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
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
FK Arda Kardzhali | 10 | PFC Cherno More Varna | Arena Arda |
Relegation Playoffs
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
POFC Botev Vratsa | 10 | PFC Septemvri Sofia | Slavia Stadium |
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 | 22 -4-5 | 70 | - | 69 | 29 | 40 | 16 | 14 -1-1 | 43 | 36 | 8 | 28 | 15 | 8 -3-4 | 27 | 33 | 21 | 12 |
2 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 31 | 17 -10-4 | 61 | - | 48 | 23 | 25 | 16 | 9 -7-0 | 34 | 27 | 10 | 17 | 15 | 8 -3-4 | 27 | 21 | 13 | 8 |
3 | CSKA Sofia | 31 | 17 -8-6 | 59 | - | 46 | 24 | 22 | 16 | 12 -4-0 | 40 | 28 | 7 | 21 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 1 |
4 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 31 | 13 -11-7 | 50 | - | 42 | 37 | 5 | 15 | 8 -6-1 | 30 | 26 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 5 -5-6 | 20 | 16 | 20 | -4 |
5 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 31 | 12 -11-8 | 47 | - | 41 | 34 | 7 | 15 | 10 -3-2 | 33 | 28 | 11 | 17 | 16 | 2 -8-6 | 14 | 13 | 23 | -10 |
6 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 31 | 10 -9-12 | 39 | - | 42 | 38 | 4 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 16 | 5 -5-6 | 20 | 19 | 20 | -1 |
Relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 32 | 9 -7-16 | 34 | - | 28 | 44 | -16 | 16 | 5 -4-7 | 19 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 16 | 4 -3-9 | 15 | 16 | 25 | -9 |
2 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 32 | 8 -6-18 | 30 | - | 31 | 45 | -14 | 16 | 5 -3-8 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 16 | 3 -3-10 | 12 | 12 | 26 | -14 |
3 | PFC Montana | 32 | 6 -10-16 | 28 | - | 26 | 52 | -26 | 16 | 5 -4-7 | 19 | 19 | 25 | -6 | 16 | 1 -6-9 | 9 | 7 | 27 | -20 |
4 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 32 | 6 -10-16 | 28 | - | 25 | 53 | -28 | 16 | 3 -7-6 | 16 | 13 | 21 | -8 | 16 | 3 -3-10 | 12 | 12 | 32 | -20 |
UEFAECL Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 32 | 12 -9-11 | 45 | - | 37 | 34 | 3 | 16 | 8 -4-4 | 28 | 24 | 18 | 6 | 16 | 4 -5-7 | 17 | 13 | 16 | -3 |
2 | PFC Levski Sofia | 32 | 11 -8-13 | 41 | - | 34 | 32 | 2 | 16 | 6 -3-7 | 21 | 17 | 19 | -2 | 16 | 5 -5-6 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 4 |
3 | FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | 32 | 9 -10-13 | 37 | - | 33 | 39 | -6 | 16 | 5 -6-5 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 16 | 4 -4-8 | 16 | 15 | 23 | -8 |
4 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 32 | 7 -11-14 | 32 | - | 34 | 52 | -18 | 16 | 5 -6-5 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 2 -5-9 | 11 | 14 | 34 | -20 |
UEFAECL Playoffs 2021-2022 UEFACL Relegation Playoff 2021-2022 UEFAECL 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 | 26 | 20 -4-2 | 64 | - | 59 | 18 | 41 | 13 | 12 -1-0 | 37 | 28 | 4 | 24 | 13 | 8 -3-2 | 27 | 31 | 14 | 17 |
2 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 26 | 15 -7-4 | 52 | - | 41 | 19 | 22 | 13 | 8 -5-0 | 29 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 7 -2-4 | 23 | 16 | 9 | 7 |
3 | CSKA Sofia | 26 | 14 -8-4 | 50 | - | 39 | 20 | 19 | 13 | 9 -4-0 | 31 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 13 | 5 -4-4 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 4 |
4 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 26 | 12 -9-5 | 45 | - | 36 | 29 | 7 | 13 | 8 -4-1 | 28 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 4 -5-4 | 17 | 13 | 15 | -2 |
