Bulgarian Women's League
Founded1985
Country Bulgaria
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams14
Level on pyramid1
Domestic cup(s)Bulgarian Cup
International cup(s)UEFA Champions League
Current championsLokomotiv Stara Zagora
(2022–2023)
Most championshipsFC NSA Sofia (18 titles)
Current: 2023–24

The Bulgarian women's league (Bulgarian: Българска женска лига) is Bulgarian's top level league of women's football in Bulgaria.

It features fourteen teams that play a double round robin to decide the champion, which qualifies for a spot in the UEFA Women's Champions League. Because of the few teams in the country the league has no relegation to a second league.[1]

History

Pre-women football

In the 1920s, the young operetta and opera singer Mimi Balkanska became the first Bulgarian woman seriously involved in football in Bulgaria. She trained with Slavia Sofia, participated in matches as a goalkeeper of the singers against the artists, formed a team, even was a side referee at a charity match.[2]

The first demonstration women's football match in Bulgaria was played in Ruse in 1967. Again, the first women's football team in the country was officially formed there in 1980, and a year later the first inter-city football match between women's teams was played in Ruse.

Thus, the beginning of women's football in Bulgaria was officially set in the early 1980s. This happened about 100 years after the first match between women in England, which is also the modern homeland of women's football.[3]

First official championship: 1985-1990

In the 1980s there were a few arguments in the Bulgarian football community for and against the official "recognition" of women's football as a sport. Eventually the Bulgarian Football Union decided to hold the First Republican Women's Football Tournament in the 1985/86 season. According to official reports, over 10,000 female players took part in this championship, and it is suggested that this number is highly inflated. Nineteen teams, representing the various counties (now districts) of the time, reached the final stage of the tournament, which followed a complex schedule. The semi-finals of the first championship were played between Akademik Sofia and Sredets Sofia 7:2 and Slantse Stara Zagora and Dunav Ruse 2:0. In the match for third place Sredets (today CSKA) defeated Dunav with 3:1. In the final Akademik wins the first women's title in Bulgaria after 3:1 against Slantse. The names of 16 women who won the first gold medals for the state champion are: Tsvetanka Miteva, Galina Doneva, Katya Petkova, Iliana Georgieva, Tsvetanka Todorova, Hristina Hristova, Ganka Todorova, Bistra Trifonova, Diana Kalfina, Emilia Milanova, Daniela Bineva, Stoilka Ilcheva, Iliana Bogdanova, Albena Stefanova, Isabel Adjemianova and Polina Shishmanova. Their coach is Valeri Nachkov. In the next 2 seasons 1986–87 and 1987–88 Akademik again triumphed with the title. For every bigger football club in Bulgaria at that time it was a matter of honour to have a women's team. Women's football in general was on the rise and gaining more and more fans.

Grand Hotel Varna ages: 1990–2003

After the political changes in Bulgaria in 1989, as in many other spheres, there was a crisis in women's football. A huge number of teams were closed down for financial and organisational reasons. The championship shrunk to the participation of only 3-4 clubs. In this period, the absolute hegemon in Bulgaria was the Grand Hotel Varna established in the late 1980s. This team, which is owned by the eponymous hotel complex located in the Saints Constantine and Helena ressort, won 10 consecutive championship titles in the period from 1993 to 2003.

NSA Hegemony: 2003–2022

After Grand Hotel Varna sponsorship money were shrunk, NSA Sofia become absolut hegemony. LP Super Sport ended the Grand Hotel reigh and become champions in 2003. Bulgarian Football Union left the organisation of the women's league to the Amateur football league. NSA become absolute hegemony winning not only 17 conservative championships, but also the national team of Bulgaria had mainly players from NSA. FC NSA Sofia hegemony was ended by Lokomotiv Stara Zagora in 2022.[4]

UEFA push and league development: 2022–present

Following the UEFA new restrictions for women's football in January 2023, all First League teams have to have a women department playing in at least one youth or main league from 2023–24 season.[5] At this point, only Etar and Pirin Blagoevgrad were professional teams having women department, while Lokomotiv Stara Zagora and Sevlievo Ladies had male teams in amateur divisions and were part from the Women's league. Some of the First LEague teams started an youth women teams, Dunav Ruse decided to join the league from 2023. On 26 August 2023 WFC Varna was bought by Ludogorets Razgrad owners and was transformed into the woman's team of Ludogorets.[6]

2023–24 Teams

Team Location Stadium Capacity (seating)
Dunav Ruse Gradski Stadion 13,000
Enko Plovdiv Plovdiv Stadium 1,000
Etar Veliko Tarnovo Ivaylo Stadium 25,000
LP Super Sport Sofia German Stadium 2,000
Lokomotiv Stara Zagora Lokomotiv 2,000
Ludogorets Razgrad Eagles' Nest 2,000
NSA Sofia Sofia NSA Stadium 1,000
Pirin Blagoevgrad Hristo Botev 7,500
Paldin Plovdiv Paldin Stadium 1,000
Sevlievo Ladies Sevlievo Rakovski Stadium 5,000
Sportika Blagoevgrad Hristo Botev 7,500
Sofia Ladies 2021 Sofia Stadion Akademik 2,000
Svetkavitsa Gradezhnitsa Gradezhnitsa Gradezhnitsa Stadium 1,000
Rial Kovachevtsi Kovachevtsi Dimitrovets Stadium 1,000

Champions

By season

Teams in just bold indicate doubles with the Bulgarian Women's Cup.

