Soviet Union football league system

Soviet Union football league system changed many times following the introduction of national league competitions in 1936.

1990

Level	League(s)/Division(s)										P/R
1	Supreme League Vysshaya Liga 13-16 teams										0-1
2	First League Pervaya Liga 20-22 teams										3 1
3	Second League Vtoraya Liga
3	West			Center			East
4	Lower Second League Nisshaya Vtoraya Liga
4	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6	Zone 7	Zone 8	Zone 9	Zone 10

1971-1990

Level	League(s)/Division(s)									P/R
1	Supreme League Vysshaya Liga 16-18 teams									2
2	Soviet First League Pervaya Liga 22 teams									2 3
3	Second League Vtoraya Liga									3
3	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6	Zone 7 (1972-73, 1980-90)	Zone 8 (1980-90)	Zone 9 (1980-90)	3

1970

Level	League(s)/Division(s)								P/R
1	Supreme Group A Vysshaya Gruppa A 16-18 teams								2
2	First Group A Pervaya Grouppa A 22 teams								2 3
3	Second Group A Vtoraya Gruppa A								3
3	Zone 1			Zone 2			Zone 3		3
4	Class B Klass B								3
4	Zone 1 (Russia)	Zone 2 (Russia)	Zone 3 (Russia)	Zone 4 (Russia)	Zone 5 (Ukraine)	Zone 6 (Ukraine)	Zone 7 (Kazakhstan)	Zone 8 (Middle Asia)	3

1963-1969

Level	League(s)/Division(s)											P/R
1	First Group A Pervaya Gruppa A 16-18 teams											2
2	Second Group A Vtoraya Grouppa A											2 3
2	Subgroup 1			Subgroup 2			Subgroup 3			Subgroup 4		2 3
3	Class B Klass B											3
	Russian SFSR						Ukrainian SSR			Union republics
	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3	Zone 4	Zone 5	Zone 6	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3	Zone 1	Zone 2

1960-1962

Level	League(s)/Division(s)					P/R
1	Class A Klass A 16-18 teams					2
2	Class B Klass B					2 3
	Zone 1 (Russia)	Zone 2 (Russia)	Zone 3 (Russia)	Zone 4 (Russia)	Zone 5 (Russia)
	Zone 1 (Union republics)	Zone 2 (Union republics)	Zone 1 (Ukraine)	Zone 2 (Ukraine)	Zone 6 (Russia) (Zone 3 Ukraine) 1961 (1962)

1953-1959

Level	League(s)/Division(s)							P/R
1	Class A Klass A 12-13 teams							2
2	Class B Klass B							2 3
2	Zone 1	Zone 2	Zone 3 (1953-54, 1957-59)	Zone 4 (1957-59)	Zone 5 (1958-59)	Zone 6 (1958-59)	Zone 7 (1959)	2 3

1950-1952

Level	League(s)/Division(s)	P/R
1	Class A Klass A 15-19 teams	2
2	Class B Klass B 14-18 teams	2 3

1947-1949

Level	League(s)/Division(s)						P/R
1	First Group Pervaya Gruppa 13-18 teams						2
2	Second Group Vtoraya Gruppa						2 3
2	Zone 1 (Russia)	Zone 2 (Russia)	Trans-Caucasus Zone 3 (Russia) (1949)	Middle-Asia Zone 4 (Russia) (1949)	Central Zone	Ukraine	2 3

1945-1946

Level	League(s)/Division(s)							P/R
1	First Group Pervaya Gruppa 12 teams							2
2	Second Group Vtoraya Gruppa 18 teams (1945)							2 3
2	Southern subgroup 13 teams (1946)			Eastern Subgroup 13 teams (1946)				2 3
3	Third Group Tretia Gruppa (1946)							2 3
	North-Caucasus Zone (Russia)	Center Zone (Russia)	Low-Volga Zone (Russia)	Volga Zone (Russia)	Ural Zone (Russia)	Sibir Zone (Russia)	Far-eastern Zone (Russia)
	Western Zone	Trans-Caucasus Zone	Middle Asia Zone	Center Zone (Ukraine)	East Zone (Ukraine)	South Zone (Ukraine)	West Zone (Ukraine)

1936-1941

Initially, for the Spring championship of 1936 there were only seven teams participating in the top group, while for the Fall championship the number of participants was increased to eight. A similar case scenario took place in the second group as for the spring championship saw some withdrawals. In the third group the number of participants was unchanged at eight for both parts of 1936 season. At same time in the fourth group initially there were five teams for the spring half and six for the autumn.

In 1937 the number of participants continue to grow. Some reshuffling took place between groups A and B, although initially both consisted of eight teams. Groups V and G increased their team pools to 10 and 12 participants, respectively. Also for the 1937 there was introduced the Group D with two subgroups.

In 1938 all of groups were merged into one big super league of 26 teams.

In 1939 and 1940 season Group A consisted of 14 teams. There also was a revival of Group B with 23 teams at first and then reduced to 14 as well.

In 1941 season there was only Group A championship which was heavily adjusted to 15 teams.

Level	League(s)/Division(s)
1	Group A Gruppa A 7-26 teams
2	Group B Gruppa B 7-23 teams (1936-37, 1939-40)
3	Group V Gruppa V 8-10 teams (1936-37)
4	Group G Gruppa G 5-12 teams (1936-37)
5	Group D Gruppa D 11 teams (1937)	Group D (Cities of the East) Gruppa D (Goroda Vostoka) 9 teams (1937)

Evolution of the Soviet football league system

Tier\Years	1936-37	1938	1939–40	1941	1942–44	1945-46	1947-49	1950–52	1963-69	1970	1971-89	1990-91
1	Gruppa A	Gruppa A	Gruppa A		Eastern Front World War II	Pervaya Gruppa		Class A	Class A 1^a Gruppa	Class A Vysshaya Gruppa	Vysshaya Liga
2	Gruppa B		Gruppa B	None		Vtoraya Gruppa		Class B	Class A 2^a Gruppa	Class A 1^a Gruppa	Pervaya Liga
3	Gruppa V		None			Tretia Gruppa	None		Class B	Class A 2^a Gruppa	Vtoraya Liga
4	Gruppa G					Republican level				Class B	None	Nizshaya Vtoraya Liga
5	Gruppa D									Republican level
6	Republican level									Republican level
7+	Regional level

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