FC Chernomorets 1919 (Bulgarian: ФК Черноморец 1919) is a Bulgarian football club from the city of Burgas, which currently competes in the Southeast Third League, third level of Bulgarian football. Chernomorets plays its home matches at the local Stadion Lazur temporary, until they complete the construction of their planned 5,000 seats Ivan Pritargov Stadium.
The club was founded in 2015, following the financial struggles of the former Burgas-based team, PSFC Chernomorets Burgas. Unlike PSFC Chernomorets, however, Chernomorets 1919 is considered to be the official reincarnation of the original club, founded in 1919. The Bulgarian Football Union considers it to be a legitimate successor to the original Chernomorets Burgas, thus it carries all records from the original club. PSFC Chernomorets’ records are kept separate.
Following the relegate to V group of PSFC Chernomorets Burgas and the discoveries that Mitko Sabev drained the club,[1] association "Future for Chernomorets Burgas" wanted a new team to represent the original team FC Chernomorets Burgas who was dissolved in 2006.[2] On 4 August 2015 they officially founded Chernomorets 1919.[3] Zlatko Yankov, who played on 2 world cups with Bulgaria and Stoyko Sakaliev returned to football and were the first players to join the team.
In 2018, the team entered the Third Amateur Football League for the first time.[4] In their first season in the third tier, Chernomorets finished 4th. Chernomorets ended the 2022–23 season in 2nd place but showed a desire to join the Second League, since the group winner, Nesebar, struggled financially.[5] On 19 June 2023 Nesebar announced they will stay in Third League and Bulgarian Football Union announced that Chernomorets will be promoted to Second League, instead.[6]
In November 2023, Chernomorets announced their reconstruction of Cherveno Zname Stadium in Dolno Ezerovo neighborhood, with the plan to make the stadium with 5,000 seats, build additional 2 training fields, and rename it after their striker Ivan Pritargov.[7]
Chernomorets did not manage to survive in the second tier, suffering immediate relegation to the Third League after the 2023–24 season.
Chernomorets 1919 main colors are blue and white.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
For recent transfers, see Transfers summer 2023 and Transfers winter 2023–24.
Up to twenty foreign nationals can be registered and given a squad number for the first team in the Bulgarian First League, however only five non-EU nationals can be used during a match day. Those non-EU nationals with European ancestry can claim citizenship from the nation their ancestors came from. If a player does not have European ancestry he can claim Bulgarian citizenship after playing in Bulgaria for 5 years.
