First Professional Football League
FIFA Region
UEFA
Season
2022-2023
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 2022-2023 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:

  • 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League - 1st Qualifying Round:
    • 1st place 2022-2023 BUL1 Championship Group team
  • 2023-2024 UEFA Europa Conference League - 2nd Qualifying Round:
    • 2nd and 3rd place 2022-2023 BUL1 Championship Group teams
    • winner of 2022-2023 BUL1 UEFA Europa Conference League Playoffs

The winner of the 2022-2023 Bulgarian Cup, typically a BUL1 team, also receives a berth in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the 2023-2024 UEFA Europa Conference League.

Leagues Pyramid - Bulgaria

Abbrev League # of Teams
BUL1 efbet League
(First Professional Football League)
16
BUL2 Second Professional Football League 20
BUL3 Third Amatuer Football League 71

Competition Structure

Season

# of Teams

Regular
8 Jul 2022 - 5 May 2023
Champ/Releg Rounds
8 May 2023 - 6 Jun 2023
UEFAECL Playoffs
8 Jun 2023 - 20 Jun 2023
14: BUL1 (12 minimum), BUL2 (2 maximum)

Season Format

The 2022-2023 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 Home/Away matches against the other 5 teams for 10 more matches (40 total per team). In the UEFAECL group, the 4 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 2022-2023 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 2022-2023 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...


UEFAECL Playoffs - Final

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Sun - 11 Jun 2023
 PFC Levski Sofia 20 FK Arda KardzhaliVivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov

Relegation Playoffs

DateHome Status RoadVenue
Fri - 9 Jun 2023
 PFC Beroe Stara Zagora (BUL1) 10 FK Sportist 2009 Svoge (BUL2)Stadion Ivaylo
 PFC Beroe Stara Zagora remains in BUL1 

2nd Stage

 LeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
Championship
1Ludogorets Razgrad 3526 -7-285-8127541813 -4-1434314291713 -3-142381325
2CSKA Sofia 3526 -6-384-6517481813 -4-143348261713 -2-24131922
3CSKA 1948 Sofia 3517 -13-564-5528271811 -5-238291217176 -8-326261610
4PFC Levski Sofia 3517 -10-861-4722251711 -3-33625718186 -7-52522157
5PFC Cherno More Varna 3515 -9-1154-39354178 -5-42921165187 -4-7251819-1
6PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 3515 -9-1154-353411711 -2-43524159184 -7-7191119-8
Relegation
1OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad 358 -10-1734-2843-15186 -5-7232023-3172 -5-1011820-12
2POFC Botev Vratsa 358 -8-1932-2964-35187 -5-6261520-5171 -3-1361444-30
3FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik 359 -5-2132-3059-29173 -3-11121429-15186 -2-10201630-14
4PFC Beroe Stara Zagora 358 -8-1932-3154-23186 -4-8221925-6172 -4-11101229-17
5PFC Septemvri Sofia 357 -7-2128-3152-21174 -5-8171521-6183 -2-13111631-15
6FK Spartak 1918 Varna 355 -10-2025-3265-33175 -4-8191926-7180 -6-1261339-26
UEFAECL Playoffs
1FK Arda Kardzhali 3616 -10-1058-4736111810 -4-434302010186 -6-62417161
2PFC Slavia Sofia 3617 -7-1258-373161810 -5-33521129187 -2-9231619-3
3FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia 3611 -9-1642-3749-12187 -5-6262126-5184 -4-10161623-7
4PFC Botev Plovdiv 3610 -6-2036-4149-8186 -4-82221201184 -2-12142029-9
UEFAECL Playoffs
2023-2024 UEFACL
2023-2024 UEFAECL
Relegation Playoff
Relegation to BUL2

1st Stage

 LeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1Ludogorets Razgrad 3023 -5-274-7221511511 -3-1363710271512 -2-138351124
2CSKA Sofia 3023 -4-373-5714431511 -3-136307231512 -1-23727720
3CSKA 1948 Sofia 3017 -8-559-4922271511 -2-23525817156 -6-324241410
4PFC Levski Sofia 3015 -9-654-3814241510 -3-23323419155 -6-42115105
5PFC Cherno More Varna 3015 -8-753-36279158 -4-32820146157 -4-42516133
6PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 3014 -8-850-332851510 -2-332221111154 -6-5181117-6
7PFC Slavia Sofia 3015 -4-1149-31274158 -4-32818126157 -0-8211315-2
8FK Arda Kardzhali 3011 -9-1042-33321157 -4-42522175154 -5-6171115-4
9FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia 3010 -8-1238-3238-6157 -4-4251820-2153 -4-8131418-4
10PFC Botev Plovdiv 309 -5-1632-3840-2156 -3-62121156153 -2-10111725-8
11POFC Botev Vratsa 307 -7-1628-2355-32156 -4-5221016-6151 -3-1161339-26
12PFC Beroe Stara Zagora 307 -6-1727-2647-21155 -2-8171523-8152 -4-9101124-13
13OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad 305 -9-1624-2139-18153 -5-7141422-8152 -4-910717-10
14FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik 306 -5-1923-1951-32151 -3-116827-19155 -2-8171124-13
15PFC Septemvri Sofia 305 -7-1822-2545-20152 -5-8111020-10153 -2-10111525-10
16FK Spartak 1918 Varna 303 -8-1917-2760-33153 -4-8131625-9150 -4-1141135-24
Championship Round
UEFAECL Playoffs
Relegation Round

Results

Wed - 7 Jun 2023
 CSKA 1948 Sofia 00 PFC Lokomotiv PlovdivStadion Vitosha (Bistritsa)
 PFC Levski Sofia 02 CSKA SofiaVivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov
Tue - 6 Jun 2023
 PFC Slavia Sofia 20 FC Lokomotiv 1929 SofiaStadion Aleksandar Shalamanov
 PFC Botev Plovdiv 03 FK Arda KardzhaliSporten kompleks Botev 1912
Mon - 5 Jun 2023
 PFC Septemvri Sofia 31 POFC Botev VratsaStadion Vasil Levski
 OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad 20 FK Spartak 1918 VarnaStadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv)
Sat - 3 Jun 2023
 CSKA Sofia 11 CSKA 1948 SofiaBalgarska Armia Stadium
Fri - 2 Jun 2023
 PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 21 PFC Cherno More VarnaStadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv)
Thu - 1 Jun 2023
 FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia 12 PFC Botev PlovdivStadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv)
Wed - 31 May 2023
 POFC Botev Vratsa 23 FK Hebar 1918 PazardzhikStadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv)
 FK Spartak 1918 Varna 10 PFC Septemvri SofiaStadion Spartak (Varna)
Mon - 29 May 2023
 PFC Botev Plovdiv 00 PFC Slavia SofiaSporten kompleks Botev 1912
 FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia 13 FK Arda KardzhaliStadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv)
Sun - 28 May 2023
 CSKA 1948 Sofia 22 Ludogorets RazgradStadion Vitosha (Bistritsa)
Sat - 27 May 2023
 CSKA Sofia 10 PFC Lokomotiv PlovdivBalgarska Armia Stadium