Year Winners Runners-up Third place Top goalscorer Goals
1985–86Akademik SofiaSlantse Stara ZagoraSredets Sofia
1986–87Akademik SofiaSredets SofiaVitosha Sofia
1987–88Akademik SofiaCSKA SofiaSlavia Sofia
1988–89Sredets SofiaAkademik SofiaSlavia Sofia
1989–90Akademik SofiaSredets SofiaLokomotiv Plovdiv
1990–91NSA SofiaHebar PazardzhikLokomotiv Plovdiv
1991–92Lokomotiv Stara ZagoraNSA SofiaCSKA Sofia
1992–93CSKA SofiaGrand Hotel VarnaNSA Sofia
1993–94Grand Hotel VarnaLokomotiv PlovdivNeftochimic Burgas
1994–95Grand Hotel VarnaNSA SofiaNeftochimic Burgas
1995–96Grand Hotel VarnaNeftochimic BurgasPort Varna
1996–97Grand Hotel VarnaLokomotiv PlovdivNeftochimic Burgas
1997–98Grand Hotel VarnaPort VarnaNeftochimic Burgas
1998–99Grand Hotel VarnaTrivia BurgasNSA Sofia
1999–00Grand Hotel VarnaNSA SofiaPort Varna
2000–01Grand Hotel VarnaNSA SofiaInterport Albena
2001–02Grand Hotel VarnaLP Super SportNSA Sofia
2002–03Grand Hotel VarnaLP Super SportNSA Sofia
2003–04LP Super SportGrand Hotel VarnaNSA Sofia
2004–05NSA SofiaLP Super SportGrand Hotel Varna
2005–06NSA SofiaLP Super SportGrand Hotel Varna
2006–07NSA SofiaLP Super SportGrand Hotel Varna
2007–08NSA SofiaLP Super SportBolyarki
2008–09NSA SofiaOlympia SofiaLP Super Sport
2009–10NSA SofiaLP Super SportEvrokomet 90 Plovdiv
2010–11NSA SofiaLP Super SportOlympia Sofia
2011–12NSA SofiaLP Super SportEvrokomet 90 Plovdiv
2012–13NSA SofiaSportika BlagoevgradLP Super Sport
2013–14NSA SofiaLP Super SportSportika Blagoevgrad
2014–15NSA SofiaLP Super SportSportika Blagoevgrad
2015–16NSA SofiaLP Super SportSportika Blagoevgrad
2016–17NSA SofiaLP Super SportEvrokomet 90 Plovdiv
2017–18NSA SofiaLP Super SportEtar
2018–19NSA SofiaSportika BlagoevgradLP Super Sport
2019–20NSA SofiaPaldin PlovdivEtar
2020–21NSA SofiaLokomotiv PlovdivLokomotiv Stara Zagora
2021–22Lokomotiv Stara ZagoraNSA SofiaBarocco Sofia
2022–23Lokomotiv Stara ZagoraNSA SofiaSportika Blagoevgrad

By team

Bold indicates clubs which play in the 2023–24 Bulgarian Women's League.

Club Winners Runners-up Years won Years runners-up
FC NSA Sofia1861990–91, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–211991–92, 1994–95, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2021–22, 2022–23
WFC Varna[lower-alpha 1]1021993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–031992–93, 2003–04
Akademik Sofia411985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–901988–89
Lokomotiv Stara Zagora301991–92, 2021–22, 2022–23
CSKA Sofia[lower-alpha 2]231988–89, 1992–931986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90
LP Super Sport Sofia1142003–042001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
Lokomotiv Plovdiv031993–94, 1996–97, 2020–21
Sportika Blagoevgrad022012–13, 2018–19
Beroe Stara Zagora[lower-alpha 3]011985–86
Hebar Pazardzhik011990–91
Neftochimic Burgas011995–96
Port Varna011997–98
Trivia Burgas011998–99
Olympia Sofia012008–09
Paldin Plovdiv012019–20
Notes
  1. ↑ WFC Varna titles include those won as FC Grand Hotel Varna.
  2. ↑ CSKA titles include those won as Sredets.
  3. ↑ Beroe was named Slantse in 1985–86 season.

By city

Club Winners Runners-up
Sofia2525
Varna103
Stara Zagora31
Plovdiv04
Blagoevgrad02
Burgas02
Pazardzhik01
Notes

    References

    1. ↑ "Women's football across the national associations (2013/14)" (PDF). UEFA. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
    2. ↑ Историята на българския женски футбол
    3. ↑ Русе поставя началото на женския футбол в България
    4. ↑ Локомотив (Стара Загора) е шампион при дамите
    5. ↑ Задължително! Елитните тимове с женски отбори – ще има ли наддаване за съществуващите?
    6. ↑ Лудогорец вече има женски отбор по футбол
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