Riga FC to start 2027 Virslīga season on minus three points after RFS forfeit

Riga FC have been handed a 3-0 technical defeat, a €6,822 fine and a three-point deduction for next season after refusing to play their final 2026 Virslīga fixture against RFS. The decision means Riga FC will begin the 2027 campaign on minus three points. RFS receive the three points and finish the season with a record 92, surpassing their previous league best of 90, set in 2024.

The Riga derby was scheduled for 8 November at Skonto Stadium, but Riga FC announced the day before that they would not take the field. The club cited the match’s lack of sporting significance and what it considered unfair treatment during the season. The Latvian Football Federation’s Disciplinary Committee ruled unanimously that there was no valid reason to withdraw. It said dissatisfaction with refereeing and the league positions already being decided did not justify refusing to play a scheduled match.

A Riga FC representative told the committee that the team would have played if the result could have affected its league position, according to the meeting record. The fine includes €3,000 in disciplinary penalties and €3,822 to cover direct costs linked to television coverage, match data, streaming and signal delivery. The committee said a points deduction from the completed 2026 standings would not have had the same punitive.

Source: https://lff.lv/zinas/19364/lff-dk-13-novembra-lemumi/