted to the Premier League. Two lowest placed teams were initially relegated to the Second League. Belenergostroy Beloozyorsk disbanded at the end of the season and never played in First of Second league again. Belcard Grodno, who finished 8th, also disbanded, and as a result, Veino Mogilev Raion were saved from relegation.

Teams and locations

TeamLocationPosition in 1997
LidaLida3
BerezaBereza4
TorpedoZhodino5
Vedrich-97Rechitsa6
KommunalnikSvetlogorsk7
Pinsk-900Pinsk8
Dinamo-JuniMinsk9
BelcardGrodno10
VeinoMogilev Raion11
BelenergostroyBeloozyorsk12
RogachevRogachev13
OrshaOrsha14
Dinamo-EnergogazVitebskSecond League, Group A, 1
Svisloch-KrovlyaOsipovichiSecond League, Group B, 1
PolesyeMozyr RaionSecond League, Group B, 2
ZLiNGomelSecond League, Group B, 3

League table

Top goalscorers