Hegemony has been stopped! The former player from Romania strikes decisively, and Ludogorets loses the title after 14 years
Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published Saturday, 02 May 2026, 21:33 / Updated Saturday, 02 May 2026 21:38
History was written on Saturday night Bulgaria. Levski Sofia officially became the new champion of Bulgaria, after a 1-0 victory over the from CSKA 1948 Sofiaa result that ends his absolute dominance Ludogorets Razgrad.
The decisive goal was scored by the former speedster Marko Dugandzic, who closed the calculations this season. For Levski Sofia, winning the title thus became just a formality, given the considerable advance in the standings.
Levski Sofia, champion after 17 years
With five stages to go, Levski needed only three points to mathematically secure the title, and the direct duel between the top two ranked teams, from the 32nd stage, was the decisive moment.
Before the game, the difference between the two teams was 11 points, with 15 left to play. Levski needed a win to definitively end the title fight, and the success of Dugandzic, the former Superliga player, confirmed the calculations.
Thus, Levski Sofia wins the title with number 27 in history, the first since 2009, ending a 17-year wait.
Levski Sofia, the first title after 17 years // PHOTO Instagram
End of dominance for Ludogorets
Levski's success also means the end of an era in Bulgaria. Ludogorets Razgrad loses the title after 14 years of dominance, having been consecutive champions from the 2011/12 season, when they were promoted to the first division, until 2024/25.
Ludogorets are currently 3rd in the play-offs, a position that can still lead to the European cups, but the pressure is huge, especially ahead of the direct duel with CSKA Sofia.
3rd place in the ranking leads to the play-off for the European cups, where the holder of this position plays against the 5th-placed team from Bulgaria for a place in the Conference League. A possible failure to qualify would mean a tough debut for Ludogorets Razgrad: absence from European cups after 14 consecutive years of appearances in UEFA competitions.
Interestingly, Marko Dugandzic, former striker of Botoșani, CFR Cluj and Rapid, scored just one day after the Bulgarian press wrote that Levski Sofia could give up his services, dissatisfied with the developments of the last two months.
