Bulgarian football champions are those that won the highest league in Bulgarian football, which since 2016–17 is known as the First Professional Football League, or just First League.
The first national football competition in Bulgaria was established in 1924 by the Bulgarian National Sport Federation and was named Bulgarian State Football Championship. The championship was a knockout tournament featuring six clubs that had won six regional divisions. These divisions were round-robin tournaments that included football clubs that were founded in different geographic areas. The winners of each division were drawn in pairs at random for each of the three one-match rounds. Two of the clubs qualified directly for the second round (the semi-final stage) and the other four had to play two quarter-final matches. The championship didn't finish in years 1924, 1927 and 1944 because of different reasons. At the end of the 1925 season, Vladislav Varna were the first club to be crowned champions.
The championship had many changes in its format during the years, mainly in the number of legs played in each round and the number of teams that qualified from the regional divisions. In seasons 1937–38, 1938–39 and 1939–40 the championship was reorganised to a 10 club National Football Division but it proved to be an unsuccessful decision and from season 1940–41 the division was reverted to a knockout tournament.
After 1944 it was replaced by the Republic Championship. It was organised for only four years between 1945 and 1948. The championship was a knockout tournament featuring clubs that had finished at the top of six regional divisions. These divisions were round-robin tournaments that included football clubs from different geographic areas.
CSKA Sofia have won 31 titles, the most of any club. CSKA's rivals, Levski Sofia, are second with 27. Ludogorets Razgrad are third; the team was in a streak of 14 consecutive titles, which is a record in Bulgarian football. The previous record for consecutive titles was held by CSKA Sofia with nine consecutive titles from 1954 until 1962. Slavia Sofia is in fourth place, with 7 titles, 6 of which were won before the Second World War.
State Championship (1924–1944) SeasonChampions Runner-upThird place1924Not finished1925Vladislav Varna Levski Sofia–1926Vladislav Varna Slavia Sofia–1927Not held1928Slavia Sofia Vladislav Varna–1929Botev Plovdiv Levski Sofia–1930Slavia Sofia Vladislav Varna–1931Atletik-Slava 23 Spartak Varna–1932Spartak Varna Slavia Sofia–1933Levski Sofia Spartak Varna–1934Vladislav Varna Slavia Sofia–1935Sportklub Sofia Ticha Varna–1936Slavia Sofia Ticha Varna–1937Levski Sofia Levski Ruse–1937–38Ticha Varna Vladislav VarnaShipka Sofia1938–39Slavia Sofia Vladislav VarnaTicha Varna1939–40Lokomotiv Sofia Levski SofiaSlavia Sofia1941Slavia Sofia Lokomotiv Sofia–1942Levski Sofia Makedonia Skopie–1943Slavia Sofia Levski Sofia–1944Not finished
Republic Championship (1945–1948)
Key Double winners – i.e. League and Bulgarian Cup winners.
SeasonChampions Runner-up1945Lokomotiv Sofia Sportist Sofia1946Levski Sofia Lokomotiv Sofia1947Levski Sofia Lokomotiv Sofia1948CSKA Sofia Levski Sofia
A Grupa (1948–2016)/ First League (2016–present)
Key League champions also won the Bulgarian Cup, i.e. they completed the domestic Double.*League champions also won the Bulgarian Cup and Bulgarian Supercup, i.e. they completed the domestic Treble.
