Live Bulgarian First League TV & Broadcast Schedule

The Bulgarian First League is the top professional soccer league in Bulgaria. It's a 16-team competition that runs from July through May. The league is in the final stretch, with teams pushing for playoff spots and trying to avoid relegation.

Top teams

Ludogorets Razgrad is the dominant force in Bulgarian soccer. They've won the league almost every year since 2011. The club has a huge budget compared to everyone else and makes regular appearances in European competitions. CSKA Sofia is the traditional powerhouse from the capital — they've fallen off in recent years but still have a massive following. Levski Sofia is the other big Sofia club, with a passionate fan base and a history of success. Botev Plovdiv, Lokomotiv Plovdiv, and Cherno More Varna round out the competitive middle of the pack.

Format

The league uses a split format. All 16 teams play each other twice in the regular season. Then the top six go into the championship round, carrying over their points. The bottom eight split into two relegation groups. The winner of the championship round takes the title. The bottom two teams go down to the second division. It's a system designed to keep things competitive even when Ludogorets is running away with it.

Viewership

The Bulgarian league pulls between 4 and 5 million viewers annually. The numbers are strongest in Bulgaria and among the Bulgarian diaspora in Europe and North America. The Sofia derby between CSKA and Levski is the biggest TV draw — those games pull the highest ratings. Ludogorets' European matches get more attention than most domestic games. The league doesn't have a massive global following, but it's a solid regional product.

TV options in Bulgaria

Diema Xtra is the exclusive broadcaster for the Bulgarian First League. They show every match live on their cable network and streaming platform. There's no free-to-air TV coverage for the regular season. Some playoff games might show up on BNT (the public broadcaster), but that's rare. If you want to follow the league in Bulgaria, you need Diema Xtra.

Streaming options in the US and Worldwide

For fans outside Bulgaria, the Diema Xtra streaming platform is the best option. The service is available internationally, though you might need a VPN depending on your location. Some matches also show up on the Bulgarian Football Union YouTube channel for free, but that's not consistent. The league doesn't have a major global streaming deal, so international fans have to work a bit to find reliable coverage.

Current season

The 2025-26 Bulgarian First League season kicked off in July 2025. The regular season is winding down, with the championship round starting in April. Ludogorets is sitting at the top of the table, as usual. CSKA Sofia and Levski Sofia are battling for second place and the European spots that come with it. The relegation battle is tight at the bottom, with three teams separated by just a few points. The season wraps up in May.