Summary
The First Professional Football League (BUL1) is the top professional league in the Bulgarian football system. At completion of the 2023-2024 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:
- 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League - 1st Qualifying Round:
- 1st place 2023-2024 BUL1 Championship Group team
- 2024-2025 UEFA Europa Conference League - 2nd Qualifying Round:
- 2nd and 3rd place 2023-2024 BUL1 Championship Group teams
- winner of 2023-2024 BUL1 UEFA Europa Conference League Playoffs
The winner of the 2023-2024 Bulgarian Cup, typically a BUL1 team, also receives a berth in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa Conference League.
Leagues Pyramid - Bulgaria
Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
---|---|---|
BUL1 | efbet League (First Professional Football League) | 16 |
BUL2 | Second Professional Football League | 18 |
BUL3 | Third Amatuer Football League | 73 |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
Regular 14 Jul 2023 - 12 Apr 2024 | Champ/Releg Rounds 26 Apr 2024 - 24 May 2024 | UEFAECL Playoffs 8 Jun 2024 - 10 Jun 2024 | 14: BUL1 (12 minimum), BUL2 (2 maximum) |
Season Format
The 2023-2024 BUL1 consists of a double round robin format where each BUL1 team plays Home-Away matches with the other 15 BUL1 teams, for a total of 30 regular season matches per team. At the end of regular season, the top 6 teams play in the Championship group, teams placed 7th through 10th place teams play in the UEFA Europa Conference League (UEFAECL) group, and teams placed 11th through 16th place play in the Relegation group. In the Championship and Relegation rounds, each team plays 1 match against the other 5 teams in their group for 5 more matches (35 total per team). In the UEFAECL group, each teams play Home/Away matches against the other 3 teams in their group for 6 more matches (36 total per team). 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 drawing.
Playoffs
Upon completion of the 2023-2024 BUL1 Championship and UEFAECL Playoffs rounds, the 3rd place Championship team enters into Home/Away highest aggregate goals wins matches against the 1st place UEFAECL Playoffs team.
Relegation
At the end of the 2023-2024 BUL1 Relegation Round, the 6th place team is relegated to BUL2, and the 5th place team enters into a Promotion/Relegation with a BUL2 team.
More Info...
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 | 29 | 23 -3-3 | 72 | - | 77 | 15 | 62 | 15 | 12 -2-1 | 38 | 49 | 9 | 40 | 14 | 11 -1-2 | 34 | 28 | 6 | 22 |
2 | CSKA Sofia | 30 | 19 -6-5 | 63 | - | 50 | 19 | 31 | 15 | 8 -4-3 | 28 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 15 | 11 -2-2 | 35 | 25 | 11 | 14 |
3 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 30 | 18 -8-4 | 62 | - | 47 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 14 -1-0 | 43 | 29 | 9 | 20 | 15 | 4 -7-4 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 2 |
4 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 30 | 16 -7-7 | 55 | - | 50 | 34 | 16 | 15 | 9 -2-4 | 29 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 7 -5-3 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 1 |
5 | PFC Levski Sofia | 30 | 16 -6-8 | 54 | - | 45 | 26 | 19 | 15 | 10 -2-3 | 32 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 15 | 6 -4-5 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 1 |
6 | FK Krumovgrad | 30 | 12 -8-10 | 44 | - | 35 | 35 | 0 | 15 | 9 -3-3 | 30 | 25 | 19 | 6 | 15 | 3 -5-7 | 14 | 10 | 16 | -6 |
Relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 30 | 9 -6-15 | 33 | - | 24 | 42 | -18 | 15 | 6 -5-4 | 23 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 15 | 3 -1-11 | 10 | 8 | 27 | -19 |
2 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 30 | 8 -6-16 | 30 | - | 32 | 44 | -12 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 15 | 3 -2-10 | 11 | 18 | 28 | -10 |
3 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | 31 | 7 -9-15 | 30 | - | 24 | 43 | -19 | 16 | 3 -5-8 | 14 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 15 | 4 -4-7 | 16 | 12 | 24 | -12 |
4 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 30 | 8 -4-18 | 28 | - | 22 | 56 | -34 | 15 | 3 -3-9 | 12 | 11 | 23 | -12 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 11 | 33 | -22 |
5 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 31 | 7 -4-20 | 25 | - | 24 | 54 | -30 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 16 | 24 | -8 | 16 | 2 -3-11 | 9 | 8 | 30 | -22 |
6 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 30 | 3 -5-22 | 14 | - | 17 | 56 | -39 | 15 | 2 -3-10 | 9 | 12 | 28 | -16 | 15 | 1 -2-12 | 5 | 5 | 28 | -23 |
UEFAECL Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 30 | 12 -8-10 | 44 | - | 47 | 33 | 14 | 15 | 7 -3-5 | 24 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 5 -5-5 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 4 |
2 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 29 | 11 -10-8 | 43 | - | 30 | 25 | 5 | 14 | 6 -5-3 | 23 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 5 -5-5 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 2 |
3 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 30 | 11 -6-13 | 39 | - | 32 | 32 | 0 | 15 | 6 -5-4 | 23 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 11 | 16 | -5 |
4 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 30 | 9 -6-15 | 33 | - | 28 | 45 | -17 | 15 | 6 -3-6 | 21 | 17 | 19 | -2 | 15 | 3 -3-9 | 12 | 11 | 26 | -15 |
UEFAECL Playoffs 2024-2025 UEFACL 2024-2025 UEFAECL Relegation Playoff Relegation to BUL2 |
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 | 29 | 23 -3-3 | 72 | - | 77 | 15 | 62 | 15 | 12 -2-1 | 38 | 49 | 9 | 40 | 14 | 11 -1-2 | 34 | 28 | 6 | 22 |
2 | CSKA Sofia | 30 | 19 -6-5 | 63 | - | 50 | 19 | 31 | 15 | 8 -4-3 | 28 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 15 | 11 -2-2 | 35 | 25 | 11 | 14 |
