First Professional Football League
FIFA Region
UEFA
Season
2020-2021
Location
Bulgaria
Abbreviation
BUL1

Summary

The First Professional Football League (BUL1) is the top professional league in the Bulgarian football system. At completion of the 2020-2021 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:

  • 2021-2022 UEFA Champions League - 1st Qualifying Round:
    • 1st place 2020-2021 BUL1 Championship Group team
  • 2021-2022 UEFA Europa Conference League - 2nd Qualifying Round:
    • 2nd place 2020-2021 BUL1 Championship Group teams
    • winner of 2020-2021 BUL1 UEFA Europa Conference League Playoffs

The winner of the 2020-2021 Bulgarian Cup, typically a BUL1 team, also receives a berth in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the 2021-2022 UEFA Europa Conference League.

Leagues Pyramid - Bulgaria

Abbrev League # of Teams
BUL1 efbet League
(First Professional Football League)
14
BUL2 Second Professional Football League 18
BUL3 Third Amatuer Football League 63

Competition Structure

Season

# of Teams

Regular
7 Aug 2020 - 26 Apr 2021
Champ/Releg Rounds
3 May 2021 - 23 May 2021
UEFAECL Playoffs
5 May 2021 - 31 May 2021
14: BUL1 (12 minimum), BUL2 (2 maximum)

Season Format

The 2020-2021 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 per team. At the end of regular season, the top 6 teams play in the Championship group, teams placed 7th through 10th play in the UEFA Europa Conference League (UEFAECL) group, and teams placed 11th through 14th play in the Relegation group. In the Championship round, each team plays Home/Away matches against the other 5 teams for 10 more matches (36 total per team). In the UEFAECL and Relegation groups, the 4 teams play Home/Away matches against the other 3 teams in their group for 6 more matches (32 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 draw.

Playoffs

Upon completion of the 2020-2021 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 2020-2021 BUL1 Relegation Round, the 3rd and 4th place team are relegated to BUL2, and the 2nd place team enters into a Promotion/Relegation with a BUL2 team.


More Info...


UEFAECL Playoffs - Final

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Sun - 30 May 2021

Relegation Playoffs

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Fri - 28 May 2021

2nd Stage

 LeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
Championship
1Ludogorets Razgrad 3122 -4-570-6929401614 -1-14336828158 -3-427332112
2PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 3117 -10-461-482325169 -7-034271017158 -3-42721138
3CSKA Sofia 3117 -8-659-4624221612 -4-04028721155 -4-61918171
4FK Arda Kardzhali 3113 -11-750-42375158 -6-13026179165 -5-6201620-4
5CSKA 1948 Sofia 3112 -11-847-413471510 -3-233281117162 -8-6141323-10
6PFC Beroe Stara Zagora 3110 -9-1239-42384155 -4-61923185165 -5-6201920-1
Relegation
1PFC Slavia Sofia 329 -7-1634-2844-16165 -4-7191219-7164 -3-9151625-9
2POFC Botev Vratsa 328 -6-1830-3145-14165 -3-81819190163 -3-10121226-14
3PFC Montana 326 -10-1628-2652-26165 -4-7191925-6161 -6-99727-20
4SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo 326 -10-1628-2553-28163 -7-6161321-8163 -3-10121232-20
UEFAECL Playoffs
1PFC Cherno More Varna 3212 -9-1145-37343168 -4-42824186164 -5-7171316-3
2PFC Levski Sofia 3211 -8-1341-34322166 -3-7211719-2165 -5-62017134
3FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia 329 -10-1337-3339-6165 -6-52118162164 -4-8161523-8
4PFC Botev Plovdiv 327 -11-1432-3452-18165 -6-52120182162 -5-9111434-20
UEFAECL Playoffs
2021-2022 UEFACL
Relegation Playoff
2021-2022 UEFAECL
Relegation to BUL2

1st Stage

 LeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1Ludogorets Razgrad 2620 -4-264-5918411312 -1-03728424138 -3-227311417
2PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2615 -7-452-411922138 -5-029251015137 -2-4231697
3CSKA Sofia 2614 -8-450-392019139 -4-03121615135 -4-41918144
4FK Arda Kardzhali 2612 -9-545-36297138 -4-12823149134 -5-4171315-2
5CSKA 1948 Sofia 2610 -8-838-34304138 -3-227241014132 -5-6111020-10
6PFC Beroe Stara Zagora 2610 -7-937-382810135 -3-51820137135 -4-41918153
7PFC Cherno More Varna 2610 -7-937-27252137 -3-32417125133 -4-6131013-3
8FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia 269 -7-1034-29272135 -5-32018135134 -2-7141114-3
9PFC Levski Sofia 267 -7-1228-2527-2135 -2-6171315-2132 -5-61112120
10PFC Botev Plovdiv 265 -9-1224-2546-21134 -5-4171416-2131 -4-871130-19
11PFC Slavia Sofia 266 -5-1523-1940-21134 -3-615916-7132 -2-981024-14
12POFC Botev Vratsa 266 -4-1622-2639-13133 -2-8111518-3133 -2-8111121-10
13SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo 264 -10-1222-2045-25132 -7-4131016-6132 -3-891029-19
14PFC Montana 264 -8-1420-2146-25134 -3-6151722-5130 -5-85424-20
Championship Round
UEFAECL Playoffs
Relegation Round

Results

Wed - 26 May 2021
 CSKA 1948 Sofia 31 Ludogorets RazgradStadion Vasil Levski
 CSKA Sofia 20 PFC Beroe Stara ZagoraBalgarska Armia Stadium
Sun - 23 May 2021
 PFC Botev Plovdiv 50 FC Tsarsko Selo SofiaSporten kompleks Botev 1912
Sat - 22 May 2021
 CSKA 1948 Sofia 10 CSKA SofiaStadion Vasil Levski
Fri - 21 May 2021
 PFC Montana 11 POFC Botev VratsaOgosta Stadium
Thu - 20 May 2021
 PFC Levski Sofia 12 PFC Botev PlovdivVivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov
Wed - 19 May 2021
 PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 00 CSKA 1948 SofiaStadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv)
Tue - 18 May 2021
 POFC Botev Vratsa 11 PFC Slavia SofiaStadion Hristo Botev (Vratsa)
Mon - 17 May 2021
 PFC Levski Sofia 11 FC Tsarsko Selo SofiaVivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov
 PFC Botev Plovdiv 11 PFC Cherno More VarnaSporten kompleks Botev 1912
Sun - 16 May 2021
Sat - 15 May 2021
 PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 20 CSKA SofiaStadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv)
Fri - 14 May 2021
 PFC Montana 02 PFC Slavia SofiaOgosta Stadium