Summary
The First Professional Football League (BUL1) is the top professional league in the Bulgarian football system. At completion of the 2023-2024 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:
- 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League - 1st Qualifying Round:
- 1st place 2023-2024 BUL1 Championship Group team
- 2024-2025 UEFA Europa Conference League - 2nd Qualifying Round:
- 2nd and 3rd place 2023-2024 BUL1 Championship Group teams
- winner of 2023-2024 BUL1 UEFA Europa Conference League Playoffs
The winner of the 2023-2024 Bulgarian Cup, typically a BUL1 team, also receives a berth in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa Conference League.
Leagues Pyramid - Bulgaria
| Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
|---|---|---|
| BUL1 | efbet League (First Professional Football League) | 16 |
| BUL2 | Second Professional Football League | 18 |
| BUL3 | Third Amatuer Football League | 73 |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
| Regular 14 Jul 2023 - 12 Apr 2024 | Champ/Releg Rounds 26 Apr 2024 - 27 May 2024 | UEFAECL Playoffs 8 Jun 2024 - 10 Jun 2024 | 14: BUL1 (12 minimum), BUL2 (2 maximum) |
Season Format
The 2023-2024 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 1 match against the other 5 teams in their group for 5 more matches (35 total per team). In the UEFAECL group, each 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 2023-2024 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 2023-2024 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 | ||||
 | 02 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | Stadion Vasil Levski |
Relegation Playoffs
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
 | 11 | PFC Marek Dupnitsa (BUL2) | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) | |||
| POFC Botev Vratsa remains in BUL1 on PKs (4-2) | ||||||
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 -4-5 | 82 | - | 87 | 24 | 63 | 18 | 14 -3-1 | 45 | 58 | 13 | 45 | 17 | 12 -1-4 | 37 | 29 | 11 | 18 |
| 2 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 35 | 22 -9-4 | 75 | - | 56 | 26 | 30 | 18 | 17 -1-0 | 52 | 37 | 10 | 27 | 17 | 5 -8-4 | 23 | 19 | 16 | 3 |
| 3 | CSKA Sofia | 35 | 20 -7-8 | 67 | - | 56 | 27 | 29 | 18 | 9 -5-4 | 32 | 30 | 12 | 18 | 17 | 11 -2-4 | 35 | 26 | 15 | 11 |
| 4 | PFC Levski Sofia | 35 | 19 -7-9 | 64 | - | 50 | 30 | 20 | 17 | 11 -3-3 | 36 | 25 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 8 -4-6 | 28 | 25 | 24 | 1 |
| 5 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 35 | 17 -7-11 | 58 | - | 53 | 44 | 9 | 17 | 10 -2-5 | 32 | 29 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 7 -5-6 | 26 | 24 | 30 | -6 |
| 6 | FK Krumovgrad | 35 | 13 -10-12 | 49 | - | 45 | 45 | 0 | 17 | 10 -3-4 | 33 | 29 | 21 | 8 | 18 | 3 -7-8 | 16 | 16 | 24 | -8 |
| Relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 35 | 12 -6-17 | 42 | - | 30 | 46 | -16 | 18 | 8 -5-5 | 29 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 17 | 4 -1-12 | 13 | 9 | 28 | -19 |
| 2 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 35 | 11 -6-18 | 39 | - | 30 | 58 | -28 | 17 | 4 -4-9 | 16 | 13 | 24 | -11 | 18 | 7 -2-9 | 23 | 17 | 34 | -17 |
| 3 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 35 | 9 -7-19 | 34 | - | 35 | 49 | -14 | 18 | 6 -4-8 | 22 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 17 | 3 -3-11 | 12 | 18 | 29 | -11 |
| 4 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 35 | 9 -6-20 | 33 | - | 28 | 56 | -28 | 17 | 7 -1-9 | 22 | 18 | 24 | -6 | 18 | 2 -5-11 | 11 | 10 | 32 | -22 |
| 5 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | 35 | 7 -11-17 | 32 | - | 26 | 48 | -22 | 18 | 3 -7-8 | 16 | 14 | 21 | -7 | 17 | 4 -4-9 | 16 | 12 | 27 | -15 |
| 6 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 35 | 3 -8-24 | 17 | - | 22 | 66 | -44 | 17 | 2 -5-10 | 11 | 14 | 30 | -16 | 18 | 1 -3-14 | 6 | 8 | 36 | -28 |
| UEFAECL Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 36 | 13 -13-10 | 52 | - | 35 | 30 | 5 | 18 | 7 -6-5 | 27 | 17 | 16 | 1 | 18 | 6 -7-5 | 25 | 18 | 14 | 4 |
| 2 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 36 | 14 -9-13 | 51 | - | 39 | 35 | 4 | 18 | 8 -6-4 | 30 | 26 | 18 | 8 | 18 | 6 -3-9 | 21 | 13 | 17 | -4 |
| 3 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 36 | 12 -9-15 | 45 | - | 50 | 42 | 8 | 18 | 7 -4-7 | 25 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 18 | 5 -5-8 | 20 | 26 | 26 | 0 |
