A late change has been made to the TonyBet Virslīga calendar: the final-round derby between Riga FC and RFS, originally set for November 9, has been brought forward to November 7 (19:00), the Latvian Football Federation (LFF) and the Latvian Virslīga confirmed on Tuesday. The fixture will still be played at the Skonto Stadium.
Under Article 8.4 of the league regulations, the final two rounds of the season must normally kick off simultaneously to preserve competitive fairness. However, both Riga FC and RFS have already secured their final positions in the standings, allowing the league’s Organising Committee to approve the rescheduling. The remaining fixtures of the 36th round will therefore proceed as planned on November 9 at 13:00.
The adjustment also benefits the national team, which will play two away matches shortly after the league ends — a friendly against North Macedonia on November 13 and a World Cup qualifier against Serbia on November 16. The earlier derby date gives international players additional recovery time before joining the national squad.
The Riga–RFS rivalry has dominated the Latvian football landscape this season, just as during previous seasons of the past decade. In what is a headline fixture of Latvian association football, RFS triumphed 3–1 in the Super Cup on March 1, yet in the league Riga FC have held the upper hand — winning 1–0 in April, 3–1 in June and drawing 0–0 in September. With the championship already decided in Riga’s favour, Friday’s match will serve as the season finale showcase rather than a decisive clash.
