The 2011–12 Rostov season was the 3rd straight season that the club played in the Russian Premier League, the highest tier of football in Russia. They finished the season in 13th place, meaning they had to win a Relegation Playoff against Shinnik Yaroslavl, which they won 4–0 on aggregate. Rostov also competed in the 2010–11 & 2011–12 Russian Cup reaching the semi-finals in both.