National Basketball League (Bulgaria)

The National Basketball League (NBL) (in Bulgarian: Националната баскетболна лига) is the highest professional basketball league in Bulgaria. The current league was founded in 2008, although the first tier level exists since 1942 and was previously called the Bulgarian A Division. The games in the NBL are played under FIBA rules. The most successful team in NBL history is PBC Academic, that has won 26 national titles.

National Basketball League

Founded	1942
First season	1942–43
Country	Bulgaria
Confederation	FIBA Europe
Number of teams	9
Level on pyramid	1
Domestic cup(s)	Bulgarian Cup
Current champions	Balkan Botevgrad (5th title) (2018–19)
Most championships	PBC Academic (26 titles)
Website	nbl.basketball.bg
2020–21 NBL Season

Current teams

Club	Last season	Arena	Location	Capacity
Academic Plovdiv	5th	Kolodruma	Plovdiv	6,100
Balkan Botevgrad	1st	Arena Botevgrad	Botevgrad	4,500
Beroe	4th	Municipal Hall	Stara Zagora	1,000
Cherno More Ticha	8th	Hristo Borisov	Varna	1,000
Chernomorets	7th	Boycho Branzov	Burgas	1,000
Levski Lukoil	2nd	Universiada Hall	Sofia	4,000
Rilski Sportist	3rd	Arena Samokov	Samokov	2,500
Spartak Pleven	9th	Balkanstroy	Pleven	1,200
Yambol	10th	Diana	Yambol	3,000

Title holders

1942–42 Levski Sofia 1943–43 JSK Sofia 1945–45 PSK Levski '45 1946–46 PSK Levski '45 1947–47 PSK Levski '45 1947–48 Lokomotiv Sofia 1948–49 CDNV Sofia 1949–50 Narodna voiska Sofia 1950–51 CDNV Sofia 1951–52 Udarnik Sofia 1952–53 Udarnik Sofia 1953–54 Spartak Sofia 1954–55 Lokomotiv Sofia 1955–56 Spartak Sofia 1956–57 Academic 1957–58 Academic 1958–59 Academic 1959–60 Spartak Sofia 1960–61 Lokomotiv Sofia 1961–62 Spartak Sofia 1962–63 Academic 1963–64 Lokomotiv Sofia 1964–65 CSKA Cherveno zname 1965–66 Lokomotiv Sofia 1966–67 CSKA Cherveno zname 1967–68 Academic

1968–69 Academic 1969–70 Academic 1970–71 Academic 1971–72 Academic 1972–73 Academic 1973–74 Balkan Botevgrad 1974–75 Academic 1975–76 Academic 1976–77 CSKA Septemvriisko zname 1977–78 Levski-Spartak 1978–79 Levski-Spartak 1979–80 CSKA Sofia 1980–81 Levski-Spartak 1981–82 Levski-Spartak 1982–83 CSKA Sofia 1983–84 CSKA Sofia 1984–85 Akademik Varna 1985–86 Levski-Spartak 1986–87 Balkan Botevgrad 1987–88 Balkan Botevgrad 1988–89 Balkan Botevgrad 1989–90 CSKA Sofia 1990–91 CSKA Sofia 1991–92 CSKA Sofia 1992–93 Levski Sofia 1993–94 Levski Sofia

1994–95 Spartak Pleven 1995–96 Spartak Pleven 1996–97 Slavia Sofia 1997–98 Cherno More Varna 1998–99 Cherno More Varna 1999–00 Levski Sofia 2000–01 Levski Sofia 2001–02 Yambolgas 2002–03 Lukoil Academic 2003–04 Lukoil Academic 2004–05 Lukoil Academic 2005–06 Lukoil Academic 2006–07 Lukoil Academic 2007–08 Lukoil Academic 2008–09 Lukoil Academic 2009–10 Lukoil Academic 2010–11 Lukoil Academic 2011–12 Lukoil Academic 2012–13 Lukoil Academic 2013–14 Levski Sofia 2014–15 Lukoil Academic 2015–16 Lukoil Academic 2016–17 Lukoil Academic 2017–18 Levski Sofia 2018–19 Balkan Botevgrad 2019-20 Abandoned

Titles by Club

Academic: 26

• 1957, 1958, 1959, 1963, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017

Levski Sofia: 19

• 1942, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1954, 1956, 1960, 1962, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2014, 2018

CSKA Sofia: 12

• 1949, 1950, 1951, 1965, 1967, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1992

Lokomotiv Sofia: 6

• 1943, 1948, 1955, 1961, 1964, 1966

Balkan Botevgrad: 5

• 1974, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2019

Slavia Sofia: 3

• 1952, 1953, 1997

Cherno More Port Varna: 3

• 1985, 1998, 1999

Spartak Pleven: 2

• 1995, 1996

Yambol: 1

• 2002

Latest finals

Season	Champions	Score	Runners-Up
2000–01	Levski	3–0	Yambol
2001–02	Yambol	3–0	Lukoil Academic
2002–03	Lukoil Academic	3–0	Levski
2003–04	Lukoil Academic	3–0	CSKA
2004–05	Lukoil Academic	3–0	CSKA
2005–06	Lukoil Academic	3–0	Cherno More
2006–07	Lukoil Academic	3–0	CSKA
2007–08	Lukoil Academic	3–0	Balkan
2008–09	Lukoil Academic	3–1	Cherno More
2009–10	Lukoil Academic	3–1	Levski
2010–11	Lukoil Academic	3–0	Levski
2011–12	Lukoil Academic	3–0	Levski
2012–13	Lukoil Academic	3–2	Levski
2013–14	Levski	3–2	Lukoil Academic
2014–15	Lukoil Academic	3–2	Balkan
2015–16	Lukoil Academic	3–0	Balkan
2016–17	Lukoil Academic	3–1	Beroe
2017–18	Levski	3–1	Balkan
2018–19	Balkan	3–1	Levski

External links

• bgbasket.com
• Official Website
• Eurobasket.com League Page