The 2025–26 Bulgarian Cup was the 44th official edition of the Bulgarian annual football knockout tournament. It was sponsored by Sesame and known as the Sesame Kupa na Bulgaria for sponsorship purposes. The competition began on 11 October 2025 with the preliminary round and finished with the final on 20 May 2026. Ludogorets Razgrad were the defending cup winners but lost in the semi-finals against the eventual winners, CSKA Sofia, who won their 22nd cup in history and qualified for the first qualifying round of the 2026–27 UEFA Europa League.
Participating clubs The following 47 teams qualified for the competition: 2025–26 First League16 clubs 2025–26 Second League15 non-reserve clubs Winners of 4 regional competitions16 clubsArda Beroe Botev Plovdiv Botev Vratsa CSKA 1948 CSKA Sofia Cherno More Dobrudzha Levski Sofia Lokomotiv Plovdiv Lokomotiv Sofia Ludogorets Razgrad Montana Septemvri Sofia Slavia Sofia Spartak VarnaBelasitsa Chernomorets Burgas Dunav Ruse Etar Fratria Varna Hebar Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa Marek Minyor Pernik Pirin Blagoevgrad Sevlievo Spartak Pleven Sportist Svoge Vihren Yantrafrom North-East zone: Benkovski Isperih Botev Novi Pazar Chernolomets Popovo Septemvri Tervel from North-West zone: Bdin Vidin Lovech Kom Partizan Cherven Bryag from South-West zone: Germanea Metalurg Pernik Rilski Sportist Vitosha Bistritsa from South-East zone: Haskovo Spartak Plovdiv Yambol Zagorets
Preliminary round The draw was conducted on 26 September 2025. In this stage, the participants are 15 winners from the regional amateur competitions and 15 non-reserve teams from the Second League. The games were played on 11 and 12 October 2025.
Zagorets received a bye to the Round of 32.
Round of 32 The draw for this stage was conducted on 26 September 2025. The participants are the 16 preliminary round winners and the 16 First League teams. The games will be played between 28 October and 30 October 2025.
Round of 16 The draw for this stage was conducted on 5 November 2025. The participants are the 16 Round of 32 winners. The games will be played between 11 and 15 December 2025.
Quarter-finals The draw was conducted on 18 December 2025. In this stage the participants are the 8 winners from the previous round. The games will be played between 10 and 12 February 2026.
Semi-finals The draw was conducted on 18 February 2026. The first legs are to be played on 21 and 22 April, while the second legs are scheduled for 29 and 30 April 2026. This is a revision of the originally planned dates to avoid a clash with the parliamentary elections in April.
First legs
Second legs
Final
Notes
References