The 2022–23 First Professional Football League, also known as efbet League for sponsorship reasons, was the 99th season of the top division of the Bulgarian football league system, the 75th since a league format was adopted for the national competition of A Group as a top tier of the pyramid, and also the 7th season of the First Professional Football League, which decides the Bulgarian champion. The season began on 8 July 2022. Due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the last round before the league's winter break was held on 11–12 November. The league resumed on 11 February 2023.
Ludogorets Razgrad were the 11-time defending champions. On 7 June 2023, they won their 12th straight title in a dramatic final matchday, winning 1–0 away at Cherno More and finishing one point above second-placed CSKA Sofia.
Teams From this season, the league was expanded from 14 to 16 teams, with 12 teams returning from last season, three teams promoted from the 2021–22 Second League, as well as the winner of the promotion/relegation playoff.
The first team to earn promotion from the Second League was Spartak Varna, who mathematically secured a top three finish after winning their game against Sozopol on May 5, coupled with Etar losing to CSKA 1948 II. Spartak return to the top level after a 13-year absence.
The second team to earn promotion from the Second League was Septemvri Sofia, who mathematically secured a top three finish after drawing with Sportist Svoge on May 9. Septemvri Sofia return to the top level after a 3-year absence.
The third team to earn promotion from the Second League was Hebar, who secured a top three finish in the very last round of the Second League, on May 21. Hebar return to the top level of Bulgarian football after a 21-year absence.
Additionally, Botev Vratsa managed to defeat Etar with a score of 3–2 in the promotion/relegation playoff, thus maintaining its place in the First League.
Stadia and locations Arda Beroe Botev Plovdiv Botev Vratsa Arena Arda Beroe Hristo Botev Hristo Botev Capacity: 11,114 Capacity: 12,128 Capacity: 18,777 Capacity: 6,417 Cherno More CSKA 1948 CSKA Sofia Hebar Ticha Bistritsa Balgarska Armia Georgi Benkovski Capacity: 6,250 Capacity: 2,500 Capacity: 22,995 Capacity: 13,128 Levski Sofia Lokomotiv Plovdiv Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov Lokomotiv Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 8,610 Lokomotiv Sofia Ludogorets Lokomotiv Huvepharma Arena Capacity: 22,000 Capacity: 10,422 Pirin Blagoevgrad Septemvri Sofia Slavia Sofia Spartak Varna Hristo Botev Vasil Levski National Stadium Aleksandar Shalamanov Spartak Capacity: 7,500 Capacity: 43,230 Capacity: 25,556 Capacity: 7,500
Personnel and kits Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor AdditionalArda Aleksandar Tunchev Ivan Kokonov Uhlsport efbet IA Nataliya Ltd.Beroe Nikolay Kirov Ivan Karadzhov Jako efbet Chahov Ltd.Botev Plovdiv Bruno Baltazar Viktor Genev Macron WinBet —Botev Vratsa Daniel Morales Krasimir Kostov ZeusНовите екипи са тук! WinBet Vratsa Municipality, SportRespectCherno More Ilian Iliev Daniel Dimov Uhlsport Armeets —CSKA 1948 Todor Yanchev Daniel Naumov Adidas efbet BachkovoCSKA Sofia Saša Ilić Jurgen Mattheij Macron WinBet —Hebar Lyuboslav Penev Petar Debarliev Jako efbet Pazardzhik MunicipalityLevski Sofia Elin Topuzakov Nikolay Mihaylov JomaТи си част от отбора! PalmsBet —Lokomotiv Plovdiv Aleksandar Tomash Dimitar Iliev Nike WinBet General Broker, Money+Lokomotiv Sofia Stanislav Genchev Krasimir Miloshev Joma Betano Casa Boyana, Malizia, Intesa, VIA 2000, Club 33Ludogorets Ivaylo Petev Anton Nedyalkov Nike efbet Vivacom, HUVESEPTPirin Blagoevgrad Hristo Yanev Krasimir Stanoev Adidas 8888.bg —Septemvri Sofia Svetoslav Petrov Asen Georgiev Uhlsport 8888.bg —Slavia Sofia Zlatomir Zagorčić Georgi Petkov Uhlsport bet365 Asset InsuranceSpartak Varna Dimitar Dimitrov Rumen Rumenov Jako efbet Intercom Group Note: Individual clubs may wear jerseys with advertising. However, only one sponsorship is permitted per jersey for official tournaments organised by UEFA in addition to that of the kit manufacturer (exceptions are made for non-profit organisations). Clubs in the domestic league can have more than one sponsorship per jersey which can feature on the front of the shirt, incorporated with the main sponsor or in place of it; or on the back, either below the squad number or on the collar area. Shorts also have space available for advertisement.
