Summary
The First Professional Football League (BUL1) is the top professional league in the Bulgarian football system. At completion of the 2019-2020 regular season, the top 6 teams participate in the BUL1 Championship Group phase. Championship Group results determine how the teams qualify for the following non-league play:
- 2020-2021 UEFA Champions League - 1st Qualifying Round:
- 1st place 2019-2020 BUL1 Championship Group team
- 2020-2021 UEFA Europa League - 1st Qualifying Round:
- 2nd place 2019-2020 BUL1 Championship Group teams
- Winner of 2019-2020 BUL1 UEFA Europa League Playoffs
The winner of the 2019-2020 Bulgarian Cup, typically a BUL1 team, also receives a berth in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the 2020-2021 UEFA Europa League.
Leagues Pyramid - Bulgaria
Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
---|---|---|
BUL1 | First Professional Football League | 14 |
BUL2 | Second Professional Football League | 18 |
BUL3 | Third Amatuer Football League | 63 |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
Regular 12 Jul 2019 - 14 Jun 2020 | Champ/Releg Rounds 19 Jun 2020 - 12 Jul 2020 | UEFAEL Playoffs 7 Jul 2020 - 19 Jul 2020 | 14: BUL1 (12 minimum), BUL2 (2 maximum) |
Season Format
The 2019-2020 BUL1 consists of a double round robin format where each BUL1 team plays Home-Away matches with the other 13 BUL1 teams, for a total of 26 regular season matches. At the end of regular season, the top 6 teams play in the Championship Round, while the bottom 8 teams play in the Relegation Round. In the Championship round, each team plays Home/Away matches against the other 5 teams for 10 more matches (36 total). In the Relegation Round, the 8 teams are split into 2 groups of 4 where they play Home/Away matches against the other 3 teams in their group for 6 more matches (32 total league matches). Table ranking ties are broken by (1) head-to-head points, (2) head-to-head goal difference, (3) head-to-head goals scored, (4) head-to-head away goals scored (if only 2 teams), (5) goal difference, (6) total goals scored, (7) Fairplay ranking, then (8) a draw.
Playoffs
Upon completion of the 2019-2020 BUL1 Championship and Relegation Rounds, the 1st and 2nd place teams in each Relegation Round group play in the UEFA Europa League Playoffs. The winner of this playoff plays 1 match against the 3rd place team from the Championship Round.
Relegation
At the end of the 2019-2020 BUL1 Relegation Round, the 3rd and 4th place team in each group enter into a Relegation Playoff with the 2nd and 3rd place teams from BUL2. 3 winning teams from the Relegation Playoff are promoted to the 2020-2021 BUL1 and the 3 losing teams will be relegated to BUL2.
More Info...
UEFAEL Playoffs - Final
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
PFC Slavia Sofia | 21 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Slavia Stadium |
UEFAEL Playoffs - 2nd Round
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
Aggregate | PFC Cherno More Varna | 01 | PFC Botev Plovdiv |
11.07.20 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 01 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Ticha Stadium |
UEFAEL Playoffs - 1st Round
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
PFC Cherno More Varna | 10 | FK Arda Kardzhali | Ticha Stadium |
PFC Botev Plovdiv | 10 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | Sporten kompleks Botev 1912 |
Relegation Playoffs - Round 1
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
Aggregate | FC Dunav Ruse (BUL1) | 16 | PFC Montana (BUL2) |
17.07.20 | FC Dunav Ruse | 14 | PFC Montana | Slavia Stadium | ||
PFC Montana is promoted to BUL1 |
18.07.20 | FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | 20 | PFC Septemvri Sofia | Balgarska Armia Stadium | ||
FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia remains in BUL1 |
2nd Stage
League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Ludogorets Razgrad | 31 | 21 -9-1 | 72 | - | 59 | 18 | 41 | 16 | 13 -3-0 | 42 | 40 | 7 | 33 | 15 | 8 -6-1 | 30 | 19 | 11 | 8 |
2 | PFC CSKA Sofia | 31 | 16 -11-4 | 59 | - | 52 | 22 | 30 | 16 | 9 -6-1 | 33 | 34 | 14 | 20 | 15 | 7 -5-3 | 26 | 18 | 8 | 10 |
3 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 31 | 16 -7-8 | 55 | - | 42 | 32 | 10 | 15 | 6 -4-5 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 1 | 16 | 10 -3-3 | 33 | 19 | 10 | 9 |
4 | PFC Levski Sofia | 31 | 15 -8-8 | 53 | - | 50 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 9 -1-5 | 28 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 6 -7-3 | 25 | 25 | 17 | 8 |
5 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 31 | 15 -8-8 | 53 | - | 53 | 35 | 18 | 16 | 8 -5-3 | 29 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 7 -3-5 | 24 | 30 | 24 | 6 |
6 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 31 | 16 -1-14 | 49 | - | 50 | 43 | 7 | 15 | 10 -1-4 | 31 | 27 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 6 -0-10 | 18 | 23 | 32 | -9 |
Relegation - Group A | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 29 | 12 -11-6 | 47 | - | 39 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 7 -6-2 | 27 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 5 -5-4 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 2 |
