Following the draw held by the Russian Football Union (RFU), clubs from the First League will host the first legs of the promotion/relegation playoffs against Russian Premier League (RPL) teams. The opening matches are scheduled for May 20, with the return fixtures set for May 23 at the home stadiums of the RPL clubs.
Direct promotion to the RPL is awarded to the top two teams in the First League. The third- and fourth-placed sides will face the 14th and 13th-placed RPL teams, respectively, in the two-legged playoffs. With two matchdays left in the season, the participants from both leagues remain undecided.
In the RPL standings, the relegation playoff positions are currently occupied by Orenburg (26 points), Dynamo Makhachkala (24 points), Pari Nizhny Novgorod (22 points), and Sochi (21 points). Meanwhile, the top four in the First League are Fakel Voronezh (64 points), Rodina Moscow (62 points), Ural Yekaterinburg (58 points), and Rotor Volgograd (53 points).
