First Professional Football League
FIFA Region
UEFA
Season
2026-2027
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 2026-2027 regular season, the ENG1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play::

  • 2027-2028 UEFA Champions League - 1st Qualifying Round:
    • 1st place 2026-2027 BUL1 Championship Group team
  • 2027-2028 UEFA Europa League - 1st Qualifying Round:
    • 2nd place 2026-2027 BUL1 Championship Group team
  • 2027-2028 UEFA Europa Conference League - 2nd Qualifying Round:
    • 3rd place 2026-2027 BUL1 Championship Group team
    • winner of 2026-2027 BUL1 UEFA Europa Conference League Playoffs

The winner of the 2026-2027 Bulgarian Cup, typically a BUL1 team, also receives a berth in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the 2027-2028 UEFA Europa Conference League.

Leagues Pyramid - Bulgaria

Abbrev League # of Teams
BUL1 efbet League
(First Professional Football League)
14
BUL2 Second Professional Football League 20
BUL3 Third Amatuer Football League 64

Competition Structure

Season

# of Teams

Regular
18 Jul 2026 - 18 Apr 2026
Champ/Releg Rounds
23 Apr 2026 - 29 May 2026
UEFAECL Playoffs
1 Jun 2027 - 7 Jun 2026
14: BUL1 (12 minimum), BUL2 (2 maximum)

Season Format

The 2026-2027 BUL1 consists of a double round robin format where each BUL1 team plays Home-Away matches with the other 13 BUL1 teams, for a total of 26 regular season matches per team. At the end of regular season, the top 4 teams play in the Championship group, teams placed 5th through 8th place teams play in the UEFA Europa Conference League (UEFAECL) group, and teams placed 9th through 14th place play in the Relegation group. In the Championship and UEFAECL groups, each team plays Home-Away matches against the other 3 teams in their group for 6 more matches (32 matches total per team). In the Relegation group, each teams plays 1 match against the other 5 teams in their group for 5 more matches (31 matches 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) Fair-play ranking, then (8) a drawing.

Playoffs

Upon completion of the 2026-2027 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 2026-2027 BUL1 Relegation Round, the 5th and 6th place teams will be relegated to BUL2, and the 4th place team will enter into a Promotion/Relegation playoff match with the 3rd place BUL2 teams.


More Info...


1st Stage

 LeagueHomeRoad
POSMPW - D - LPTSCPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGDMPW - D - LPTSGFGAGD
1CSKA 1948 Sofia 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
2CSKA Sofia 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
3FC Dunav Ruse 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
4FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
5FK Arda Kardzhali 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
6FK Spartak 1918 Varna 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
7Ludogorets Razgrad 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
8PFC Botev Plovdiv 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
9PFC Cherno More Varna 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
10PFC Levski Sofia 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
11PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
12PFC Septemvri Sofia 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
13PFC Slavia Sofia 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
14POFC Botev Vratsa 00 -0-00-00000 -0-0000000 -0-00000
Championship Group
UEFAECL Playoffs
Relegation Group

Fixtures

Sat - 18 Jul 2026
 PFC Botev Plovdiv   FC Lokomotiv 1929 SofiaStadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv)
 PFC Levski Sofia   FC Dunav RuseStadion Georgi Asparuhov
 PFC Slavia Sofia   CSKA SofiaStadion Aleksandar Shalamanov
 PFC Septemvri Sofia   FK Arda KardzhaliStadion Lokomotiv (Sofia)
 POFC Botev Vratsa   PFC Cherno More VarnaStadion Hristo Botev (Vratsa)
 FK Spartak 1918 Varna   CSKA 1948 SofiaStadion Spartak (Varna)
Sat - 25 Jul 2026
 FC Dunav Ruse   Ludogorets RazgradGradski stadion (Ruse)
 CSKA Sofia   PFC Botev PlovdivStadion Vasil Levski
 PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv   PFC Septemvri SofiaStadion Lokomotiv (Plovdiv)
 FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia   PFC Levski SofiaStadion Lokomotiv (Sofia)
 CSKA 1948 Sofia   POFC Botev VratsaStadion Bistritsa
Sat - 1 Aug 2026
 PFC Botev Plovdiv   PFC Cherno More VarnaStadion Hristo Botev (Plovdiv)
 PFC Levski Sofia   PFC Septemvri SofiaStadion Georgi Asparuhov
 CSKA Sofia   FC Dunav RuseStadion Vasil Levski
 PFC Slavia Sofia   FC Lokomotiv 1929 SofiaStadion Aleksandar Shalamanov
 CSKA 1948 Sofia   FK Arda KardzhaliStadion Bistritsa