2 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 29 | 7 -10-12 | 31 | - | 34 | 48 | -14 | 15 | 5 -6-4 | 21 | 16 | 22 | -6 | 14 | 2 -4-8 | 10 | 18 | 26 | -8 |
3 | FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | 29 | 9 -4-16 | 31 | - | 27 | 46 | -19 | 14 | 4 -3-7 | 15 | 16 | 24 | -8 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 11 | 22 | -11 |
4 | FK Vitosha Bistritsa | 29 | 1 -3-25 | 6 | - | 15 | 57 | -42 | 14 | 1 -1-12 | 4 | 10 | 31 | -21 | 15 | 0 -2-13 | 2 | 5 | 26 | -21 |
Relegation - Group B | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 29 | 10 -6-13 | 36 | - | 32 | 34 | -2 | 15 | 7 -3-5 | 24 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 14 | 3 -3-8 | 12 | 13 | 20 | -7 |
2 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 29 | 8 -11-10 | 35 | - | 28 | 35 | -7 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 14 | 19 | -5 | 14 | 3 -7-4 | 16 | 14 | 16 | -2 |
3 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 29 | 6 -8-15 | 26 | - | 26 | 50 | -24 | 14 | 3 -5-6 | 14 | 12 | 18 | -6 | 15 | 3 -3-9 | 12 | 14 | 32 | -18 |
4 | FC Dunav Ruse | 29 | 5 -7-17 | 22 | - | 25 | 55 | -30 | 14 | 2 -4-8 | 10 | 9 | 22 | -13 | 15 | 3 -3-9 | 12 | 16 | 33 | -17 |
UEFAEL Playoffs UEFACL UEFAEL Relegation Playoff |
1st Stage
League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
1 | Ludogorets Razgrad | 26 | 18 -8-0 | 62 | - | 46 | 12 | 34 | 13 | 10 -3-0 | 33 | 29 | 5 | 24 | 13 | 8 -5-0 | 29 | 17 | 7 | 10 |
2 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 26 | 14 -8-4 | 50 | - | 49 | 23 | 26 | 13 | 8 -5-0 | 29 | 22 | 6 | 16 | 13 | 6 -3-4 | 21 | 27 | 17 | 10 |
3 | PFC CSKA Sofia | 26 | 14 -8-4 | 50 | - | 41 | 17 | 24 | 13 | 8 -4-1 | 28 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 6 -4-3 | 22 | 16 | 7 | 9 |
4 | PFC Levski Sofia | 26 | 14 -7-5 | 49 | - | 43 | 19 | 24 | 13 | 9 -1-3 | 28 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 5 -6-2 | 21 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
5 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 26 | 13 -6-7 | 45 | - | 36 | 28 | 8 | 13 | 5 -3-5 | 18 | 20 | 21 | -1 | 13 | 8 -3-2 | 27 | 16 | 7 | 9 |
6 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 26 | 14 -1-11 | 43 | - | 44 | 34 | 10 | 13 | 9 -1-3 | 28 | 24 | 9 | 15 | 13 | 5 -0-8 | 15 | 20 | 25 | -5 |
7 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 26 | 10 -10-6 | 40 | - | 32 | 24 | 8 | 13 | 6 -5-2 | 23 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 4 -5-4 | 17 | 12 | 13 | -1 |
8 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 26 | 7 -10-9 | 31 | - | 27 | 33 | -6 | 13 | 4 -4-5 | 16 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 13 | 3 -6-4 | 15 | 14 | 16 | -2 |
9 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 26 | 8 -6-12 | 30 | - | 26 | 30 | -4 | 13 | 5 -3-5 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 13 | 3 -3-7 | 12 | 13 | 19 | -6 |
10 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 26 | 6 -9-11 | 27 | - | 31 | 45 | -14 | 13 | 4 -6-3 | 18 | 15 | 21 | -6 | 13 | 2 -3-8 | 9 | 16 | 24 | -8 |
11 | FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | 26 | 7 -4-15 | 25 | - | 24 | 42 | -18 | 13 | 4 -3-6 | 15 | 15 | 20 | -5 | 13 | 3 -1-9 | 10 | 9 | 22 | -13 |
12 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 26 | 5 -7-14 | 22 | - | 21 | 46 | -25 | 13 | 3 -4-6 | 13 | 12 | 18 | -6 | 13 | 2 -3-8 | 9 | 9 | 28 | -19 |
13 | FC Dunav Ruse | 26 | 4 -7-15 | 19 | - | 21 | 49 | -28 | 13 | 2 -4-7 | 10 | 8 | 19 | -11 | 13 | 2 -3-8 | 9 | 13 | 30 | -17 |
14 | FK Vitosha Bistritsa | 26 | 1 -3-22 | 6 | - | 15 | 54 | -39 | 13 | 1 -1-11 | 4 | 10 | 30 | -20 | 13 | 0 -2-11 | 2 | 5 | 24 | -19 |
Championship Round Relegation Round |
Results
CSKA Sofia | 50 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | Balgarska Armia Stadium |
PFC Levski Sofia | 12 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
PFC Slavia Sofia | 31 | Ludogorets Razgrad | Slavia Stadium |
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 12 | CSKA Sofia | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 20 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Beroe Stadium |
Ludogorets Razgrad | 30 | PFC Levski Sofia | Huvepharma Arena |
CSKA Sofia | 11 | Ludogorets Razgrad | Balgarska Armia Stadium |
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 02 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
PFC Levski Sofia | 12 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
PFC Botev Plovdiv | 31 | FC Dunav Ruse | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
POFC Botev Vratsa | 00 | FK Arda Kardzhali | Stadion Hristo Botev (Vratsa) |
FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | 14 | PFC Cherno More Varna | Tsarsko selo Complex |
SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 10 | FK Vitosha Bistritsa | Stadion Ivaylo |
FK Arda Kardzhali | 10 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
FC Dunav Ruse | 13 | POFC Botev Vratsa | Gradski stadion (Ruse) |
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 12 | PFC Levski Sofia | Beroe Stadium |
Ludogorets Razgrad | 61 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Huvepharma Arena |
PFC Slavia Sofia | 00 | CSKA Sofia | Slavia Stadium |
FK Vitosha Bistritsa | 01 | FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | Stadion Vitosha (Bistritsa) |
PFC Cherno More Varna | 22 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | Ticha Stadium |