Summary
The First Professional Football League (BUL1) is the top professional league in the Bulgarian football system. At completion of the 2024-2025 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:
- 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League - 1st Qualifying Round:
- 1st place 2024-2025 BUL1 Championship Group team
- 2025-2026 UEFA Europa League - 1st Qualifying Round:
- 2nd place 2024-2025 BUL1 Championship Group team
- 2025-2026 UEFA Europa Conference League - 2nd Qualifying Round:
- 3rd place 2024-2025 BUL1 Championship Group team
- winner of 2024-2025 BUL1 UEFA Europa Conference League Playoffs
The winner of the 2024-2025 Bulgarian Cup, typically a BUL1 team, also receives a berth in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the 2025-2026 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 19 Jul 2024 - 21 Apr 2025 | Champ/Releg Rounds 25 Apr 2025 - 26 May 2025 | UEFAECL Playoffs 8 Jun 2025 - 31 May 2025 | 14: BUL1 (13 minimum), BUL2 (3 maximum) |
Season Format
The 2024-2025 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 2024-2025 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 2024-2025 BUL1 Relegation Round, the 5th and 6th place teams will be relegated to BUL2, and the 4th place team enters into a Promotion/Relegation with a BUL2 team.
More Info...
UEFAECL Playoffs - Final
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
 | 11 | CSKA Sofia | Arena Arda | |||
| FK Arda Kardzhali wins on PKs (4-2) | ||||||
Relegation Playoffs
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
 | 10 | OFK Pirin Blagoevgrad (BUL2) | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) | |||
| POFC Botev Vratsa remains in BUL1 | ||||||
 | 30 | PFC Marek Dupnitsa (BUL2) | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) | |||
| PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 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 | 36 | 25 -8-3 | 83 | - | 71 | 22 | 49 | 18 | 14 -4-0 | 46 | 37 | 6 | 31 | 18 | 11 -4-3 | 37 | 34 | 16 | 18 |
| 2 | PFC Levski Sofia | 36 | 21 -9-6 | 72 | - | 64 | 29 | 35 | 18 | 11 -4-3 | 37 | 33 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 10 -5-3 | 35 | 31 | 12 | 19 |
| 3 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 36 | 15 -14-7 | 59 | - | 44 | 30 | 14 | 18 | 7 -10-1 | 31 | 24 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 8 -4-6 | 28 | 20 | 19 | 1 |
| 4 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 36 | 15 -13-8 | 58 | - | 54 | 41 | 13 | 18 | 10 -6-2 | 36 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 18 | 5 -7-6 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 1 |
| Relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 37 | 14 -7-16 | 49 | - | 50 | 53 | -3 | 19 | 10 -3-6 | 33 | 30 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 4 -4-10 | 16 | 20 | 29 | -9 |
| 2 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 37 | 12 -11-14 | 47 | - | 45 | 47 | -2 | 19 | 7 -3-9 | 24 | 25 | 30 | -5 | 18 | 5 -8-5 | 23 | 20 | 17 | 3 |
| 3 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 37 | 13 -8-16 | 47 | - | 43 | 51 | -8 | 19 | 8 -4-7 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 18 | 5 -4-9 | 19 | 19 | 27 | -8 |
| 4 | PFC Septemvri Sofia | 37 | 14 -3-20 | 45 | - | 42 | 56 | -14 | 19 | 7 -2-10 | 23 | 23 | 25 | -2 | 18 | 7 -1-10 | 22 | 19 | 31 | -12 |
| 5 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 37 | 10 -8-19 | 38 | - | 37 | 49 | -12 | 18 | 3 -4-11 | 13 | 14 | 26 | -12 | 19 | 7 -4-8 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| 6 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 37 | 10 -6-21 | 36 | - | 34 | 65 | -31 | 18 | 7 -4-7 | 25 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 19 | 3 -2-14 | 11 | 13 | 39 | -26 |
| 7 | FK Krumovgrad | 37 | 8 -9-20 | 33 | - | 20 | 45 | -25 | 18 | 5 -4-9 | 19 | 11 | 19 | -8 | 19 | 3 -5-11 | 14 | 9 | 26 | -17 |
| 8 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 37 | 4 -9-24 | 21 | - | 28 | 64 | -36 | 18 | 3 -5-10 | 14 | 13 | 25 | -12 | 19 | 1 -4-14 | 7 | 15 | 39 | -24 |
| UEFAECL Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | CSKA Sofia | 36 | 19 -8-9 | 65 | - | 58 | 28 | 30 | 18 | 10 -5-3 | 35 | 33 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 9 -3-6 | 30 | 25 | 13 | 12 |
| 2 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 36 | 16 -8-12 | 56 | - | 43 | 43 | 0 | 18 | 8 -5-5 | 29 | 22 | 25 | -3 | 18 | 8 -3-7 | 27 | 21 | 18 | 3 |
