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
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
PFC Levski Sofia | 20 | FK Arda Kardzhali | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
Relegation Playoffs
Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue |
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora (BUL1) | 10 | FK Sportist 2009 Svoge (BUL2) | Stadion Ivaylo | |||
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora 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 | 35 | 26 -7-2 | 85 | - | 81 | 27 | 54 | 18 | 13 -4-1 | 43 | 43 | 14 | 29 | 17 | 13 -3-1 | 42 | 38 | 13 | 25 |
2 | CSKA Sofia | 35 | 26 -6-3 | 84 | - | 65 | 17 | 48 | 18 | 13 -4-1 | 43 | 34 | 8 | 26 | 17 | 13 -2-2 | 41 | 31 | 9 | 22 |
3 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 35 | 17 -13-5 | 64 | - | 55 | 28 | 27 | 18 | 11 -5-2 | 38 | 29 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 6 -8-3 | 26 | 26 | 16 | 10 |
4 | PFC Levski Sofia | 35 | 17 -10-8 | 61 | - | 47 | 22 | 25 | 17 | 11 -3-3 | 36 | 25 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 6 -7-5 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 7 |
5 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 35 | 15 -9-11 | 54 | - | 39 | 35 | 4 | 17 | 8 -5-4 | 29 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 18 | 7 -4-7 | 25 | 18 | 19 | -1 |
6 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 35 | 15 -9-11 | 54 | - | 35 | 34 | 1 | 17 | 11 -2-4 | 35 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 4 -7-7 | 19 | 11 | 19 | -8 |
Relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | 35 | 8 -10-17 | 34 | - | 28 | 43 | -15 | 18 | 6 -5-7 | 23 | 20 | 23 | -3 | 17 | 2 -5-10 | 11 | 8 | 20 | -12 |
2 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 35 | 8 -8-19 | 32 | - | 29 | 64 | -35 | 18 | 7 -5-6 | 26 | 15 | 20 | -5 | 17 | 1 -3-13 | 6 | 14 | 44 | -30 |
3 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 35 | 9 -5-21 | 32 | - | 30 | 59 | -29 | 17 | 3 -3-11 | 12 | 14 | 29 | -15 | 18 | 6 -2-10 | 20 | 16 | 30 | -14 |
4 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 35 | 8 -8-19 | 32 | - | 31 | 54 | -23 | 18 | 6 -4-8 | 22 | 19 | 25 | -6 | 17 | 2 -4-11 | 10 | 12 | 29 | -17 |
5 | PFC Septemvri Sofia | 35 | 7 -7-21 | 28 | - | 31 | 52 | -21 | 17 | 4 -5-8 | 17 | 15 | 21 | -6 | 18 | 3 -2-13 | 11 | 16 | 31 | -15 |
6 | FK Spartak 1918 Varna | 35 | 5 -10-20 | 25 | - | 32 | 65 | -33 | 17 | 5 -4-8 | 19 | 19 | 26 | -7 | 18 | 0 -6-12 | 6 | 13 | 39 | -26 |
UEFAECL Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
1 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 36 | 16 -10-10 | 58 | - | 47 | 36 | 11 | 18 | 10 -4-4 | 34 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 18 | 6 -6-6 | 24 | 17 | 16 | 1 |
2 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 36 | 17 -7-12 | 58 | - | 37 | 31 | 6 | 18 | 10 -5-3 | 35 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 18 | 7 -2-9 | 23 | 16 | 19 | -3 |
3 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 36 | 11 -9-16 | 42 | - | 37 | 49 | -12 | 18 | 7 -5-6 | 26 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 18 | 4 -4-10 | 16 | 16 | 23 | -7 |
4 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 36 | 10 -6-20 | 36 | - | 41 | 49 | -8 | 18 | 6 -4-8 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 1 | 18 | 4 -2-12 | 14 | 20 | 29 | -9 |
UEFAECL Playoffs 2023-2024 UEFACL 2023-2024 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 | 30 | 23 -5-2 | 74 | - | 72 | 21 | 51 | 15 | 11 -3-1 | 36 | 37 | 10 | 27 | 15 | 12 -2-1 | 38 | 35 | 11 | 24 |
2 | CSKA Sofia | 30 | 23 -4-3 | 73 | - | 57 | 14 | 43 | 15 | 11 -3-1 | 36 | 30 | 7 | 23 | 15 | 12 -1-2 | 37 | 27 | 7 | 20 |
3 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 30 | 17 -8-5 | 59 | - | 49 | 22 | 27 | 15 | 11 -2-2 | 35 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 15 | 6 -6-3 | 24 | 24 | 14 | 10 |
4 | PFC Levski Sofia | 30 | 15 -9-6 | 54 | - | 38 | 14 | 24 | 15 | 10 -3-2 | 33 | 23 | 4 | 19 | 15 | 5 -6-4 | 21 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
