2021–22 Bulgarian Cup

Football tournament season

The 2021–22 Bulgarian Cup was the 40th 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.^[1] The competition began on 4 September 2021 with the preliminary round and finished with the final on 15 May 2022.^[2] CSKA Sofia were the defending cup winners. They reached the final for 3rd consecutive time, but lost to Levski Sofia, who won the cup for a record 26th time and also qualified for the second qualifying round of the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League.

Participating clubs

The following 47 teams qualified for the competition:^[3]

Matches

Preliminary round

The draw was conducted on 27 August 2021.^[4] The games were played between 4 and 8 September 2021.^[5] In this stage participated 16 winners from the regional amateur competitions and 17 non-reserve teams from Second League. During the draw, Rozova Dolina Kazanlak, Septemvri Simitli and Septemvri Sofia received a bye to the Round of 32.

Dunav Ruse (III) v Maritsa Plovdiv (II)

Chernomorets Balchik (III) v Minyor Pernik (II)

Nadezhda Dobroslavtsi (III) v Spartak Varna (II)

Septemvri Tervel (III) v Yantra Gabrovo (II)

Vitosha Bistritsa (III) v Hebar Pazardzhik (II)

Yambol (III) v Strumska Slava Radomir (II)

Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa (III) v Neftochimic Burgas (II)

Balkan Botevgrad (III) v Etar Veliko Tarnovo (II)

Bansko (III) v Sozopol (II)

Chernolomets Popovo (III) v Marek Dupnitsa (II)

Krumovgrad (III) v Litex Lovech (II)

Lokomotiv Mezdra (III) v Montana (II)

Partizan Cherven Bryag (III) v Levski Lom (II)

Rodopa Smolyan (III) v Dobrudzha Dobrich (II)

Sevlievo (III) v Sportist Svoge (II)

Round of 32

The draw was conducted on 27 August 2021.^[4] The games were played between 21 and 23 September 2021.^[6][7][8] In this stage participated the 15 winners from the first round, the three byes, as well as the 14 teams from First League.

Rodopa Smolyan (III) v Lokomotiv Plovdiv (I)

Krumovgrad (III) v Tsarsko Selo Sofia (I)

Rozova Dolina Kazanlak (III) v Beroe Stara Zagora (I)

Yambol (III) v Arda Kardzhali (I)

Montana (II) v CSKA 1948 Sofia (I)

Etar Veliko Tarnovo (II) v Botev Plovdiv (I)

Marek Dupnitsa (II) v Levski Sofia (I)

Bansko (III) v Pirin Blagoevgrad (I)

Septemvri Tervel (III) v Septemvri Simitli (II)

Sportist Svoge (II) v Septemvri Sofia (II)

Hebar Pazardzhik (II) v CSKA Sofia (I)

Minyor Pernik (II) v Cherno More Varna (I)

Maritsa Plovdiv (II) v Slavia Sofia (I)

Spartak Varna (II) v Ludogorets Razgrad (I)

Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa (III) v Botev Vratsa (I)

Levski Lom (II) v Lokomotiv Sofia (I)

Round of 16

The draw was conducted on 23 September 2021.^[12] The games were played between 26 October and 17 November 2021.^[11] In this stage the participants are the 16 winners from the previous round.

Lokomotiv Sofia (I) v Lokomotiv Plovdiv (I)

Levski Sofia (I) v Septemvri Simitli (II)

Slavia Sofia (I) v Pirin Blagoevgrad (I)

Beroe Stara Zagora (I) v Cherno More Varna (I)

Septemvri Sofia (II) v Etar Veliko Tarnovo (II)

Ludogorets Razgrad (I) v Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa (III)

CSKA Sofia (I) v Arda Kardzhali (I)

Krumovgrad (III) v Montana (II)

Quarter-finals

The draw was conducted on 28 October 2021.^[13] The games were played between 1 and 3 March 2022.^[14] In this stage the participants are the 8 winners from the previous round.

CSKA Sofia (I) v Lokomotiv Plovdiv (I)

Montana (II) v Ludogorets Razgrad (I)

Septemvri Sofia (II) v Levski Sofia (I)

Slavia Sofia (I) v Beroe Stara Zagora (I)

Semi-finals

The draw was conducted on 4 March 2022.^[18] The first legs should be played on 12 and 13 April,^[19] while the second legs are scheduled for 21 and 22 April 2022.^[20] Contrary to the generally accepted regulations in European football, the away goals rule will apply.

First legs

Slavia Sofia v CSKA Sofia

Ludogorets Razgrad v Levski Sofia

Second legs

CSKA Sofia v Slavia Sofia

Levski Sofia v Ludogorets Razgrad

Final

15 May 2022

17:00 EEST

Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia

Attendance: 40,600

Referee: Nikola Popov (Sofia)

Bracket

Top goalscorers

As of 15 May 2022

Notes

1. Hebar plays their first round home match at Stadion Balgarska Armia, Sofia, instead of their regular stadium Stadion Georgi Benkovski in Pazardzhik, which was not in optimal condition to host a football match.^[9]
2. Montana plays their quarterfinal home match at Huvepharma Arena, Razgrad, instead of their regular stadium Stadion Ogosta in Montana, which was undergoing renovation works.^[15]
3. Septemvri Sofia will host the match at Vivacom Arena - Georgi Asparuhov, Sofia, instead of their own home venue Stadion DIT, Sofia, as it does not meet BFU's requirements for this stage of the tournament.^[16] Initially Septemvri intended to host the match at Arena Tsarsko Selo, Sofia, but the BFU declined their application due to the small capacity of the stadium.^[17]

References

1. "Купата на България има нов генерален спонсор, турнирът сменя името си" (in Bulgarian). gong.bg. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
2. "Календар сезон 2021/2022" (PDF) (in Bulgarian). Bulgarian Football Union. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
3. "Bulgarian Cup 2021–22 - Final Phase". bulgarian-football.com. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
4. "ЦСКА срещу Витоша или Хебър за Купата, Левски се падна с Черноломец/Марек". dsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 27 August 2021.
5. "Решение СТК 30.08.2021". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 30 August 2021.
6. "Решение СТК 31.08.2021". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 31 August 2021.
7. "Решение СТК 10.09.2021". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 11 September 2021.
8. "Решение СТК 21.09.2021". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 21 September 2021.
9. ""Българска армия" приема Хебър - ЦСКА". dsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 21 September 2021.
10. "Решение СТК 16.09.2021". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 16 September 2021.
11. "Решение СТК 30.09.2021". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 30 September 2021.
12. "ЦСКА - Арда в повторение на финала, Левски - Септември Симитли на 1/8-финалите за Купата". dsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 23 September 2021.
13. "ЦСКА срещу Локо Пд, Септември София срещу Левски в 1/4-финалите за Купата". dsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 28 October 2021.
14. "Решение 19.01.2022". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 19 January 2022.
15. "Официално: Левски и Лудогорец гостуват на собствените си стадиони за Купата". dsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 23 February 2022.
16. "Румен Чандъров: Правя жест към Левски, ще играем на Герена за купата". dsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 21 February 2022.
17. "Решение 04.02.2022". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 4 February 2022.
18. "Славия - ЦСКА и Лудогорец - Левски са полуфиналните двойки за Купата". dsport.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 4 March 2022.
19. "Решение 11.03.2022". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 12 March 2022.
20. "Решение 08.04.2022". bfunion.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 8 April 2022.