Bulgarian B Professional Football Group
Encyclopedia
The Bulgarian B Professional Football Group or simply B PFG ("Б" ПФГ) is the second level of the Bulgarian football league system
, below the A PFG and above the Bulgarian V AFG
. The B PFG is formed by two groups, running in parallel (West B PFG and East B PFG, based on the geographical location of the clubs), where in each group are participating 10 teams. Most games are played on Saturdays with some matches on Sundays. The league is administered by the Bulgarian Professional Football League
.
Every season the two teams, both champions of their groups are winning a direct promotion to the first level of the Bulgarian football league system
- the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group
(A PFG), to replace the last two teams that relegated from A PFG. The two teams that at the end of the season finish 2nd in their group are participating in the B PFG play-off to win a place in the final play-off with the team that finished 14th in A PFG. The B PFG play-off is played in one match at a neutral venue. The last two teams in the two groups are directly relegating to the V Amateur Football Group
(V AFG
), which in return promotes the four champions from the four different groups.
The first champions of the B Republican Football Group are Spartak (Sofia)
(West) and Torpedo (Ruse) (East).
In season 1951 the group is only one - B Republican Football Group with 12 teams. The regulations are that in A PFG are going - the top team in the final stadings from Sofia
and the top two teams from the province (teams that aren't from Sofia).
In the next season 1952 the group is formed by 14 teams and from season 1953 the league is divided into five groups - Sofia B PFG, North-West B PFG, South-West B PFG, North-East B PFG and South-East B PFG.
In the next seasons the league had many changes. In 2000 the Bulgarian Football Union
changed the name of the division.
The league is formed by 18 teams, not like previous seasons - 16 teams. To reduce the teams to 16 again in the next season the last six teams that finish in the final standings in the league were directly relegated.
and Belasitsa Petrich
united with two teams from the A PFG - duly to PFC Velbazhd Kuystendil and PFC Hebar Pazardzhik
. So that meant, that this was the end of professional football in the towns Kyustendil
and Pazardzhik
.
Before the start of season 2005/2006 the Bulgarian Football Union
decided to devide the B PFG in two groups - West B PFG and East B PFG with 14 teams in each group. Every team playes 13 matches as home team and 13 matches as away team. The two champions of the groups were directly promoted to the A PFG and the two teams that finished in second place in their group played a play-off for winning the final third free place for the next season in A PFG. On may 19 2008 the two groups were extended to 16 teams. For season 2010/2011 the two groups were reduced again with 12 teams in each.
But just before the start of season 2011/2012 the number of teams in the two groups were again reduced. From now on 10 teams will play in each of the two B PFGs, with the winners of the groups directly promoting to the A PFG. The two teams that finished in second place in their group will battle in a play-off for playing at the final play-off for promotion/relegation with the team that finished 14 in A PFG.
The following table presents the former champions of B PFG (East and West).
Bulgarian football league system
The Bulgarian football league system or the Bulgarian football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Bulgaria...
, below the A PFG and above the Bulgarian V AFG
Bulgarian V AFG
The Bulgarian V Amateur Football Group is the third level of the Bulgarian football league system. While the first division and the second division are professional, the third division V AFG is amateur division...
. The B PFG is formed by two groups, running in parallel (West B PFG and East B PFG, based on the geographical location of the clubs), where in each group are participating 10 teams. Most games are played on Saturdays with some matches on Sundays. The league is administered by the Bulgarian Professional Football League
Bulgarian Professional Football League
The Bulgarian Professional Football League or BPFL organizes the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, Bulgarian B Professional Football Group and the Bulgarian Cup tournaments. It unifies the Bulgarian professional football clubs....
.
Competition format
The B PFG is divided into two groups, running in parallel (West B PFG and East B PFG, based on the geographical location of the clubs), where in each group are participating 10 teams. Every team must play 3 times with each other club in the group - that makes 27 matches for each team, every season in B PFG. Most games are played on Saturdays with some matches on Sundays. A team receives three (3) points for a win and one (1) point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss.Every season the two teams, both champions of their groups are winning a direct promotion to the first level of the Bulgarian football league system
Bulgarian football league system
The Bulgarian football league system or the Bulgarian football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Bulgaria...
- the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group
Bulgarian A Professional Football Group
The Bulgarian A Professional Football Group commonly known as A PFG is the top division of the Bulgarian football league system. The league is sponsored by Victoria FATA Insurance and therefore is officially known as Victoria A Football Group since 2011...
