FC Rilski Sportist Samokov () is a Bulgarian football club from the town of Samokov founded in 1947 and currently playing in the Second League, the second tier of Bulgarian football from next season after promotion from Third League South-West in 2025–26. Their home stadium is Iskar Stadium.

Throughout the majority of its history, Rilski Sportist has competed in the lower levels of Bulgarian football, usually the second, or third tiers. In 2002, however, the team managed to promote to the A Group for the first time. Their inexperience led to an immediate relegation. Three years later, Rilski Sportist returned to the A Group, only to be relegated again. Since then, the club has been competing mostly in the amateur levels of Bulgarian football.

The club's nickname is the ‘Skiers’, which originates from the fact that the town of Samokov and nearby Borovets are major resorts for winter sports in Bulgaria.

History PFC Rilski Sportist was founded in 1947 after the union of a few smaller teams from Samokov. Throughout much of its history, the team competed in the second or third tiers of Bulgarian football.

In 2002, Sportist achieved its first ever promotion to the Bulgarian elite, then known as A Group, for the 2002–03 season. As expected from a newcomer, Rilski Sportist found it difficult to survive. The team managed to win only one game and finished last, thus being relegated, after just one year among the best.

Three seasons later, the team won the 2005–06 B Group, which enabled them to play in the A PFG for a second time. In their second top-flight season, they won 10 games and earned 30 points. They were the only team to win against Levski in the league in that season. However, they were still 3 points behind 13th placed Spartak Varna, meaning that they were relegated again. The two top flight seasons remain their most important achievement overall. Since then, the team has shifted between the second and third tiers of Bulgarian football.

In the second division "The Skiers" have 23 participations – 664 matches in total, with 269 wins, 139 draws and 253 losses. Their best result in the Bulgarian Cup has been reaching the quarter-finals in 1950/51 and 2001/02.

"Rilski Sportist" means "Rila sportsman" in Bulgarian.

Crest history

Honours A Group (now First League): Fourteenth place (2): 2002–03, 2006–07

B Group (now Second League): Winners (2): 2001–02, 2005–06

Third League South-West: Winner (1): 2025–26

A Regional – Sofia: Winners (2): 2010–11, 2013–14

Bulgarian Cup: Quarter-final (2): 1951, 2001–02

Players Current squad As of 23 June 2026

For recent transfers, see Transfers summer 2026.

Notable players

Had international caps for their respective countries, held any club record, or had more than 100 league appearances. Players whose name is listed in bold represented their countries.

Bulgaria Georgi Bozhilov Emil Gargorov Ivan Karadzhov Vasil Kirov

Iliya Milanov Yordan Minev Dobromir Mitov Milen Radukanov

Mihail Valchev Radoslav Vasilev Ivaylo Yordanov

Detailed season history + Results of league and cup competitions by seasonSeasonLeagueBulgarian CupOther competitionsTop goalscorerDivisionLevelPWDLFAGDPts Pos2010–11A Regional Sofia4181710866+8052 1st DNQCup of AFLR12011–12V Group336215106629+37683rdDNQ2012–1333064202871–4322 15th DNQ2013–14A Regional Sofia42020009412+8260 1st DNQ2014–15V Group33076172646–202714thDNQ2015–16332105174143–23511thDNQCup of AFLGS2016–17Third League334127155361–8439thDNQQF2017–18334106184051–113615thDNQR12018–193341310114742+5498thDNQR12019–2031825111333–201116thDNQQF2020–2133497183045–153413thDNQR12021–22338146185664–84810thDNQDNQ Petko Petkov222022–2332211383731+63615thDNQQF Radoslav Vasilev122023–24338164185861–3527thDNQR1 Krasimir Panchev112024–25336188106851+17624thPreliminary roundQF Grigor Dolapchiev222025–263TBA

Key

GS = Group stage QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals

ChampionsRunners-upPromotedRelegated

League positions

Stadium Iskar stadium is situated in the southwestern part of Samokov near the biggest park of the city – "Gradski". Built in 1972, the stadium has around 7 000 seating places, most of which are covered. The field measures 105x68 meters. The best attendance was on 31 August 2002 in the match with PFC Levski Sofia – 6 800 spectators.

References

External links bgclubs.eu