CSKA vs Levski Derby Rescheduled for April 13th After Easter

The highly anticipated Eternal Derby between CSKA Sofia and Levski Sofia has been rescheduled for Monday, April 13th, following a decision to avoid potential conflicts with planned parliamentary elections. The match, originally slated for the weekend, will now be played the day after Easter, according to reports from Tema Sport.

The shift comes after the President of Bulgaria, Iliana Yotova, announced that early parliamentary elections will be held on Sunday, April 19th. This prompted concerns from police officials who indicated they would be unable to provide security for official matches on both the day of reflection and the day of the vote.

both the 29th and 30th rounds of the Bulgarian First League will be moved forward by a few days. The Derby of Plovdiv, another significant fixture in Bulgarian football, is now scheduled for Good Friday, April 10th. The regular season will conclude on Wednesday, April 15th.

The Eternal Derby, a fixture steeped in history and rivalry, pits the two most successful clubs in Bulgarian football against each other. CSKA Sofia currently boasts 31 league titles and 21 Bulgarian Cup victories, while Levski Sofia has secured 26 league championships and 27 cup wins. The two Sofia giants collectively hold over 50 major Bulgarian trophies, a testament to their dominance in the nation’s football landscape.

The rivalry’s origins trace back to the late 1940s, when CSKA, then representing the army, quickly established itself as a force in Bulgarian football, winning the championship in its inaugural year. Early clashes between the two sides were particularly intense, with both the 1948-49 and 1950 seasons culminating in Soviet Army Cup finals contested by Levski, and CSKA. Levski emerged victorious in both instances, after extra time in the second final replay of the 1950 competition, following drawn matches.

Over the decades, the derby has evolved beyond a sporting contest, becoming a cultural and societal touchstone. As described in a Flashscore report, the rivalry has historically been framed as a clash between different segments of Bulgarian society – a narrative of “rich versus poor, Communists versus Liberals.” Levski, founded in 1911 by a group of students, was named after Vasil Levski, a national hero who fought for Bulgarian independence from the Ottoman Empire. CSKA, initially associated with the military, developed a different identity and supporter base.

While Ludogorets Razgrad has enjoyed a period of dominance in Bulgarian football over the past decade, the Sofia derby retains a unique significance. The match consistently draws large crowds and generates intense media coverage, transcending the purely sporting realm. COPA90 has even identified it as the 2nd Maddest Derby in Eastern Europe, highlighting its passionate fanbase and often volatile atmosphere.

As of November 8th, 2025, Levski Sofia held the edge in the overall head-to-head record with 85 wins compared to CSKA Sofia’s 68. The most recent meeting, on November 8th, 2025, saw CSKA Sofia secure a 1-0 victory, ending a nine-game winning streak for Levski. Manol Manolov holds the record for most appearances in the Eternal Derby with 35, while Georgi Ivanov is the top scorer with 15 goals. The largest victory in the derby’s history remains CSKA’s 7-1 triumph over Levski in September 1994.

The rescheduling of the derby underscores the complex interplay between sports and politics in Bulgaria. The need to accommodate the parliamentary elections highlights the broader societal importance placed on the event, and the authorities’ willingness to adjust the sporting calendar to ensure a safe and orderly election process. The April 13th date will undoubtedly add further intensity to an already fiercely contested match, as both Levski and CSKA vie for bragging rights in the Eternal Derby.