5 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 30 | 15 -8-7 | 53 | - | 36 | 27 | 9 | 15 | 8 -4-3 | 28 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 15 | 7 -4-4 | 25 | 16 | 13 | 3 |
6 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 30 | 14 -8-8 | 50 | - | 33 | 28 | 5 | 15 | 10 -2-3 | 32 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 4 -6-5 | 18 | 11 | 17 | -6 |
7 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 30 | 15 -4-11 | 49 | - | 31 | 27 | 4 | 15 | 8 -4-3 | 28 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 15 | 7 -0-8 | 21 | 13 | 15 | -2 |
8 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 30 | 11 -9-10 | 42 | - | 33 | 32 | 1 | 15 | 7 -4-4 | 25 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 15 | 4 -5-6 | 17 | 11 | 15 | -4 |
9 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 30 | 10 -8-12 | 38 | - | 32 | 38 | -6 | 15 | 7 -4-4 | 25 | 18 | 20 | -2 | 15 | 3 -4-8 | 13 | 14 | 18 | -4 |
10 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 30 | 9 -5-16 | 32 | - | 38 | 40 | -2 | 15 | 6 -3-6 | 21 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 15 | 3 -2-10 | 11 | 17 | 25 | -8 |
11 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 30 | 7 -7-16 | 28 | - | 23 | 55 | -32 | 15 | 6 -4-5 | 22 | 10 | 16 | -6 | 15 | 1 -3-11 | 6 | 13 | 39 | -26 |
12 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 30 | 7 -6-17 | 27 | - | 26 | 47 | -21 | 15 | 5 -2-8 | 17 | 15 | 23 | -8 | 15 | 2 -4-9 | 10 | 11 | 24 | -13 |
13 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | 30 | 5 -9-16 | 24 | - | 21 | 39 | -18 | 15 | 3 -5-7 | 14 | 14 | 22 | -8 | 15 | 2 -4-9 | 10 | 7 | 17 | -10 |
14 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 30 | 6 -5-19 | 23 | - | 19 | 51 | -32 | 15 | 1 -3-11 | 6 | 8 | 27 | -19 | 15 | 5 -2-8 | 17 | 11 | 24 | -13 |
15 | PFC Septemvri Sofia | 30 | 5 -7-18 | 22 | - | 25 | 45 | -20 | 15 | 2 -5-8 | 11 | 10 | 20 | -10 | 15 | 3 -2-10 | 11 | 15 | 25 | -10 |
16 | FK Spartak 1918 Varna | 30 | 3 -8-19 | 17 | - | 27 | 60 | -33 | 15 | 3 -4-8 | 13 | 16 | 25 | -9 | 15 | 0 -4-11 | 4 | 11 | 35 | -24 |
Championship Round UEFAECL Playoffs Relegation Round |
Results
PFC Cherno More Varna | 01 | Ludogorets Razgrad | Ticha Stadium |
CSKA 1948 Sofia | 00 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Stadion Vitosha (Bistritsa) |
PFC Levski Sofia | 02 | CSKA Sofia | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
PFC Slavia Sofia | 20 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov |
PFC Botev Plovdiv | 03 | FK Arda Kardzhali | Sporten kompleks Botev 1912 |
PFC Septemvri Sofia | 31 | POFC Botev Vratsa | Stadion Vasil Levski |
FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 31 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | Stadion Vasil Levski |
OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | 20 | FK Spartak 1918 Varna | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
Ludogorets Razgrad | 32 | PFC Levski Sofia | Huvepharma Arena |
CSKA Sofia | 11 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | Balgarska Armia Stadium |
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 21 | PFC Cherno More Varna | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
FK Arda Kardzhali | 32 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Arena Arda |
FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 12 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 11 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | Beroe Stadium |
POFC Botev Vratsa | 23 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
FK Spartak 1918 Varna | 10 | PFC Septemvri Sofia | Stadion Spartak (Varna) |
PFC Botev Plovdiv | 00 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Sporten kompleks Botev 1912 |
FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 13 | FK Arda Kardzhali | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
CSKA 1948 Sofia | 22 | Ludogorets Razgrad | Stadion Vitosha (Bistritsa) |
CSKA Sofia | 10 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Balgarska Armia Stadium |