| Countries | Bulgaria |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1950 |
| Divisions | 2 |
| Number of teams | 20 (2 groups x 10 teams) |
| Levels on pyramid | 2 |
| Promotion to | Bulgarian A PFG |
| Relegation to | Bulgarian V AFG |
| Domestic cup(s) | Bulgarian Cup Bulgarian Supercup |
| Current champions | Botev Vratsa (West) Ludogorets (East) |
| Website | Official – West Official – East |
| 2011–12 B PFG | |
The Bulgarian B Professional Football Group (Bulgarian: "Б" Професионална футболна група) or simply B PFG ("Б" ПФГ) is the second level of the Bulgarian football league system, below the A PFG and above the Bulgarian V AFG. The B PFG is formed by two groups, running in parallel (West B PFG and East B PFG, based on the geographical location of the clubs), where in each group are participating 10 teams. Most games are played on Saturdays with some matches on Sundays. The league is administered by the Bulgarian Professional Football League.
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The B PFG is divided into two groups, running in parallel (West B PFG and East B PFG, based on the geographical location of the clubs), where in each group are participating 10 teams. Every team must play 3 times with each other club in the group - that makes 27 matches for each team, every season in B PFG. Most games are played on Saturdays with some matches on Sundays. A team receives three (3) points for a win and one (1) point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss.
Every season the two teams, both champions of their groups are winning a direct promotion to the first level of the Bulgarian football league system - the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group (A PFG), to replace the last two teams that relegated from A PFG. The two teams that at the end of the season finish 2nd in their group are participating in the B PFG play-off to win a place in the final play-off with the team that finished 14th in A PFG. The B PFG play-off is played in one match at a neutral venue. The last two teams in the two groups are directly relegating to the V Amateur Football Group (V AFG), which in return promotes the four champions from the four different groups.
The B PFG 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 that in A PFG 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 PFG, North-West B PFG, South-West B PFG, North-East B PFG and South-East B PFG.
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.
Before the start of season 2001/2002 the league was again renamed. The championship started with 13 teams, because Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Belasitsa Petrich united with two teams from the A PFG - duly to PFC Velbazhd Kuystendil and PFC Hebar Pazardzhik. So that meant, that this was the end of professional football in the towns Kyustendil and Pazardzhik.
Returning to the traditions of the B Republican Football Group was the creating of the B Professional Football Group. 16 teams participated in the league, each playing twice against all the other, once home and once away, with no play-offs.
Before the start of season 2005/2006 the Bulgarian Football Union decided to devide the B PFG in two groups - West B PFG and East B PFG with 14 teams in each group. Every team playes 13 matches as home team and 13 matches as away team. The two champions of the groups were directly promoted to the A PFG and the two teams that finished in second place in their group played a play-off for winning the final third free place for the next season in A PFG. On may 19 2008 the two groups were extended to 16 teams. For season 2010/2011 the two groups were reduced again with 12 teams in each.
But just before the start of season 2011/2012 the number of teams in the two groups were again reduced. From now on 10 teams will play in each of the two B PFGs, with the winners of the groups directly promoting to the A PFG. The two teams that finished in second place in their group will battle in a play-off for playing at the final play-off for promotion/relegation with the team that finished 14 in A PFG.
The following table presents the former champions of B PFG (East and West).[1]
| Season | Champion(s) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–06 | Spartak Varna (East) | Rilski Sportist Samokov (West) | |||||
| 2006–07 | Chernomorets Burgas (East) | Pirin Blagoevgrad (West) | |||||
| 2007–08 | Sliven (East) | Lokomotiv Mezdra (West) | |||||
| 2008–09 | Beroe Stara Zagora (East) | Montana (West) | |||||
| 2009–10 | Kaliakra Kavarna (East) | Vidima-Rakovski Sevlievo (West) | |||||
| 2010–11 | Ludogorets Razgrad (East) | Botev Vratsa (West) | |||||
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