3 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 30 | 18 -8-4 | 62 | - | 47 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 14 -1-0 | 43 | 29 | 9 | 20 | 15 | 4 -7-4 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 2 |
4 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 30 | 16 -7-7 | 55 | - | 50 | 34 | 16 | 15 | 9 -2-4 | 29 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 7 -5-3 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 1 |
5 | PFC Levski Sofia | 30 | 16 -6-8 | 54 | - | 45 | 26 | 19 | 15 | 10 -2-3 | 32 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 15 | 6 -4-5 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 1 |
6 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 30 | 12 -8-10 | 44 | - | 47 | 33 | 14 | 15 | 7 -3-5 | 24 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 5 -5-5 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 4 |
7 | FK Krumovgrad | 30 | 12 -8-10 | 44 | - | 35 | 35 | 0 | 15 | 9 -3-3 | 30 | 25 | 19 | 6 | 15 | 3 -5-7 | 14 | 10 | 16 | -6 |
8 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 29 | 11 -10-8 | 43 | - | 30 | 25 | 5 | 14 | 6 -5-3 | 23 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 5 -5-5 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 2 |
9 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 30 | 11 -6-13 | 39 | - | 32 | 32 | 0 | 15 | 6 -5-4 | 23 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 11 | 16 | -5 |
10 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 30 | 9 -6-15 | 33 | - | 28 | 45 | -17 | 15 | 6 -3-6 | 21 | 17 | 19 | -2 | 15 | 3 -3-9 | 12 | 11 | 26 | -15 |
11 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 30 | 9 -6-15 | 33 | - | 24 | 42 | -18 | 15 | 6 -5-4 | 23 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 15 | 3 -1-11 | 10 | 8 | 27 | -19 |
12 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 30 | 8 -6-16 | 30 | - | 32 | 44 | -12 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 15 | 3 -2-10 | 11 | 18 | 28 | -10 |
13 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | 30 | 7 -9-14 | 30 | - | 23 | 41 | -18 | 15 | 3 -5-7 | 14 | 11 | 17 | -6 | 15 | 4 -4-7 | 16 | 12 | 24 | -12 |
14 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 30 | 8 -4-18 | 28 | - | 22 | 56 | -34 | 15 | 3 -3-9 | 12 | 11 | 23 | -12 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 11 | 33 | -22 |
15 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 30 | 6 -4-20 | 22 | - | 22 | 53 | -31 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 16 | 24 | -8 | 15 | 1 -3-11 | 6 | 6 | 29 | -23 |
16 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 30 | 3 -5-22 | 14 | - | 17 | 56 | -39 | 15 | 2 -3-10 | 9 | 12 | 28 | -16 | 15 | 1 -2-12 | 5 | 5 | 28 | -23 |
Championship Group UEFAECL Playoffs Relegation Group |
Fixtures
CSKA Sofia | PFC Levski Sofia | Stadion Vasil Levski |
PFC Botev Plovdiv | PFC Slavia Sofia | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | Stadion Georgi Benkovski |
Ludogorets Razgrad | FK Krumovgrad | Huvepharma Arena |
PFC Cherno More Varna | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Ticha Stadium |
CSKA 1948 Sofia | FK Arda Kardzhali | Stadion Vitosha (Bistritsa) |
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | Beroe Stadium |
PFC Slavia Sofia | FK Arda Kardzhali | Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov |
PFC Botev Plovdiv | CSKA 1948 Sofia | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
FK Krumovgrad | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Nikola Shterev-Starika Complex |
PFC Levski Sofia | PFC Cherno More Varna | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
Ludogorets Razgrad | CSKA Sofia | Huvepharma Arena |
SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | Stadion Ivailo |
POFC Botev Vratsa | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | Stadion Ivailo |
CSKA 1948 Sofia | PFC Slavia Sofia | Stadion Vitosha (Bistritsa) |
FK Arda Kardzhali | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Arena Arda |
CSKA Sofia | FK Krumovgrad | Balgarska Armia Stadium |
PFC Cherno More Varna | Ludogorets Razgrad | Ticha Stadium |
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | PFC Levski Sofia | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
Results
OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | 12 | POFC Botev Vratsa | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
FK Arda Kardzhali | 23 | CSKA Sofia | Arena Arda |
FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 04 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 11 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
PFC Levski Sofia | 10 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 03 | Ludogorets Razgrad | Stadion Georgi Benkovski |
OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | 00 | PFC Cherno More Varna | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
FK Krumovgrad | 20 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Nikola Shterev-Starika Complex |
POFC Botev Vratsa | 20 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
Ludogorets Razgrad | 20 | FK Arda Kardzhali | Huvepharma Arena |
CSKA 1948 Sofia | 21 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | Stadion Vitosha (Bistritsa) |
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 22 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Beroe Stadium |
SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 00 | FK Krumovgrad | Stadion Ivailo |
PFC Cherno More Varna | 31 | PFC Levski Sofia | Ticha Stadium |
PFC Slavia Sofia | 31 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov |
CSKA Sofia | 12 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | Balgarska Armia Stadium |
PFC Botev Plovdiv | 20 | POFC Botev Vratsa | Nikola Shterev-Starika Complex |
CSKA 1948 Sofia | PSPD | Ludogorets Razgrad | Stadion Vitosha (Bistritsa) |
FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 10 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 10 | PFC Cherno More Varna | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |