14 teams will compete in the Bulgarian Third League - North-West Group (Severozapadna Treta Liga) to start on 11 August 2019

Last week, the Executive Committee of the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) - Veliko Tarnovo centre announced the fixtures for the Bulgarian Third League (Treta Liga) - North-West (Severozapadna) Group, to start on the 11th of August 2019.

14 teams will compete this season, two less compared to the previous season. This is first due to the fact that Spartak Pleven promoted to the Second Professional League (Vtora Liga) but no team has been relegated to the Third League - North-West; second, because Botev Lukovit withdrew before the start of the competition; and third, because the two teams relegated to the regional leagues have been replaced by exactly two other teams from the regional leagues, although the number could have been higher. The main event of the summer break was the merger of Yantra Gabrovo (second place last year), Yantra 1919 Gabrovo (winners of Gabrovo regional league) and Chardafon Gabrovo (fifth classified in Gabrovo regional league) to form a single strong team in Gabrovo, named Yantra 2019. They are also the main favorites for promotion.

In the lower part of the table, the teams involved in the fight against relegation might be Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo and OFK Tryavna, which just escaped last season, as well as the newly-promoted FK Drenovets and Juventus 95 Malchika. All teams which finished in the lower half of the table last year might also become candidates for relegation.

Team changes from 2018-2019

To the Treta Liga – North-West Group

Promoted from the regional leagues

FK Drenovets (2^nd place in Vidin regional league)

Juventus 95 Malchika (2^nd place in Pleven regional league)

Merger

Yantra 2019 Gabrovo – resulted from the merger of Yantra Gabrovo (2^nd place last year), Yantra 1919 Gabrovo (winners of Gabrovo regional league) and Chardafon Gabrovo (5^th place in Gabrovo regional league). It replaces Yantra Gabrovo.

From the Treta Liga – North-West Group

Promoted to the 2. Liga

Spartak Pleven

Relegated to the 4. Liga

OFK Levski 2007

FK Yantra Polski Trambesh

Withdrawn

Botev Lukovit – 10^th last season – withdrew before the start of the season for financial reasons

Teams

Team	Home town	Stadium	Capacity	2018-2019
Yantra 2019	Gabrovo	Hristo Botev	14000	2nd in Treta Liga -NW
FK Sevlievo	Sevlievo	Rakovski	8816	3rd in Treta Liga - NW
Vihar	Slavyanovo	Gradski	1000	4th in Treta Liga - NW
OFK Pavlikeni	Pavlikeni	Gancho Panov	10000	5th in Treta Liga - NW
OFK Akademik	Svishtov	Akademik	13500	6th in Treta Liga - NW
Bdin 1923	Vidin	Georgi Benkovski	15000	7th in Treta Liga - NW
FK Partizan	Cherven Bryag	Gradski	1500	8th in Treta Liga - NW
Parva Atomna	Kozloduy	Hristo Botev	3000	9th in Treta Liga - NW
OFK Kom	Berkovitsa	Mramor	6000	11th in Treta Liga-NW
OFK Lokomotiv	Mezdra	Lokomotiv	5000	12th in Treta Liga-NW
OFK Tryavna	Tryavna	Angel Kanchev	3000	13th in Treta Liga-NW
Lokomotiv 1927	Dryanovo	Lokomotiv	3500	14th in Treta Liga-NW
FK Drenovets	Drenovets	Drenovets	2000	2nd in Vidin League (promoted)
Juventus 95	Malchika	Georgi Karchev	1000	2nd in Pleven League (promoted)

OFK Tryavna will have a difficult start of the season. In the first round, they will play away to FK Sevlievo, third last season, and probably one of the contenders for promotion this year. In the second round, they will play at home against OFK Pavlikeni, another strong team, fifth last year, which they have already met recently in a friendly game, which OFK Pavlikeni won 2-1 in Tryavna. In the third round, they will play away again, this time to OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra.

The full fixtures for the first three rounds:

Round 1 (11 August 2019)

Akademik Svishtov – Kom Berkovitsa

FK Sevlievo – OFK Tryavna

OFK Pavlikeni – Bdin 1923 Vidin

OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra – Parva Atomna Kozloduy

Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo – Partizan Cherven Bryag

FK Drenovets – Vihar Slavyanovo

Yantra 2019 Gabrovo – Juventus 95 Malchika

Round 2 (18 August 2019)

Kom Berkovitsa – Juventus 95 Malchika

Vihar Slavyanovo – Yantra 2019 Gabrovo

Partizan Cherven Bryag – FK Drenovets

Parva Atomna Kozloduy – Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo

Bdin 1923 Vidin – OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra

OFK Tryavna – OFK Pavlikeni

Akademik Svishtov – FK Sevlievo

Round 3 (25 August 2019)

FK Sevlievo – Kom Berkovitsa

OFK Pavlikeni – Akademik Svishtov

OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra – OFK Tryavna

Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo – Bdin 1923 Vidin

FK Drenovets – Parva Atomna Kozloduy

Yantra 2019 Gabrovo – Partizan Cherven Bryag

Juventus 95 Malchika – Vihar Slavyanovo