The 2017–18 Third Amateur Football League season is the 68th season of the Bulgarian Third Amateur Football League. The group is equivalent to the third level of the Bulgarian football pyramid with four divisions existing in it. The divisions themselves are geographically separated into North-West, North-East, South-East, and South-West, covering the football clubs of their respective zones. This is the second season after the reorganization of the Bulgarian football system, which saw the emergence of new competition formats, such as First and Second Professional Football Leagues.
Team changes
To Third League Promoted from Regional Divisions Benkovski Byala Spartak 1918 Botev Lukovit Yantra 1919 Gabrovo Yantra Polski Trambesh Sokol Markovo Tundzha Yagoda CSKA 1948 Elin Pelin
Relegated from Second League CSKA Sofia II Spartak Pleven Bansko Levski Karlovo
From Third League Relegated to Regional Divisions Spartak Varna Inter Dobrich Kom Berkovitsa Juventus Malchika Lyubimets Elhovo Velbazhd Kyustendil Chepinets Velingrad
Promoted to Second League Chernomorets Balchik Maritsa Plovdiv Litex Strumska Slava Radomir
a.CSKA Sofia II officially declined to participate in the South-West Third League and was dissolved.
Club movements between Third League and Second League The champions of three Third League divisions gained promotion to the 2017–18 Second League: Chernomorets Balchik from North-East, Litex from North-West and Strumska Slava Radomir from South-West. Maritsa Plovdiv joined the promoted teams as runners-up of the South-East group because champions Zagorets refused to participate for financial reasons. In return, four teams were relegated to the Third League: CSKA Sofia II, Spartak Pleven, Bansko and Levski Karlovo. CSKA Sofia II was dissolved; as a result, Svoboda Peshtera (16th in 2016–17 South-West Third League) was spared from relegation to regional divisions.
Club movements between Third League and the Regional Groups North-East: Spartak Varna and Inter Dobrich were relegated last season to regional divisions. The new teams, coming from the regional divisions, are Benkovski Byala (champions of RFG Ruse) and Spartak 1918 (runners-up of A2 RFG Varna). On 21 June 2017, Spartak Varna merged with Spartak 1918. North-West: Kom Berkovitsa and Juventus Malchika were relegated from last season to regional divisions. The new teams, coming from the regional divisions, are Botev Lukovit (9th in RFG Lovech), Yantra 1919 Gabrovo (runners-up of RFG Gabrovo) and Yantra Polski Trambesh (champions of A RFG Veliko Tarnovo). South-East: Lyubimets and Elhovo were relegated from last season to regional divisions. The new teams, coming from the regional divisions, are Sokol Markovo (runners-up of A RFG Plovdiv) and Tundzha Yagoda (runners-up of RFG Stara Zagora). South-West: Velbazhd Kyustendil and Chepinets Velingrad were relegated from last season to regional divisions. The new teams, coming from the regional divisions, are CSKA 1948 (champions of RFG Sofia (capital)) and Elin Pelin (champions of RFG Sofia (province)). Initially, Kyustendil (champions of RFG Kyustendil) was supposed to participate as winners of the promotion play-off. However, on 14 July 2017, Kyustendil withdrew from participation so the Bulgarian Football Union scheduled an additional play-off between the losers of the promotion play-offs. On 31 July, Bratsigovo refused participation so Elin Pelin was approved as new member of the South-West league.
Northeast group Stadia and locations
Team City Stadium Capacity Benkovski Byala Georgi Benkovski 3,000 Botev Novi Pazar Gradski 8,000 Dobrudzha Dobrich Druzhba 12,500 Dorostol Silistra Louis Eyer 12,000 Hitrino Hitrino Hitrino 600 Kaliakra Kavarna Kavarna 5,000 Kubrat Kubrat Gradski 6,000 Lokomotiv Ruse Dunav 19,960 Septemvri Tervel Septemvri 700 Spartak 1918 Varna Lokomotiv 1,000 Suvorovo Suvorovo Suvorovo 1,000 Svetkavitsa Targovishte Dimitar Burkov 5,000
League table
Southeast group Stadia and locations
Team City Stadium Capacity Arda Kardzhali Druzhba Stadium, Kardzhali 15,000 Asenovets Asenovgrad Shipka 4,000 Atletik Kuklen Atletik 1,000 Borislav Parvomay Gradski 8,000 Dimitrovgrad Dimitrovgrad Minyor 10,000 Eurocollege Plovdiv Eurocollege Sport Complex, Orizari 1,000 Gigant Saedinenie Saedinenie 5,000 Karnobat Karnobat Gradski 3,000 Levski Karlovo Vasil Levski 3,000 Minyor Radnevo Minyor 2,000 Rakovski Rakovski Franz Kokov 3,000 Rozova Dolina Kazanlak Sevtopolis 15,000 Sokol Markovo Sokol 2,500 Svilengrad Svilengrad Kolodruma 1,750 Tundzha Yagoda Yagoda 300 Vereya II Stara Zagora Trace Arena 3,000 FC Yambol Yambol Tundzha 18,000 Zagorets Nova Zagora Zagorets 5,900
League table
Northwest group Stadia and locations
Team City Stadium Capacity Akademik Svishtov Akademik 13,500 Bdin Vidin Georgi Benkovski 15,000 Botev Lukovit Gradski 3,000 Kariana Erden Kariana Sport Complex 1,000 Levski Levski Levski 6,000 Miziya Knezha Gradski 1,000 Partizan Cherven Bryag Gradski 700 Parva Atomna Kozloduy Hristo Botev 3,000 Pavlikeni Pavlikeni Gancho Panov 10,000 Sevlievo Sevlievo Rakovski 5,000 Spartak Pleven Pleven 22,000 Tryavna Tryavna Gradski 3,000 Vihar Slavyanovo Gradski 1,000 Yantra 1919 Gabrovo Gabrovo Hristo Botev 14,000 Yantra Gabrovo Gabrovo Hristo Botev 14,000 Yantra Polski Trambesh Polski Trambesh Gradski 800
League table
Southwest group Stadia and locations
Team City Stadium Capacity Balkan Botevgrad Hristo Botev 8,000 Bansko Bansko Saint Peter 3,000 Belasitsa Petrich Kolarovo, Kolarovo 500 Botev Ihtiman Hristo Botev 5,000 Chavdar Etropole Chavdar 5,600 CSKA 1948 Sofia Obelya 700 Elin Pelin Elin Pelin Elin Pelin 5,000 Germanea Sapareva Banya Sapareva Banya 500 Hebar Pazardzhik Georgi Benkovski 13,128 Marek Dupnitsa Bonchuk 8,050 Minyor Pernik Minyor 8,000 Pirin Gotse Delchev Gotse Delchev Gradski 5,000 Pirin Razlog Razlog Gradski 6,500 Rilski Sportist Samokov Iskar 7,000 Septemvri Simitli Struma 8,000 Slivnishki Geroy Slivnitsa Slivnishki Geroy 7,000 Svoboda Peshtera Gradski 3,500 Vihren Sandanski Sandanski 6,000
League table
References