(A PFG), to replace the last two teams that relegated from A PFG. The two teams that at the end of the season finish 2nd in their group are participating in the B PFG play-off to win a place in the final play-off with the team that finished 14th in A PFG. The B PFG play-off is played in one match at a neutral venue. The last two teams in the two groups are directly relegating to the V Amateur Football Group
Bulgarian V AFG
The Bulgarian V Amateur Football Group is the third level of the Bulgarian football league system. While the first division and the second division are professional, the third division V AFG is amateur division...
(V AFG
Bulgarian V AFG
The Bulgarian V Amateur Football Group is the third level of the Bulgarian football league system. While the first division and the second division are professional, the third division V AFG is amateur division...
), which in return promotes the four champions from the four different groups.
Promotion and relegation positions
- First place (champion): Direct promotion for A PFG.
- Second place: Qualifing for the B PFG play-off.
- 9th place: Direct relegation to V AFGBulgarian V AFGThe Bulgarian V Amateur Football Group is the third level of the Bulgarian football league system. While the first division and the second division are professional, the third division V AFG is amateur division...
. - 10th place: Direct relegation to V AFGBulgarian V AFGThe Bulgarian V Amateur Football Group is the third level of the Bulgarian football league system. While the first division and the second division are professional, the third division V AFG is amateur division...
.
B Republican Football Group
The B PFG was established in 1950 when the league was divided in two groups - North and South, in each group participating 10 teams.The first champions of the B Republican Football Group are Spartak (Sofia)
Spartak Sofia
Spartak Sofia was a Bulgarian football club founded in 1947. It existed independently until 1969, when it was merged with Levski Sofia. After 1990 the club's independence has been restored. The team plays in "Bulgarian V Amateur football group". In 2005 the name is changed to "Levski-Spartak" when...
(West) and Torpedo (Ruse) (East).
In season 1951 the group is only one - B Republican Football Group with 12 teams. The regulations are that in A PFG are going - the top team in the final stadings from Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
and the top two teams from the province (teams that aren't from Sofia).
In the next season 1952 the group is formed by 14 teams and from season 1953 the league is divided into five groups - Sofia B PFG, North-West B PFG, South-West B PFG, North-East B PFG and South-East B PFG.
Second Professional Football Group
Bulgarian Football Union
The Bulgarian Football Union is a football association based in Bulgaria and a member of UEFA. It organizes a football league, Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, and fields its Bulgaria national football team in UEFA and FIFA -authorised competitions.A legal entity that it claims descent...
changed the name of the division.
The league is formed by 18 teams, not like previous seasons - 16 teams. To reduce the teams to 16 again in the next season the last six teams that finish in the final standings in the league were directly relegated.
First Professional Football League
Before the start of season 2001/2002 the league was again renamed. The championship started with 13 teams, because Lokomotiv PlovdivPFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv is a Bulgarian football club from the city of Plovdiv, which competes in Bulgaria's top football league, the A PFG. The club was founded on July 25, 1926 when two of the oldest Plovdiv clubs - Atletic and Karadzha united into a new club named Sports Club Plovdiv...
and Belasitsa Petrich
PFC Belasitsa Petrich
PFC Belasitsa is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Petrich, currently playing in the Bulgarian South-West V AFG. The team founded 1923...
united with two teams from the A PFG - duly to PFC Velbazhd Kuystendil and PFC Hebar Pazardzhik
PFC Hebar Pazardzhik
PFC Hebar is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Pazardzhik, playing in the Bulgarian South-West V AFG, the third division of Bulgarian football. The current name of the club was chosen in 1979: Hebar-the old Thracian name of the river Maritsa. This is the name that the club has borne for...
. So that meant, that this was the end of professional football in the towns Kyustendil
Kyustendil
Kyustendil is a town in the far west of Bulgaria, the capital of Kyustendil Province, with a population of 44 416 . Kyustendil is situated in the southern part of the Kyustendil Valley, 90 km southwest of Sofia...
and Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik
Pazardzhik is a city situated along the banks of the Maritsa river, Southern Bulgaria. It is the capital of Pazardzhik Province and centre for the homonymous Pazardzhik Municipality...
.
