1998 Belarusian Premier League
Belarusian Premier League 1998 was the eighth season of top-tier football in Belarus. It started on April 12 and ended on October 31, 1998. Dinamo Minsk were the defending champions.Team changes from 1997 season
Two worst teams of the last season relegated to the First League. They were replaced by two best clubs of 1996 First League.
In the early days of January it was announced that Transmash Mogilev ceased to exist as an independent club merged with Dnepr Mogilev. Ataka Minsk, who suffered heavy financial troubles, let go all their senior team players and failed to confirm their participation in the new season by a deadline in early March. A week later BFF announced that Ataka Minsk were excluded from the league and that two vacant places are being filled by Torpedo-Kadino Mogilev and Shakhtyor Soligorsk, both of whom were spared from relegation.
Before the start of the season, MPKC Mozyr changed their name to Slavia Mozyr.Overview
won their 1st champions title and qualified for the next season's Champions League. The championship runners-up BATE Borisov as well as bronze medalists and 1998–99 Cup winners Belshina Bobruisk qualified for UEFA Cup. Kommunalnik Slonim finished on last, 15th place and relegated to First League. Dinamo-93 Minsk dissolved and withdrew from the championship after 15 rounds. They were excluded from the final table and their results were annulled.Teams and venues
Team | Location | Venue | Capacity | Position in 1997 |
Dinamo Minsk | Minsk | Dinamo, Minsk | 41,040 | 1 |
Belshina | Bobruisk | Spartak, Bobruisk | 3,550 | 2 |
Lokomotiv-96 | Vitebsk | Central, Vitebsk | 8,300 | 3 |
Dnepr-Transmash | Mogilev | Spartak, Mogilev | 11,200 | 4 |
Dinamo-93 | Minsk | Dinamo, Minsk | 41,040 | 5 |
Slavia | Mozyr | Yunost, Mozyr | 5,500 | 6 |
Dinamo Brest | Brest | Dinamo, Brest | 10,080 | 7 |
Torpedo | Minsk | Torpedo, Minsk | 5,200 | 8 |
Naftan-Devon | Novopolotsk | Atlant | 6,500 | 9 |
Neman | Grodno | Neman | 6,300 | 10 |
Kommunalnik | Slonim | Yunost, Slonim | 3,000 | 11 |
Molodechno | Molodechno | City Stadium, Molodechno | 5,500 | 13 |
Torpedo-Kadino | Mogilev | Torpedo, Mogilev | 3,500 | 15 |
Shakhtyor | Soligorsk | Stroitel | 5,000 | 16 |
Gomel | Gomel | Central, Gomel | 11,800 | First league, 1 |
BATE | Borisov | City Stadium, Borisov | 5,500 | First league, 2 |
Table
Belarusian clubs in European Cups
Top scorers