| 3 | FK Spartak 1918 Varna | 36 | 15 -6-15 | 51 | - | 45 | 53 | -8 | 18 | 10 -2-6 | 32 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 18 | 5 -4-9 | 19 | 20 | 33 | -13 |
| 4 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 36 | 14 -7-15 | 49 | - | 41 | 43 | -2 | 18 | 7 -2-9 | 23 | 19 | 24 | -5 | 18 | 7 -5-6 | 26 | 22 | 19 | 3 |
UEFAECL Playoffs 2025-2026 UEFACL 2025-2026 UEFAEL 2025-2026 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 -4-2 | 76 | - | 63 | 14 | 49 | 15 | 13 -2-0 | 41 | 32 | 3 | 29 | 15 | 11 -2-2 | 35 | 31 | 11 | 20 |
| 2 | PFC Levski Sofia | 30 | 19 -5-6 | 62 | - | 55 | 25 | 30 | 15 | 10 -2-3 | 32 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 9 -3-3 | 30 | 27 | 11 | 16 |
| 3 | FK Arda Kardzhali | 30 | 15 -8-7 | 53 | - | 49 | 33 | 16 | 15 | 10 -4-1 | 34 | 29 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 1 |
| 4 | PFC Cherno More Varna | 30 | 14 -11-5 | 53 | - | 41 | 25 | 16 | 15 | 6 -8-1 | 26 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 8 -3-4 | 27 | 20 | 15 | 5 |
| 5 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | 30 | 14 -7-9 | 49 | - | 32 | 31 | 1 | 15 | 7 -4-4 | 25 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 15 | 7 -3-5 | 24 | 14 | 13 | 1 |
| 6 | FK Spartak 1918 Varna | 30 | 14 -6-10 | 48 | - | 39 | 38 | 1 | 15 | 9 -2-4 | 29 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 17 | 22 | -5 |
| 7 | CSKA Sofia | 30 | 13 -8-9 | 47 | - | 40 | 27 | 13 | 15 | 7 -5-3 | 26 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 6 -3-6 | 21 | 17 | 13 | 4 |
| 8 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | 30 | 12 -6-12 | 42 | - | 34 | 29 | 5 | 15 | 6 -2-7 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 15 | 6 -4-5 | 22 | 18 | 15 | 3 |
| 9 | PFC Slavia Sofia | 30 | 12 -6-12 | 42 | - | 43 | 43 | 0 | 15 | 9 -2-4 | 29 | 26 | 19 | 7 | 15 | 3 -4-8 | 13 | 17 | 24 | -7 |
| 10 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | 30 | 8 -10-12 | 34 | - | 38 | 44 | -6 | 15 | 5 -2-8 | 17 | 21 | 29 | -8 | 15 | 3 -8-4 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 2 |
| 11 | PFC Septemvri Sofia | 30 | 10 -3-17 | 33 | - | 32 | 47 | -15 | 15 | 4 -2-9 | 14 | 17 | 22 | -5 | 15 | 6 -1-8 | 19 | 15 | 25 | -10 |
| 12 | FK Krumovgrad | 30 | 7 -9-14 | 30 | - | 16 | 31 | -15 | 15 | 5 -4-6 | 19 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 15 | 2 -5-8 | 11 | 6 | 19 | -13 |
| 13 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | 30 | 8 -6-16 | 30 | - | 29 | 49 | -20 | 15 | 4 -4-7 | 16 | 13 | 23 | -10 | 15 | 4 -2-9 | 14 | 16 | 26 | -10 |
| 14 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | 30 | 7 -7-16 | 28 | - | 27 | 40 | -13 | 15 | 3 -3-9 | 12 | 12 | 21 | -9 | 15 | 4 -4-7 | 16 | 15 | 19 | -4 |
| 15 | POFC Botev Vratsa | 30 | 5 -6-19 | 21 | - | 24 | 57 | -33 | 15 | 4 -4-7 | 16 | 15 | 23 | -8 | 15 | 1 -2-12 | 5 | 9 | 34 | -25 |
| 16 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | 30 | 3 -8-19 | 17 | - | 23 | 52 | -29 | 15 | 2 -5-8 | 11 | 10 | 20 | -10 | 15 | 1 -3-11 | 6 | 13 | 32 | -19 |
Championship Group UEFAECL Playoffs Relegation Group | ||||||||||||||||||||
Results
 | 04 | CSKA Sofia | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
 | 31 | FK Spartak 1918 Varna | Beroe Stadium |
 | 22 | FK Arda Kardzhali | Huvepharma Arena |
 | 00 | PFC Levski Sofia | Ticha Stadium |
| 21 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Stadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv) |
| 01 | CSKA 1948 Sofia | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
 | 12 | PFC Septemvri Sofia | Nikola Shterev-Starika Complex |
 | 30 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | Nikola Shterev-Starika Complex |
| 02 | FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia | Stadion Lokomotiv (Sofia) |
| 10 | POFC Botev Vratsa | Stadion Georgi Benkovski |
| 12 | PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv | Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov |
| 20 | FK Krumovgrad | Stadion Vitosha (Bistritsa) |
| 00 | PFC Cherno More Varna | Arena Arda |
| 21 | PFC Botev Plovdiv | Stadion Spartak (Varna) |
| 22 | Ludogorets Razgrad | Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov |
| 21 | PFC Beroe Stara Zagora | Stadion Vasil Levski |
| 10 | FK Hebar 1918 Pazardzhik | Stadion Lokomotiv (Sofia) |
| 13 | POFC Botev Vratsa | Stadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv) |
| 01 | PFC Slavia Sofia | Nikola Shterev-Starika Complex |
| 03 | PFC Levski Sofia | Arena Arda |