Highest football division in Soviet Union (1936 to 1991)
Football league
Soviet Top League Высшая лига
Founded
22 May 1936 (as Group A)
Folded
1991
Country
Soviet Union
Confederation
UEFA
Divisions
1
Number of teams
Various
Level on pyramid
Level 1
Relegation to
Soviet First League
Domestic cup(s)
USSR Cup USSR Super Cup (unofficial)
League cup(s)
USSR Federation Cup (1940–1990)
International cup(s)
European Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup
Last champions
CSKA Moscow (1991)
Most championships
Dynamo Kyiv (13)
Most appearances
Oleg Blokhin (432)
Top goalscorer
Oleg Blokhin (211)
The Soviet Top League, known after 1970 as the Higher League (Russian: Чемпионат СССР по футболу: Высшая лига, romanized: Vyschaya Liga),[1] served as the top division (tier) of Soviet Union football from 1936 until 1991. The league's name was a conditional designation used for brevity since being completely owned and governed by the Football Federation of the Soviet Union. The full official name was USSR Championship in football: Top League. An attempt to create fully professional league as autonomously governed organization during "perestroika" period was denied by Federation due to political culture in the Soviet Union.
The professional top level of football competition among clubs was established in 1936 on proposition of Nikolai Starostin and was approved by the All-Union Council of Physical Culture. Originally it was named Group A. After World War II it became known as the First Group. In 1950, after another reform of football in the Soviet Union, the First Group was replaced with Class A. By 1970, the Class A had expanded to three tiers with the top tier known as the Higher Group which in 1971 was renamed into the Higher League.
After the World War II, along with the competition among the first teams also there were conducted official competitions among reserve squads. It carried the name of "Tournament of Doubles" (Turnir doublyorov). The reserve squads' competitions were running parallel to the first teams' competitions normally scheduled a day prior with relegation rule completely depended on the league standing of their respective first team.
The Top League was one of the best football leagues in Europe, ranking second among the UEFA members in 1988–89 seasons. Three of its representatives reached the finals of the European club tournaments on four occasions: FC Dynamo Kyiv, FC Dinamo Tbilisi, and FC Dynamo Moscow. In the same way that the international community widely[by how much?] considers Russia to be the political successor state to the Soviet Union, UEFA considers the Russian Premier League to have succeeded the Soviet Top League.
^Ukrainian: Вища ліга, romanized: Vyshcha Liga; Belarusian: Вышэйшая ліга, romanized: Vysheyshaya Liga
The SovietTopLeague, known after 1970 as the Higher League (Russian: Чемпионат СССР по футболу: Высшая лига, romanized: Vyschaya Liga), served as the...
Statistics of SovietTopLeague for the 1979 season. 1979 TopLeague was composed of 18 teams, the championship was won by Spartak Moscow. On 11 August...
Statistics of SovietTopLeague for the 1980 season. It was contested by 18 teams, and Dynamo Kyiv won the championship. Source: [citation needed] (C)...
The 1990 SovietTopLeague season was the 53rd since its establishment. Spartak Moscow were the defending 12-times champions, but came only fifth this...
The 1936 Soviet football championship (Russian: Футболное первество СССР в группе А 1936) was the first season conducted between teams (teams of masters)...
The 1992 CIS TopLeague was a scheduled but eventually canceled season in the SovietTopLeague, an attempt to preserve All-Union competitions. The competition...
Torpedo Moscow qualified for CWC 1967–68 as runners-up of the Soviet Cup 1965-66. The top 3 team with the most wins qualified for the World Cup. Source:...
The 1991 SovietTopLeague season (Russian: Чемпионат СССР по футболу 1991 (высшая лига)) was 22nd in the TopLeague and the 54th since the establishment...
22 teams took part in the league with FC Dynamo Kyiv winning the championship (the first Soviet champion from outside Moscow). Source: rsssf.com Source:...
Statistics of SovietTopLeague for the 1978 season. It was contested by 16 teams, and Dinamo Tbilisi won the championship. Introduction of draw limit...
In the 1987 season, the SovietTopLeague – the top tier of football in the Soviet Union – was won by Spartak Moscow interrupting the two year championship...
top-tier football league in Soviet Union. Due to reorganization of the Soviet Union football competition by adding an extra tier, this season the top...
season was the 51st completed season of the USSR Football Championship: TopLeague. Spartak Moscow, the defending 11-times champions, placed fourth this...
Statistics of SovietTopLeague for the 1974 season. It was contested by 16 teams, and Dynamo Kyiv won the championship. Source: [citation needed] (C)...
Statistics of SovietTopLeague for the 1982 season. It was contested by 18 teams, and Dinamo Minsk won the championship. The rules stated that a team...
Statistics of SovietTopLeague for the 1977 season. It was contested by 16 teams, and Dynamo Kyiv won the championship. Source: [citation needed] (C)...
The 1964 Class A First Group was the 26th season of the Soviet football championship at top division and the 15th for Class A. The season started on 27...
Statistics of SovietTopLeague for the 1981 season. It was contested by 18 teams, and Dynamo Kyiv won the championship. Source: [citation needed] (C)...
season of the first-tier football competition in the Soviet Union. 20 teams took part in the league with FC Dynamo Kyiv winning the championship. Last season...
The 1989 SovietTopLeague season was the 52nd since its establishment. Dnepr Dnepropetrovsk, the defending 2-times champions, came in second this season...
The 1975 season of the SovietTopLeague proved that Dynamo Kyiv was at the moment unbeatable for other Soviet clubs. Besides that, the Ukrainian club...
The 1976 SovietTopLeague was the 38th and 39th season of the first tier football competitions in the Soviet Union. By the end of the previous season...
The 1971 season of the SovietTopLeague saw Dynamo Kyiv clinching their title after three unsuccessful seasons. This season was also unique for successful...
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