Participants were the twelve best teams from last season. The league was played in two phases. After the preliminary round, in which all teams competed against each other twice, the league was divided into two groups: the best six teams reached the championship round , while the remaining six clubs played in the relegation round .
The league was increased to 18 clubs for the following season. Therefore, the bottom of the table ( Jessil Kökschetau ) did not have to relegate , and the penultimate ( Wostok-Altyn Öskemen ) did not have to relegate.
The six best-placed clubs in the preliminary round reached the championship round, which was not only about the championship but also about the international places in the European Cup . The master qualified for the Champions League . Another double round was played between the six clubs, with all results from the preliminary round being carried over.
The results from the preliminary round were included
The teams in places 7 to 12 of the preliminary round reached the relegation round. After the end of the round, the last placed rose to the second-rate first division . Another double round was played between the six clubs, with all results from the preliminary round being carried over.
The results from the preliminary round were included