SeasonChampions Runners-upThird placeTop scorer(s)Player Goals1948–49Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaLokomotiv Sofia Dimitar Milanov (CSKA Sofia) Nedko Nedev (Cherno More)111950Levski Sofia Slavia SofiaAkademik Sofia Lyubomir Hranov (Levski Sofia)111951CSKA Sofia Spartak SofiaLevski Sofia Dimitar Milanov (CSKA Sofia)141952CSKA Sofia Spartak SofiaLokomotiv Sofia Dimitar Isakov (Slavia Sofia) Dobromir Tashkov (Spartak Sofia)101953Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaCherno More Dimitar Minchev (Spartak Pleven / VVS Sofia)151954CSKA Sofia Slavia SofiaLokomotiv Sofia Dobromir Tashkov (Slavia Sofia)251955CSKA Sofia Slavia SofiaSpartak Varna Todor Diev (Spartak Plovdiv)131956CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaBotev Plovdiv Pavel Vladimirov (Minyor Pernik)161957CSKA Sofia Lokomotiv SofiaLevski Sofia Hristo Iliev (Levski Sofia) Dimitar Milanov (CSKA Sofia)141958CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaSpartak Pleven Dobromir Tashkov (Slavia Sofia) Georgi Arnaudov (Spartak Varna)91958–59CSKA Sofia Slavia SofiaLevski Sofia Aleksandar Vasilev (Slavia Sofia)131959–60CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaLokomotiv Sofia Dimitar Yordanov (Levski Sofia) Lyuben Kostov (Spartak Varna)121960–61CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaBotev Plovdiv Ivan Sotirov (Botev Plovdiv)201961–62CSKA Sofia Spartak PlovdivLevski Sofia Nikola Yordanov (Dunav Ruse) Todor Diev (Spartak Plovdiv)231962–63Spartak Plovdiv Botev PlovdivCSKA Sofia Todor Diev (Spartak Plovdiv)261963–64Lokomotiv Sofia Levski SofiaSlavia Sofia Nikola Tsanev (CSKA Sofia)261964–65Levski Sofia Lokomotiv SofiaSlavia Sofia Georgi Asparuhov (Levski Sofia)271965–66CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaSlavia Sofia Traycho Spasov (Marek)211966–67Botev Plovdiv Slavia SofiaLevski Sofia Petar Zhekov (Beroe)211967–68Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaLokomotiv Sofia Petar Zhekov (Beroe)311968–69CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaLokomotiv Plovdiv Petar Zhekov (CSKA Sofia)361969–70Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaSlavia Sofia Petar Zhekov (CSKA Sofia)311970–71CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaBotev Vratsa Dimitar Yakimov (CSKA Sofia)261971–72CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaBeroe Petar Zhekov (CSKA Sofia)271972–73CSKA Sofia Lokomotiv PlovdivSlavia Sofia Petar Zhekov (CSKA Sofia)291973–74Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaLokomotiv Plovdiv Petko Petkov (Beroe)201974–75CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaSlavia Sofia Ivan Pritargov (Botev Plovdiv)201975–76CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaAkademik Sofia Petko Petkov (Beroe)191976–77Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaMarek Pavel Panov (Levski Sofia)201977–78Lokomotiv Sofia CSKA SofiaLevski Sofia Stoycho Mladenov (Beroe)211978–79Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaLokomotiv Sofia Rusi Gochev (Levski Sofia)191979–80CSKA Sofia Slavia SofiaLevski Sofia Spas Dzhevizov (CSKA Sofia)231980–81CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaBotev Plovdiv Georgi Slavkov (Botev Plovdiv)311981–82CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaSlavia Sofia Mihail Valchev (Levski Sofia)241982–83CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaBotev Plovdiv Antim Pehlivanov (Botev Plovdiv)201983–84Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaSpartak Varna Eduard Eranosyan (Lokomotiv Plovdiv)191984–85Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaBotev Plovdiv Plamen Getov (Spartak Pleven)261985–86Beroe Botev PlovdivSlavia Sofia Atanas Pashev (Botev Plovdiv)301986–87CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaBotev Plovdiv Nasko Sirakov (Levski Sofia)361987–88Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaBotev Plovdiv Nasko Sirakov (Levski Sofia)281988–89CSKA Sofia *Levski SofiaEtar Hristo Stoichkov (CSKA Sofia)231989–90CSKA Sofia Slavia SofiaEtar Hristo Stoichkov (CSKA Sofia)381990–91Etar CSKA SofiaSlavia Sofia Ivaylo Yordanov (Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa)211991–92CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaLokomotiv Plovdiv Nasko Sirakov (Levski Sofia)261992–93Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaBotev Plovdiv