1990 Soviet First League

1990 Soviet First League was part of the Soviet football competition in the second league division. With the ongoing fall of the Soviet Union some clubs left the Soviet competitions and the league was reduced.

Promoted teams

 * Dinamo Sukhumi – Winner of the Second League finals (returning after an absence of 28 seasons)
 * Tiras Tiraspol – Winner of the Second League finals (returning after an absence of 28 seasons)
 * Lokomotiv Nizhny Novgorod – Winner of the Second League finals (debut)

Relegated teams

 * Lokomotiv Moscow – (Returning after 2 seasons)
 * Zenit Leningrad – (Returning after 48 seasons)

Renamed teams

 * Prior to the start of the season Textilshchik Tiraspol was renamed to Tiras Tiraspol.

Withdrawn teams
Prior to the start of the season all Georgian clubs (with the exception of Dinamo Sukhumi, a majority-Russian club from Abkhazia) withdrew from Soviet competitions. This included two First League clubs, FC Torpedo Kutaisi and FC Dinamo Batumi. Because of that the league was reduced to 20 as compared to the previous season of 22 participants.

League standings
Notes:
 * The city of Ordzhonikidze was renamed to Vladikavkaz.
 * The city of Gorkiy was renamed to Nizhniy Novgorod.
 * Kotayk Abovyan played all its home games in the neighboring Yerevan.

Promotion/relegation play-off
(13th team of the Top League and 4th team of the First League)
 * Lokomotiv Moscow – Rotor Volgograd 3–1  0–1

Lokomotiv Moscow won the promotion on 3–2 aggregate