The Bulgarian Third League will start this week-end, on the 8th and 9th of August, with a record number of teams enrolled

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which stopped the competition at the beginning of March 2020, the 2020-2021 season of the Bulgarian Third League is set to start this week-end, with a record number of teams. This happened mostly because the previous season was ”frozen” and no teams were relegated, while promotions (from the county leagues) were allowed. Therefore, there are 18 teams in three of the four groups, and only 15 teams in the North-East Group at the moment. However, this is a significant increase compared to the previous seasons.

For instance, in the Severozapadna (North-West) Treta Liga, the North-West group, it is the first time after many years that the competition starts with 18 teams. Last season there were only 14 teams which competed, while previously there were usually 16 teams enrolled.

In this North-West group, although relegation was suspended, two teams withdrew: tenth classified Kom Berkovitsa and last classified (14th), Juventus 95 Malchika, gave up and will probably enrol in the county leagues. Yantra 2019 Gabrovo, leaders when the competition was suspended and then given as finalized, promoted to the Second League. They were replaced by Spartak Pleven, relegated from the Second League after just one year.

Six new teams enrolled for the 2020-2021 season. Three of them won their county league and gain their spot deservedly: Etar Veliko Tarnovo II (the reserve team of the First League side Etar), Peshtera Galata and Levski 2007 (which came back to the competition just one year after they were relegated to the county league). The other three new teams were probably accepted for different reasons: Yantra Polski Trambesh were only fourth in Veliko Tarnovo County League, but somehow managed to earn a spot in the Third League, one year after they were relegated; Akademia Botev Vratsa is the reserve (youth) team of First League side Botev Vratsa; while Levski 2020 Lom is a new team, which seems to come out of nowhere.

In the North-West group, all the matches of the first round will be played on Sunday evening, at 6 pm local time:

Spartak Pleven - Bdin 1923 Vidin

FK Sevlievo - OFK Tryavna

Etar II - Levski 2007

Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo - Parva Atomna Kozloduy

Vihar Slavyanovo - Akademik Svishtov

Yantra Polksi Trambesh - Levski 2020 Lom

OFK Lokomotiv Mezdra - OFK Pavlikeni

Peshtera Galata - Partizan Cherven Bryag

FK Drenovets - Akademia Botev Vratsa

The 2020-2021 season will start on Sunday in the Bulgarian Third League. Photo from the match Partizan Cherven Bryag (in red) - OFK Tryavna 3-0, played in 2019. Source: Partizan Cherven Bryag Facebook page / SPL

It is hard to make any predictions, but if one takes into account the previous seasons, Spartak Pleven, FK Sevlievo and Vihar Slavyanovo seem to be the main candidates for promotion, but any surprise is possible. As usual, a larger number of teams is expected to be involved in the fight to avoid relegation, and OFK Tryavna may be one such team, along with some of the newly-promoted or admitted sides, as well as Lokomotiv 1927 Dryanovo, FK Drenovets, and perhaps others.