Fakel Voronezh has officially secured its return to the top tier of Russian football. The club earned promotion to the Mir Russian Premier League (RPL) following a goalless draw against SKA-Khabarovsk in the 33rd round of the Liga Pari.
The result gave Fakel an unassailable 65 points in the standings. With only two matches remaining in the First League season, the Voronezh-based team holds a commanding seven-point advantage over third-placed Ural from Yekaterinburg, who have 58 points.
The club's official Telegram channel celebrated the achievement with a characteristic message, asking, "RPL, did you miss the collective farm punk?" This is a direct reference to the popular song "Kolhozny Punk" by the band Sektor Gaza, which is famously sung by Fakel's supporters at their home stadium.
This promotion marks a significant turnaround for Fakel, which was relegated from the RPL just one year ago. The team's immediate bounce-back demonstrates strong performance throughout the current campaign in Russia's second division.
The draw against SKA-Khabarovsk was the final step needed to mathematically confirm the promotion. While not a victory, the single point was sufficient to put the title and promotion race beyond doubt for their nearest competitors.
Fakel's return adds another historic club to the RPL lineup for the upcoming season. The team will now look to strengthen its squad over the summer to ensure a more competitive stay in the premier division than its previous stint.
Based on reporting from Чемпионат.com.