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentArda Stamen BelchevEnd of contract 16 May 2022Pre-season Aleksandar Tunchev 19 May 2022Lokomotiv Sofia Ivan Kolev 23 May 2022 Stanislav Genchev 25 May 2022CSKA 1948 Nikolay KirovMutual consent 23 May 2022 Lyuboslav Penev 28 May 2022CSKA Sofia Alan Pardew 1 June 2022 Saša Ilić 2 June 2022Botev Vratsa Gennaro Iezzo Sacked 2 June 2022 Rosen Kirilov 2 June 2022Hebar Nikolay Mitov End of contract 8 June 2022 Fulvio Pea 13 June 2022Pirin Blagoevgrad Radoslav Mitrevski Resigned 20 June 2022 Petar Mihtarski (interim) 21 June 2022 Petar Mihtarski End of interim period 3 July 2022 Krasimir Petrov 4 July 2022 Botev Plovdiv Azrudin Valentić Promoted to advisor 29 July 2022 16th Željko Kopić 3 August 2022Spartak Varna Vasil Petrov Resigned 11 August 2022 15th Georgi Ivanov (interim) 11 August 2022 Georgi Ivanov End of interim period 22 August 2022 16th Todor Kiselichkov 23 August 2022Botev Vratsa Rosen Kirilov Resigned 6 September 2022 12th Vladislav Vutov (interim) 6 September 2022Beroe Petar Hubchev Mutual consent 12 September 2022 10th Nikolay Kirov 14 September 2022Botev Vratsa Vladislav Vutov End of interim period 14 September 2022 14th Daniel Morales 14 September 2022Hebar Fulvio Pea Promoted to sports director 23 September 202215th Vladimir Manchev 23 September 2022Septemvri Sofia Slavko MatićMutual consent 9 October 2022 Svetoslav Petrov 9 October 2022Pirin Blagoevgrad Krasimir Petrov 18 October 2022 Hristo Yanev 25 October 2022Spartak Varna Todor Kiselichkov 28 November 202216th Dimitar Dimitrov 28 November 2022CSKA 1948 Lyuboslav Penev Resigned 10 December 2022 3rd Todor Yanchev 13 December 2022Botev Plovdiv Željko KopićSacked 7 December 2022 10th Bruno Baltazar 3 January 2023Ludogorets Ante Šimundža 7 March 2023 2nd Ivaylo Petev 7 March 2023Hebar Vladimir Manchev 20 March 2023 15th Lyuboslav Penev 21 March 2023Levski Sofia Stanimir StoilovResigned 8 April 2023 4th Elin Topuzakov 12 April 2023Slavia Sofia Zlatomir Zagorčić 4 May 2023 7th Angel Slavkov 4 May 2023Septemvri Sofia Svetoslav Petrov 5 May 2023 13th Krasimir Balakov 5 May 2023CSKA 1948 Todor Yanchev 25 May 2023 3rd Atanas Ribarski 25 May 2023Botev Plovdiv Bruno BaltazarSacked 25 May 2023 10th Stefan Stoyanov (interim) 25 May 2023Spartak Varna Dimitar DimitrovResigned 6 June 2023 16th Valentin Iliev 6 June 2023Beroe Nikolay KirovSacked 6 June 2023 14th Veselin Penev (interim) 6 June 2023Lokomotiv Sofia Stanislav GenchevResigned 6 June 2023 9th Stoycho Stoev 8 June 2023Botev Plovdiv Stefan StoyanovEnd of interim period 8 June 2023 10th Stanislav Genchev 8 June 2023
Regular season League table
Results
Results by round
Championship round Points and goals will carry over in full from regular season.
Europa Conference League round Points and goals will carry over in full from regular season.
Relegation round Points and goals will carry over in full from regular season.
Europa Conference League play-off
Promotion/relegation play-off
Season statistics Top scorers
Rank Player Club Goals1 Ivaylo ChochevCSKA 1948212 Duckens NazonCSKA Sofia183 Igor ThiagoLudogorets154 Antoine BaroanBotev Plovdiv14 Kiril DespodovLudogorets6 Matías TisseraLudogorets127 Aboubacar ToungaraBeroe / Arda10 Maurício GarcezCSKA Sofia9 Brayan PereaBotev Vratsa9 Brayan MorenoCSKA Sofia RicardinhoLevski Sofia
Clean sheets
Rank Goalkeeper Club Cleansheets1 Plamen AndreevLevski Sofia222 Gustavo BusattoCSKA Sofia203 Daniel NaumovCSKA 1948144 Sergio PadtLudogorets135 Ivan DyulgerovCherno More126 Krasimir KostovBotev Vratsa11 Anatoli GospodinovArda8 Dinko HorkašLokomotiv Plovdiv109 Svetoslav VutsovSlavia Sofia910 Aleksandar LyubenovLokomotiv Sofia8
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Maurício Garcez CSKA Sofia Arda 3–0 (H) 10 July 2022 Ivaylo Chochev4 CSKA 1948 Botev Vratsa 5–2 (H) 6 August 2022 Elvis Manu Botev Plovdiv Botev Vratsa 6–0 (H) 5 November 2022 Kiril Despodov Ludogorets Cherno More 3–2 (H) 12 March 2023 Igor Thiago Ludogorets Botev Vratsa 8–1 (H) 8 April 2023 Tonislav Yordanov Beroe Spartak Varna 4–0 (A) 9 April 2023 Antoine Baroan Botev Plovdiv Pirin Blagoevgrad 4–2 (A) 4 May 2023 Duckens Nazon CSKA Sofia Botev Vratsa 5–1 (H) 8 May 2023
Note 4 Player scored 4 goals
References