The 2019 LFF I Lyga was the 30th season of the

I Lyga The I Lyga, LFF I Lyga, Pirma Lyga, is the second tier of professional Lithuanian football championship. Format Organized by the Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF), I Lyga is contested by 14-16 teams, with the top team gaining promotion to ...

, the second tier

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

league of Lithuania. The season began on 22 March 2019 and finished in 27 October 2019.

Licensing process

The

Lithuanian Football Federation The Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF) ( lt, Lietuvos futbolo federacija) is the governing body of football in Lithuania. The Federation is responsible for football development in the country and for the national teams, including the Lithuania ...

initially granted applications for 2019 LFF I Lyga licenses:

FK Banga Gargždai FK Banga Gargždai is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Gargždai. History FK Banga was founded in 1966. During the period from 1966 to 1990, the club was in the Soviet Lithuanian football championship. From 1990, they played in th ...

FK Nevėžis FK Nevėžis is an association football club from the city of Kėdainiai, Lithuania. Achievements *Three times Lithuanian champion (1966, 1972, 1973). *Twice runner-up (1968, 1969). *Three times won Bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting ...

FC Pakruojis Futbolo centras Pakruojis, commonly known as Pakruojis, was a Lithuanian football club located in Pakruojis, center of Pakruojis District. History Club was created in January 2016 after the dissolution of another Pakruojis-based club, Kruoj ...

, FC Džiugas, Žalgiris B, Stumbras B, Riteriai B (Trakai B). After the appeal, on 28 February 2019

granted licenses to FK Vilnius ( Baltijos Futbolo Akademija),

FK Minija Kretinga FK Minija was a Lithuanian football team from town Kretinga. History Club founded in 1962. In soviet occupation period played in "A" klasė and Aukščiausia lyga (First tier). The best season was in 1964, when team took third place in top ...

DFK Dainava Dainavos Futbolo Klubas Dainava, in short, DFK Dainava, is a Lithuanian football club from Alytus. The club was established in 2016 as a phoenix club after FK Dainava Alytus was dissolved in 2014. History Modern DFK Dainava was established afte ...

Vilniaus Vytis FC Vilniaus Vytis was a Lithuanian football team from the city of Vilnius. History Founded as FK TAIP in 2012. Played in amateur leagues. Was promoted to I Lyga. In 2016 changed name to Vilniaus Vytis. Few seasons was one of the strongest t ...

, FK Atmosfera (2012),

FC Hegelmann Litauen Futbolo klubas Hegelmann, commonly known as Hegelmann, is a Lithuanian football club located in Kaunas. They play in the A Lyga, the first tier of Lithuanian football. History The club was founded at the beginning of 2009 by Hegelmann Transpor ...

. The final decision on the number of teams in 2019 LFF I Lyga was made by the

executive committee meeting on 15 March 2019. Exceptions were applied to

FK Jonava Football Club Jonava, previously (1996–2016) known as Football Club Lietava, is a Lithuanian professional football club based in Jonava. The club gained promotion to the A lyga as champions of the I Lyga in 2015, but were relegated from A Lyg ...

(financial criteria were not met), FC Kupiškis (sporting criteria were not met) and

FA Šiauliai Football Academy of Šiauliai or FA Šiauliai is a Lithuanian football academy from the city of Šiauliai. The team is simply known as "Šiauliai". The academy train women's and men's teams, as well as children's and underage groups in "U" typ ...

(legal criteria were not met) and the teams were allowed to start in the 2019 LFF I Lyga championship, pending criteria to be met by June. The 16 team championship started on 22 March 2019. The applications for the 2019 LFF I Lyga licenses were also received from FK Sveikata Kybartai, FM Ateitis and

FK NFA Be1 NFA is a football team, which based in Kaunas, Lithuania. History The National Football Academy was established in 2006. In 2012 it was founded for the team, I Lyga. In that season they were in 6th places. After the season heads of NFA decided ...

but licenses were not granted.

FK Utenis Utena FK Utenis Utena is a professional football club, based in Utena, Lithuania. The club plays its home matches at the Utenis Stadium (capacity 3,000). In 2020, FK Utenis Utena will participate in the II Lyga. As due to financial difficulties in 20 ...

shareholders voted to withdraw from participation in 2019 LFF I Lyga, and the club will participate in 2019 LFF II Lyga. FK Koralas Klaipėda was dissolved in 2018.

Participants

Final standings

After

FC Stumbras Football Club Stumbras was a professional football club, based in Kaunas, Lithuania, which played in A Lyga, the top tier of Lithuanian football. Founded in 2013 on the basis of the NFA, the club has reached the heights of Lithuanian football in ...

ran into financial difficulties in June the Lithuania Football Federation made a decision to withdraw their license from

A lyga The A Lyga is the top division of professional football in Lithuania. The A Lyga is an abbreviation of Aukščiausia lyga meaning Highest League. It is organized by Lithuanian Football Federation LFF ( lt, Lietuvos Futbolo Federacija). The Auk� ...

, and Stumbras B from I lyga.

FC Džiugas Telšiai Football Club Džiugas Telšiai, commonly known as Džiugas Telšiai, or simply as Džiugas, is a Lithuanian association football club based in Telšiai, that competes in the A Lyga, top tier of Lithuanian football. History On the 2 November ...

earned promotion to

, subject to meeting licensing criteria.

earned a play-off with

7th placed FK Palanga.

Top scorers

References

{{2019 in Lithuanian football I Lyga seasons 2019 in Lithuanian football Lith Lith