2009–10 Baltic League Explained

Competition:	Baltic League
Season:	2009–10
Dates:	22 September 2009 – 4 July 2010
Winners:	Ventspils (1st title)
Matches:	28
Total Goals:	56
League Topscorer:	Vjatšeslav Zahovaiko (4 goals)
Prevseason:	2008
Nextseason:	2010–11

The 2009–2010 Baltic League (known as the Triobet Baltic League for sponsorship reasons) is a 16-team football tournament held in the Baltic states. Five top teams from each participating country - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - along with the winner of the 2008 season will play a 4 round and 2 legged (excluding final) play-off style knockout tournament. It is held from Autumn 2009 through Summer 2010.

Teams

Meistriliiga – Levadia (1st), Flora (2nd), Trans (3rd), Kalju (4th), Sillamäe Kalev (5th)
- Although TVMK initially finished 3rd, they were demoted to 10th place at the end of the season due to severe financial difficulties. The team was later disbanded.
Virslīga – Ventspils (1st), Metalurgs (2nd), Skonto (3rd), Dinaburg (4th), Jūrmala (7th)
- Daugava Daugavpils (5th) merged with Dinaburg FC, with Dinaburg retaining its name. After FK Rīga (6th) went bankrupt Jūrmala were given the freed spot as the next best placed team.
A Lyga – Ekranas (1st), Vėtra (3rd), Sūduva (4th), Šiauliai (7th), Tauras (1st I Lyga), Banga (3rd I Lyga)
- FBK Kaunas (2nd) and FK Atlantas (6th) withdrew from the top league, citing serious differences with the Lithuanian Football Federation. FK Žalgiris (5th) were denied A Lyga license and were demoted to I Lyga. FK Šilutė (8th) were relegated to I Lyga because of their league position. Eventually two I Lyga sides, Tauras and Banga, were awarded the two remaining spots, as they were both promoted to the A Lyga.