| 4 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 36 | 12 -7-17 | 43 | - | 35 | 51 | -16 | 18 | 7 -4-7 | 25 | 20 | 22 | -2 | 18 | 5 -3-10 | 18 | 15 | 29 | -14 |
UEFAECL Playoffs 2024-2025 UEFACL 2024-2025 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 | 24 -3-3 | 75 | - | 78 | 15 | 63 | 15 | 12 -2-1 | 38 | 49 | 9 | 40 | 15 | 12 -1-2 | 37 | 29 | 6 | 23 |
| 2 | CSKA Sofia | 30 | 19 -6-5 | 63 | - | 50 | 19 | 31 | 15 | 8 -4-3 | 28 | 25 | 8 | 17 | 15 | 11 -2-2 | 35 | 25 | 11 | 14 |
| 3 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 30 | 18 -8-4 | 62 | - | 47 | 25 | 22 | 15 | 14 -1-0 | 43 | 29 | 9 | 20 | 15 | 4 -7-4 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 2 |
| 4 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 30 | 16 -7-7 | 55 | - | 50 | 34 | 16 | 15 | 9 -2-4 | 29 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 7 -5-3 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 1 |
| 5 | PFC Levski Sofia | 30 | 16 -6-8 | 54 | - | 45 | 26 | 19 | 15 | 10 -2-3 | 32 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 15 | 6 -4-5 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 1 |
| 6 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 30 | 12 -8-10 | 44 | - | 47 | 33 | 14 | 15 | 7 -3-5 | 24 | 24 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 5 -5-5 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 4 |
| 7 | FK Krumovgrad | 30 | 12 -8-10 | 44 | - | 35 | 35 | 0 | 15 | 9 -3-3 | 30 | 25 | 19 | 6 | 15 | 3 -5-7 | 14 | 10 | 16 | -6 |
| 8 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 30 | 11 -10-9 | 43 | - | 30 | 26 | 4 | 15 | 6 -5-4 | 23 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 15 | 5 -5-5 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 2 |
| 9 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 30 | 11 -6-13 | 39 | - | 32 | 32 | 0 | 15 | 6 -5-4 | 23 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 11 | 16 | -5 |
| 10 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 30 | 9 -6-15 | 33 | - | 28 | 45 | -17 | 15 | 6 -3-6 | 21 | 17 | 19 | -2 | 15 | 3 -3-9 | 12 | 11 | 26 | -15 |
| 11 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 30 | 9 -6-15 | 33 | - | 24 | 42 | -18 | 15 | 6 -5-4 | 23 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 15 | 3 -1-11 | 10 | 8 | 27 | -19 |
| 12 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 30 | 8 -6-16 | 30 | - | 32 | 44 | -12 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 15 | 3 -2-10 | 11 | 18 | 28 | -10 |
| 13 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | 30 | 7 -9-14 | 30 | - | 23 | 41 | -18 | 15 | 3 -5-7 | 14 | 11 | 17 | -6 | 15 | 4 -4-7 | 16 | 12 | 24 | -12 |
| 14 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 30 | 8 -4-18 | 28 | - | 22 | 56 | -34 | 15 | 3 -3-9 | 12 | 11 | 23 | -12 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 11 | 33 | -22 |
| 15 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 30 | 6 -4-20 | 22 | - | 22 | 53 | -31 | 15 | 5 -1-9 | 16 | 16 | 24 | -8 | 15 | 1 -3-11 | 6 | 6 | 29 | -23 |
| 16 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | 30 | 3 -5-22 | 14 | - | 17 | 56 | -39 | 15 | 2 -3-10 | 9 | 12 | 28 | -16 | 15 | 1 -2-12 | 5 | 5 | 28 | -23 |
Championship Group UEFAECL Playoffs Relegation Group | ||||||||||||||||||||
Results
 | 02 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov |
 | 01 | FK Arda Kardzhali | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
 | 10 | CSKA Sofia | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
 | 31 | FK Krumovgrad | Ticha Stadium |
 | 10 | Ludogorets Razgrad | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
 | 31 | SFC Etar Veliko Tarnovo | Stadion Georgi Benkovski |
| 10 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
 | 10 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
| 01 | PFC Cherno More Varna | Stadion Vasil Levski |
| 21 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Stadion Vitosha (Bistritsa) |
| 31 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Arena Arda |
| 30 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Huvepharma Arena |
| 01 | PFC Levski Sofia | Nikola Shterev-Starika Complex |
| 00 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
| 03 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | Beroe Stadium |
| 11 | POFC Botev Vratsa | Stadion Ivailo |
| 31 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov |
| 00 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | Arena Arda |
| 40 | Ludogorets Razgrad | Ticha Stadium |
| 12 | PFC Levski Sofia | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |