2025–26 First Professional Football League (Bulgaria)

First Professional Football League
Season2025–26
Dates18 July 2025 – 29 May 2026
2026–27 →

The 2025–26 First Professional Football League, also known as efbet League for sponsorship reasons,[1] will be the 102nd season of the top division of the Bulgarian football league system, the 78th since a league format was adopted for the national competition of A Group as a top tier of the pyramid, and also the 10th season of the First Professional Football League, which decides the Bulgarian champion. The season will begin on 18 July 2025 and will finish on 29 May 2026.

Ludogorets Razgrad are the 14-time defending champions.

Teams

As in the last season, 16 teams will compete in the league this year. Two teams were promoted from the 2024–25 Second League, and two places are for the winners of the promotion/relegation playoffs.

The first team to earn promotion from the Second League was Dobrudzha, who mathematically secured a top two finish after winning against Lovech on 11 May.[2] Dobrudzha return to the top level after a 22-year absence.

The second team to earn promotion from the Second League was Montana, who mathematically secured a top two finish after Pirin Blagoevgrad lost to Dobrudzha on 16 May.[3] Montana return to the top level after a 4-year absence.

Additionally, Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Botev Vratsa remained in the First League after winning against Marek and Pirin Blagoevgrad, respectively, in the promotion/relegation playoffs.[4][5]

Stadia and locations

Arda Beroe Botev Plovdiv Botev Vratsa
Arena Arda Stadion Beroe Stadion Hristo Botev Stadion Hristo Botev
Capacity: 11,114 Capacity: 12,128 Capacity: 18,777 Capacity: 8,000
Cherno More CSKA 1948 CSKA Sofia Dobrudzha
Stadion Ticha Stadion Bistritsa Vasil Levski National Stadium Stadion Druzhba
Capacity: 6,250 Capacity: 4,000 Capacity: 43,230 Capacity: 12,000
Levski Sofia
Location of teams in 2025–26 First League
Sofia 2025–26 First League football clubs
 Lokomotiv Plovdiv
Stadion Georgi Asparuhov Stadion Lokomotiv
Capacity: 17,688 Capacity: 10,000
Lokomotiv Sofia Ludogorets Razgrad
Stadion Lokomotiv Huvepharma Arena
Capacity: 11,200 Capacity: 10,423
Montana Septemvri Sofia Slavia Sofia Spartak Varna
Stadion Ogosta Stadion Lokomotiv Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov Stadion Spartak
Capacity: 7,000 Capacity: 11,200 Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 7,000

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Additional
Arda Aleksandar Tunchev Anatoli Gospodinov Uhlsport efbet IK Nataliya Ltd.
Beroe Víctor Basadre TBD Nike 8888.bg —
Botev Plovdiv Nikolay Kirov Ivelin Popov Macron WinBet —
Botev Vratsa Hristo Yanev Daniel Genov Erima WinBet Vratsa Municipality, Inex, Predsednik Ltd.
Cherno More Ilian Iliev Vasil Panayotov Macron Armeets —
CSKA 1948 Ivan Stoyanov Emil Tsenov Jako efbet Bachkovo
CSKA Sofia Dušan Kerkez Liam Cooper Macron WinBet A1
Dobrudzha Atanas Atanasov Georgi Argilashki Adidas Bethub —
Levski Sofia Julio Velázquez Wenderson Tsunami Adidas PalmsBet Lacrima
Lokomotiv Plovdiv Dušan Kosič Dimitar Iliev Joma WinBet General Broker Club
Lokomotiv Sofia Stanislav Genchev Aleksandar Lyubenov Macron 8888.bg VIA 2000
Ludogorets Razgrad Rui Mota Anton Nedyalkov Jako efbet Vivacom, Huvepharma, Navibulgar
Montana Tancho Kalpakov Vasil Simeonov Joma efbet —
Septemvri Sofia Stamen Belchev TBD Uhlsport 8888.bg —
Slavia Sofia Zlatomir Zagorčić Georgi Petkov Zeus bet365 Asset Insurance, SportRespect
Spartak Varna Gjoko Hadžievski TBD Nike efbet Intercom Group, Mussala Insurance Broker, 100 Tona

Note: Individual clubs may wear jerseys with advertising. However, only one sponsorship is permitted per jersey for official tournaments organised by UEFA in addition to that of the kit manufacturer (exceptions are made for non-profit organisations). Clubs in the domestic league can have more than one sponsorship per jersey which can feature on the front of the shirt, incorporated with the main sponsor or in place of it; or on the back, either below the squad number or on the collar area. Shorts also have space available for advertisement.

