 Kọ itẹsiwaju fun paragirafi yii - Gẹgẹ bi ni akoko iṣaaju, awọn ẹgbẹ 16 n ṣere ni akoko 2002, pẹlu orukọ liigi ti o yipada lati Awọn ẹka giga si Premier League. Lẹyìn sáà ọdún 2001 : , Fakel Voronezh ati Chernomorets Novorossiysk ni won relegated si 2002 Russian First Division. Wọn ti rọpo nipasẹ Uralan Elista ati Shinnik Yaroslavl, awọn olubori ati awọn oludije ti 2001 Russian First Division. 