B Professional Football Group
Returning to the traditions of the B Republican Football Group was the creating of the B Professional Football Group. 16 teams participated in the league, each playing twice against all the other, once home and once away, with no play-offs.Before the start of season 2005/2006 the Bulgarian Football Union
Bulgarian Football Union
The Bulgarian Football Union is a football association based in Bulgaria and a member of UEFA. It organizes a football league, Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, and fields its Bulgaria national football team in UEFA and FIFA -authorised competitions.A legal entity that it claims descent...
decided to devide the B PFG in two groups - West B PFG and East B PFG with 14 teams in each group. Every team playes 13 matches as home team and 13 matches as away team. The two champions of the groups were directly promoted to the A PFG and the two teams that finished in second place in their group played a play-off for winning the final third free place for the next season in A PFG. On may 19 2008 the two groups were extended to 16 teams. For season 2010/2011 the two groups were reduced again with 12 teams in each.
But just before the start of season 2011/2012 the number of teams in the two groups were again reduced. From now on 10 teams will play in each of the two B PFGs, with the winners of the groups directly promoting to the A PFG. The two teams that finished in second place in their group will battle in a play-off for playing at the final play-off for promotion/relegation with the team that finished 14 in A PFG.
Former champions (from season 2005/06)
The following table presents the former champions of B PFG (East and West).
| Season | 2005–06 | Spartak Varna PFC Spartak Varna PFC Spartak Varna is a Bulgarian professional football club based in Varna, which currently competes in the East B PFG, the second division of the Bulgarian football league system.... (East) |
Rilski Sportist Samokov PFC Rilski Sportist Samokov PFC Rilski Sportist are a Bulgarian football club from the town of Samokov founded in 1947 and currently playing in Bulgarian second division. Their home stadium is Iskar Stadium.- History :... (West) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | Chernomorets Burgas PFC Chernomorets Burgas PSFC Chernomorets Burgas or simply Chernomorets is a Bulgarian football club from the city of Burgas, which currently competes in Bulgaria's top football league, the A PFG. The club was restored in 2005 by the local municipality and is the official successor of the traditions and successes of the... (East) |
Pirin Blagoevgrad PFC Pirin Blagoevgrad PFC Pirin Blagoevgrad was a Bulgarian professional football club based in Blagoevgrad.Club was founded in 1931 as Makedonska Slava . In 1948 the club joined the newly established FD Julius Dermendzhiev and cease its independent existence... (West) |
|
| 2007–08 | Sliven OFC Sliven 2000 OFC Sliven 2000 is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Sliven, currently playing in the East B PFG, the second division of Bulgarian football. The club's home ground is the Hadzhi Dimitar Stadium in Sliven with a capacity of 15,000... (East) |
Lokomotiv Mezdra PFC Lokomotiv Mezdra PFC Lokomotiv Mezdra is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Mezdra, currently playing in the North-West V AFG.Until the 2007-08 season, the team participated in either the second or the third Bulgarian divisions, but gained a promotion to the top level for 2008-09. The club's home ground... (West) |
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| 2008–09 | Beroe Stara Zagora PFC Beroe Stara Zagora PFC Beroe Stara Zagora or simply Beroe is a Bulgarian football club from Stara Zagora, that currently plays in the country's top division, the A PFG.... (East) |
Montana PFC Montana PFC Montana is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Montana, currently playing in the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, the top division of Bulgarian football.... (West) |
|
| 2009–10 | Kaliakra Kavarna PFC Kaliakra Kavarna PFC Kaliakra Kavarna is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Kavarna, which currently participates in the A PFG, the top division of Bulgarian football. Founded in 1922 as Kaliakra Sport Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur football before making a rapid ascent to the... (East) |
Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo PFC Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo PFC Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo оr simply Vidima-Rakovski is a Bulgarian football club based in Sevlievo, which currently competes in the A PFG.... (West) |
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| 2010–11 2010–11 B PFG The 2010/11 B PFG season was the 56th season of the Bulgarian B PFG, the second tier of the Bulgarian football league system. The season started on 31 July 2010 and will finish in May 2011 with the A PFG promotion play-off.... |
Ludogorets Razgrad PFC Ludogorets Razgrad PFC Ludogorets Razgrad or simply Ludogorets is a Bulgarian association football club based in Razgrad, which currently competes in the A Professional Football Group , the first division of Bulgarian football... (East) |
Botev Vratsa FC Botev Vratsa OFC Botev Vratsa , founded in 1921, is a Bulgarian football club from the city of Vratsa. The club currently plays in A PFG, the first level of Bulgarian football.... (West) |
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