kids encyclopedia robot

2016–17 First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
First Professional Football League
Season 2016–17
Champions Ludogorets Razgrad
6th title
Relegated Neftochimic Burgas
Montana
Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa
Champions League Ludogorets Razgrad
Europa League Botev Plovdiv
Dunav Ruse
Levski Sofia
Matches played 240
Goals scored 616 (2.57 per match)
Top goalscorer Claudiu Keșerü (22)
← 2015–16
2017–18 →

The 2016–17 First Professional Football League was the top football league season in Bulgaria. It was the 93rd time this important competition was held. The season ran from July 29, 2016, to June 4, 2017.

Ludogorets Razgrad won the tournament, making it their sixth championship title. A player named Claudiu Keșerü was the top scorer, scoring 22 goals.

How the League Worked

The First Professional Football League in Bulgaria had a special format. It started with a regular season where all teams played each other. After that, the teams were split into different groups.

Regular Season Play

During the regular season, 14 teams competed. Each team played 26 matches. The goal was to earn as many points as possible. A win gave 3 points, a draw 1 point, and a loss 0 points.

The top 6 teams from the regular season moved on to the Championship Round. These teams competed to win the league title. The other 8 teams went into the Relegation Round. These teams played to avoid being sent down to a lower league.

Championship Round

The 6 best teams from the regular season played more matches against each other. Their points from the regular season carried over. This meant that the team with the most points at the end of the regular season had a big advantage.

Ludogorets Razgrad was the strongest team. They finished first in this round and became the champions. They earned a spot in the Champions League, which is a big European competition.

The team that finished fourth, Dunav Ruse, also got a spot in the Europa League. This is another important European club competition.

Relegation Round

The 8 teams that did not make it into the Championship Round played in the Relegation Round. They were divided into two groups, Group A and Group B. Their points from the regular season also carried over.

Teams in these groups played more matches to improve their standing. The goal was to avoid the last spots, which meant being relegated. Relegation means a team moves down to a lower division for the next season.

  • In Group A, Montana finished last and was relegated.
  • In Group B, Neftochimic Burgas and Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa finished last and were also relegated.

Some teams from the Relegation Round also had a chance to play in special play-off matches. These matches could lead to a spot in the Europa League or help them stay in the top league. Botev Plovdiv earned a spot in the Europa League through this route.

Top Goal Scorers

Scoring goals is one of the most exciting parts of football! Here are the players who scored the most goals during the 2016–17 season:

  • 11 goals
    • Bulgaria Todor Nedelev (playing for Botev Plovdiv)
    • Bulgaria Daniel Mladenov (playing for Pirin Blagoevgrad)
    • Democratic Republic of the Congo Junior Mapuku (playing for Beroe Stara Zagora)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Primera Liga de Bulgaria 2016-17 para niños

kids search engine
2016–17 First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.