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Botev Plovdiv Dušan Kerkez Resigned 26 May 2025[6] Pre-season Nikolay Kirov 28 June 2025[7]
Lokomotiv Sofia Ratko Dostanić Mutual agremeent 29 May 2025[8] Stanislav Genchev 30 May 2025[9]
CSKA Sofia Aleksandar Tomash End of contract 31 May 2025[10] Dušan Kerkez 4 June 2025[11]
Spartak Varna Nikolay Kirov End of contract 31 May 2025[12] Gjoko Hadžievski 9 July 2025[13]
Septemvri Sofia Nikolay Mitov Resigned 1 June 2025[14] Stamen Belchev 5 June 2025[15]
Ludogorets Razgrad Igor Jovićević Mutual agreement 9 June 2025[16] Rui Mota 13 June 2025[17]
Beroe Plamen Lipenski End of interim spell 6 July 2025 Víctor Basadre 6 July 2025[18]

Regular season

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Arda 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Championship group
2 Beroe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Botev Plovdiv 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Botev Vratsa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Cherno More 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Conference League group
6 CSKA 1948 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 CSKA Sofia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Dobrudzha 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Levski Sofia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Relegation group
10 Lokomotiv Plovdiv 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Lokomotiv Sofia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Ludogorets Razgrad 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Montana 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Septemvri Sofia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Slavia Sofia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Spartak Varna 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 18 July 2025. Source: Bulgarian Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Head-to-head away goals scored (only if two teams); 6) Goal difference; 7) Goals scored; 8) Fairplay ranking; 9) Draw

Results

Home \ Away ARD BER BPD BVR CHM CSK CSS DOB LEV LPD LSO LUD MON SEP SLA SPV
Arda — 27 Jul
Beroe — a 26 Jul
Botev Plovdiv 4 Aug a — 19 Jul a
Botev Vratsa — 25 Jul
Cherno More 4 Aug 27 Jul —
CSKA 1948 18 Jul — 1 Aug
CSKA Sofia — a 26 Jul
Dobrudzha — 28 Jul
Levski Sofia a — 20 Jul 3 Aug
Lokomotiv Plovdiv a 2 Aug 21 Jul — a
Lokomotiv Sofia 18 Jul a — 3 Aug a
Ludogorets Razgrad 2 Aug — 19 Jul
Montana 28 Jul —
Septemvri Sofia 27 Jul —
Slavia Sofia 20 Jul a a —
Spartak Varna 21 Jul 1 Aug —
First match(es) will be played: 18 July 2025. Source: Bulgarian Football
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.

Season statistics

Top scorers

Clean sheets

Hat-tricks

References

  1. ^ "Обявиха официално новото име и лого на Първа лига" [Officially announced the new name and logo of First League.]. Sportal.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  2. ^ "Добруджа се завърна в родния футболен елит" (in Bulgarian). btvsport.bg. 11 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Монтана се завърна в Първа лига" (in Bulgarian). trud.bg. 17 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Чудото е факт! Ботев Враца надви Пирин и остава в efbet Лига" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 29 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Локомотив Пловдив не срещна трудности срещу Марек и остава в елита" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. 30 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Специалното послание на Керкез към „Колежа": В един момент ще се върна тук и Ботев ще стане шампион (ВИДЕО)" (in Bulgarian). dsport.bg. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  7. ^ "Официално: Белия се завърна в Ботев Пловдив" (in Bulgarian). dsport.bg. 28 June 2025. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  8. ^ "Ратко Достанич вече не е старши треньор на Локо (София), чака се назначението на Генчев" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Официално: Станислав Генчев се завърна в Локомотив София" (in Bulgarian). dsport.bg. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Официално: Томаш е аут, ЦСКА ще има нов треньор" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 31 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  11. ^ "Душан Керкез е новият старши треньор на ЦСКА" (in Bulgarian). cska.bg. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  12. ^ "Белия: Нямам оферти от Ботев и Спартак". sportal.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Ветеран, бивш треньор на ЦСКА, пое Спартак (Вн)". sportal.bg. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  14. ^ "Николай Митов ще напусне Септември след края на сезона" (in Bulgarian). bntnews.bg. 19 May 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  15. ^ "Септември (София) обяви новия си треньор" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  16. ^ "Официално: Лудогорец се раздели с Йовичевич" (in Bulgarian). sportal.bg. 9 June 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  17. ^ "Официално: Лудогорец има нов треньор" (in Bulgarian). dsport.bg. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  18. ^ "Берое представи новия си испански треньор" (in Bulgarian). dsport.bg. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
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