Country | Bulgaria |
---|---|
Founded | 1950 |
Divisions | 1 |
Number of teams | 16 |
Level on pyramid | 2 |
Promotion to | First League |
Relegation to | Third League |
Domestic cup(s) |
Bulgarian Cup Bulgarian Supercup |
Current champions | Dunav Ruse |
Most championships |
Beroe Stara Zagora (9 titles) |
TV partners | Nova Broadcasting Group |
Website | http://www.bfunion.bg/ |
2016–17 season |
The Bulgarian Second Professional Football League (Bulgarian: Втора професионална футболна лига) or simply Second League (Bulgarian: Втора Лига) is the second level of the Bulgarian football league system, below First League and above the Third League. Sixteen teams take part in the league, each playing twice against all the other, once home and once away. Most matches are played on Saturdays and Sundays. The league is administered by the Bulgarian Professional Football League.
In 2016, the B Group's name was rebranded to Second Professional Football League.
A team receives 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss.
The B group 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) (West) and Torpedo (Ruse) (East).
In season 1951 the group is only one - B Republican Football Group with 12 teams. The regulations are - in A Group 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 Group, North-West B Group, South-West B Group, North-East B Group and South-East B Group.
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.