5 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 26 | 10 -8-8 | 38 | - | 34 | 30 | 4 | 13 | 8 -3-2 | 27 | 24 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 2 -5-6 | 11 | 10 | 20 | -10 |
6 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 26 | 10 -7-9 | 37 | - | 38 | 28 | 10 | 13 | 5 -3-5 | 18 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 13 | 5 -4-4 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 3 |
7 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 26 | 10 -7-9 | 37 | - | 27 | 25 | 2 | 13 | 7 -3-3 | 24 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 3 -4-6 | 13 | 10 | 13 | -3 |
8 | FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | 26 | 9 -7-10 | 34 | - | 29 | 27 | 2 | 13 | 5 -5-3 | 20 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 13 | 4 -2-7 | 14 | 11 | 14 | -3 |
9 | PFC Levski Sofia | 26 | 7 -7-12 | 28 | - | 25 | 27 | -2 | 13 | 5 -2-6 | 17 | 13 | 15 | -2 | 13 | 2 -5-6 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
10 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 26 | 5 -9-12 | 24 | - | 25 | 46 | -21 | 13 | 4 -5-4 | 17 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 13 | 1 -4-8 | 7 | 11 | 30 | -19 |
11 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 26 | 6 -5-15 | 23 | - | 19 | 40 | -21 | 13 | 4 -3-6 | 15 | 9 | 16 | -7 | 13 | 2 -2-9 | 8 | 10 | 24 | -14 |
12 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 26 | 6 -4-16 | 22 | - | 26 | 39 | -13 | 13 | 3 -2-8 | 11 | 15 | 18 | -3 | 13 | 3 -2-8 | 11 | 11 | 21 | -10 |
13 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 26 | 4 -10-12 | 22 | - | 20 | 45 | -25 | 13 | 2 -7-4 | 13 | 10 | 16 | -6 | 13 | 2 -3-8 | 9 | 10 | 29 | -19 |
14 | PFC Montana | 26 | 4 -8-14 | 20 | - | 21 | 46 | -25 | 13 | 4 -3-6 | 15 | 17 | 22 | -5 | 13 | 0 -5-8 | 5 | 4 | 24 | -20 |
Championship Round UEFAECL Playoffs Relegation Round |
Results
CSKA 1948 Sofia | 31 | Ludogorets Razgrad | Stadion Vasil Levski |
FK Arda Kardzhali | 33 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Arena Arda |
CSKA Sofia | 20 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | Balgarska Armia Stadium |
PFC Cherno More Varna | 12 | PFC Levski Sofia | Ticha Stadium |
PFC Botev Plovdiv | 50 | FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | Sporten kompleks Botev 1912 |
CSKA 1948 Sofia | 10 | CSKA Sofia | Stadion Vasil Levski |
PFC Slavia Sofia | 02 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | Slavia Stadium |
PFC Montana | 11 | POFC Botev Vratsa | Ogosta Stadium |
PFC Levski Sofia | 12 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | 01 | PFC Cherno More Varna | Tsarsko selo Complex |
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 00 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
POFC Botev Vratsa | 11 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Stadion Hristo Botev (Vratsa) |
SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 12 | PFC Montana | Stadion Ivaylo |
PFC Levski Sofia | 11 | FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
PFC Botev Plovdiv | 11 | PFC Cherno More Varna | Sporten kompleks Botev 1912 |
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 33 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | Beroe Stadium |
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 20 | CSKA Sofia | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
Ludogorets Razgrad | 41 | FK Arda Kardzhali | Huvepharma Arena |
PFC Montana | 02 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Ogosta Stadium |
SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 20 | POFC Botev Vratsa | Stadion Ivaylo |