Plamen Getov (Levski Sofia)261993–94Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaBotev Plovdiv Nasko Sirakov (Levski Sofia)301994–95Levski Sofia Lokomotiv SofiaBotev Plovdiv Petar Mihtarski (CSKA Sofia)241995–96Slavia Sofia Levski SofiaLokomotiv Sofia Ivo Georgiev (Spartak Varna)211996–97CSKA Sofia NeftochimicSlavia Sofia Todor Pramatarov (Slavia Sofia)261997–98Lovech Levski SofiaCSKA Sofia Anton Spasov (Neftochimic) Boncho Genchev (CSKA Sofia)171998–99Lovech Levski SofiaVelbazhd Dimcho Belyakov (Lovech)211999–00Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaVelbazhd Mihail Mihaylov (Velbazhd)202000–01Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaVelbazhd Hristo Yovov (Lovech) Georgi Ivanov (Levski Sofia)222001–02Levski Sofia LovechCSKA Sofia Vladimir Manchev (CSKA Sofia)212002–03CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaLovech Georgi Chilikov (Levski Sofia)232003–04Lokomotiv Plovdiv Levski SofiaCSKA Sofia Martin Kamburov (Lokomotiv Plovdiv)252004–05CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaLokomotiv Plovdiv Martin Kamburov (Lokomotiv Plovdiv)272005–06Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaLovech Milivoje Novaković (Lovech) José Furtado (Vihren / CSKA Sofia)162006–07Levski Sofia *CSKA SofiaLokomotiv Sofia Tsvetan Genkov (Lokomotiv Sofia)272007–08CSKA Sofia Levski SofiaLokomotiv Sofia Georgi Hristov (Botev Plovdiv)192008–09Levski Sofia CSKA SofiaCherno More Martin Kamburov (Lokomotiv Sofia)172009–10Lovech CSKA SofiaLevski Sofia Wilfried Niflore (Lovech)192010–11Lovech Levski SofiaCSKA Sofia Garra Dembélé (Levski Sofia)262011–12Ludogorets *CSKA SofiaLevski Sofia Ivan Stoyanov (Ludogorets) Júnior Moraes (CSKA Sofia)162012–13Ludogorets Levski SofiaCSKA Sofia Basile de Carvalho (Levski Sofia)192013–14Ludogorets *CSKA SofiaLovech Martin Kamburov (Lokomotiv Plovdiv) Wilmar Jordán (Lovech)202014–15Ludogorets BeroeLokomotiv Sofia Añete (Levski Sofia)142015–16Ludogorets Levski SofiaBeroe Martin Kamburov (Lokomotiv Plovdiv)182016–17Ludogorets CSKA SofiaLevski Sofia Claudiu Keșerü (Ludogorets)222017–18Ludogorets CSKA SofiaLevski Sofia Claudiu Keșerü (Ludogorets)262018–19Ludogorets CSKA SofiaLevski Sofia Stanislav Kostov (Levski Sofia)242019–20Ludogorets CSKA SofiaSlavia Sofia Martin Kamburov (Beroe)182020–21Ludogorets Lokomotiv PlovdivCSKA Sofia Claudiu Keșerü (Ludogorets)182021–22Ludogorets CSKA SofiaBotev Plovdiv Pieros Sotiriou (Ludogorets)172022–23Ludogorets *CSKA SofiaCSKA 1948 Ivaylo Chochev (CSKA 1948)212023–24Ludogorets Cherno MoreCSKA Sofia Aleksandar Kolev (Krumovgrad)152024–25Ludogorets *Levski SofiaCherno More Santiago Godoy (Beroe)182025–26Levski Sofia CSKA 1948 Everton Bala (Levski Sofia) Mamadou Diallo (CSKA 1948)18
Performances By club
Clubs participating in the 2026–27 Parva Liga are denoted in bold. Defunct clubs are denoted in italics.
Club Winners Winning seasons CSKA Sofia 1948, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2007–08Levski Sofia 1933, 1937, 1942, 1946, 1947, 1948–49, 1950, 1953, 1964–65, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2025–26 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25Slavia Sofia 1928, 1930, 1936, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1995–96Lovech 1997–98, 1998–99, 2009–10, 2010–11Lokomotiv Sofia 1939–40, 1945, 1963–64, 1977–78Vladislav 1925, 1926, 1934, 1937–38Botev Plovdiv 1929, 1966–67 AS-231 1931Beroe 1985–86Etar 1990–91Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2003–04Spartak Varna 1932Spartak Plovdiv 1962–63Sportklub 1935Ticha1 1937–38
Notes: CSKA Sofia titles include those won as Septemvri pri CDNV, CDNA, CFKA-Sredets. Levski Sofia titles include those won as Dinamo, Levski-Spartak, Vitosha. Cherno More titles include those won as Vladislav Varna, Ticha Varna. Botev Plovdiv titles include those won as Trakia. Spartak Varna titles include those won as Shipchenski Sokol.
By city
The following table lists the Bulgarian champions by cities.
City Titles Clubs (titles) Last title Sofia CSKA , Levski , Slavia , Lokomotiv , Sportklub 2025–26 (Levski) Razgrad Ludogorets 2024–25 (Ludogorets) Varna Vladislav , Ticha , Spartak 1937–38 (Ticha) Plovdiv Botev , Lokomotiv , Spartak 2003–04 (Lokomotiv) Lovech Lovech 2010–11 (Lovech) Stara Zagora Beroe 1985–86 (Beroe) Veliko Tarnovo Etar 1990–91 (Etar)
References
External links a-pfg.com bulgarian-football.com