Bulgaria women's national football team

This article is about the women's team. For the men's team, see Bulgaria national football team.

The Bulgaria women's national football team (Bulgarian: Български женски национален отбор по футбол) represents Bulgaria in international women's football, and is controlled by the Bulgarian Football Union. The team's major success came in 2008 when they won the Balkan Championship and the Albena Cup in the same year. These major tournament victories brought them up to their all-time highest FIFA world ranking of 33rd.

Bulgaria

Nickname(s)	Лъвиците (The Lionesses)
Association	Bulgarian Football Union
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Silvia Radoyska
Captain	Nikoleta Boycheva
Top scorer	Liliana Kostova (7)
Home stadium	Various
FIFA code	BUL
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	96 2 (13 December 2024)[1]
Highest	42 (December 2008)
Lowest	99 (June 2024)
First international
Bulgaria 1–1 Spain  (Sofia, Bulgaria; 11 October 1987)
Biggest win
Estonia 0–5 Bulgaria  (Otopeni, Romania; 18 November 2006)  Bulgaria 5–0 Luxembourg  (Ta' Qali, Malta; 5 June 2009)  Bulgaria 5–0 Georgia  (Lovech, Bulgaria; 21 November 2009)
Biggest defeat
France 14–0 Bulgaria  (Le Mans, France; 28 November 2013)

History

Team image

Nicknames

The Bulgaria women's national football team have been nicknamed as "Лъвиците (The Lionesses)".

Home stadium

Bulgaria plays their home matches on the Lovech Stadium.

Results and fixtures

Main article: Bulgaria women's national football team results

See also: 2025 in association football, 2025 in sports, and FIFA International Match Calendar

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Fixture

2024

Bulgaria  v  Ukraine

23 February 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League promotion/relegation matches	Bulgaria	0–4	Ukraine	Kardzhali
15:00 (16:00 EET)		Report	Kravchuk 6' Andrukhiv 24' Hlushchenko 82' Shmatko 90'	Stadium: Arena Arda

Ukraine  v  Bulgaria

27 February 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League promotion/relegation matches	Ukraine	3–0 (7–0 agg.)	Bulgaria	Antalya, Turkey[a]
14:00 (16:00 TRT)		Report		Stadium: Mardan Sports Complex
Note: Ukraine won 7–0 on aggregate, and therefore both teams remained in their respective leagues.

Kazakhstan  v  Bulgaria

5 April 2024 (2024-04-05) Euro 2025 qualifying League C	Kazakhstan	0–1	Bulgaria	Almaty
13:00 (16:00 UTC+5)		Report	Petkova 45+5'	Stadium: Almaty Central Stadium Referee: Meliz Özçiğdem (Turkey)

Bulgaria  v  Armenia

9 April UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS	Bulgaria	2–3	Armenia	Sofia
18:00 UTC+3)		Report		Stadium: Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov Referee: Emilie Torkelsen (Norway)

Romania  v  Bulgaria

31 May UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS	Romania	1–0	Bulgaria	Bucharest
18:00 (19:00 UTC+3)	Vătafu 76'	Report		Stadium: Stadionul Arcul de Triumf Attendance: 1,709 Referee: Kathrin Huber (Austria)

Bulgaria  v  Romania

4 June UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS	Bulgaria	0–3	Romania	Sofia
18:00 (19:00 UTC+3)		Report	Vătafu 39' Carp 51' Herczeg 79'	Stadium: Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov Attendance: 176 Referee: Jurgita Mačikunytė (Lithuania)

Armenia  v  Bulgaria

12 July UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS	Armenia	1–3	Bulgaria	Yerevan, Armenia
19:45 UTC+4)		Report		Stadium: Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium

Bulgaria  v  Kazakhstan

16 July UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League C GS	Bulgaria	0–0	Kazakhstan	Sofia
19:00 (20:00 UTC+3)		Report		Stadium: Stadion Aleksandar Shalamanov

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of 28 November 2022

Role	Name
Head coach	Silvia Radoyska
Assistant coaches	Velizar Hristov
	Trifon Panev
Goalkeeping coach	Emil Varadinov
Team manager	Doychin Bahov

Manager history

Name	Period	Matches	Wins	Draws	Losses	Winning %	Notes	Ref.
Emil Atanasov	18 November 2006 – 25 August 2010	21	11	4	6	52.38%
Valentin Chakarov	24 November 2010 – 19 September 2012	13	0	1	12	0%
Emil Kartselski	20 August 2013 – 21 August 2014	11	2	1	8	18.18%
Silviya Radoyska	17 September 2014–present	29	5	2	22	22.73%

Players

Main article: List of Bulgaria women's international footballers

See also: Category:Bulgaria women's international footballers

Current squad

• • The following players were part of the squad ahead of the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying match against Armenia and Kazakhstan on the 12 and 16 July 2024, respectively.^[3]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
12	1GK	Roksana Shahanska	(1992-04-23) 23 April 1992 (age 32)	29	0	Lokomotiv
1	1GK	Martina Ilieva	(2007-02-08) 8 February 2007 (age 17)	0	0	Ludogorets
3	2DF	Yanitsa Ivanova	(2001-01-05) 5 January 2001 (age 24)	15	0	Lokomotiv
	2DF	Nora Dimitrova (captain)	(1996-07-26) 26 July 1996 (age 28)	14	1	Lokomotiv
11	2DF	Kristiana Karaivanova	(2004-07-11) 11 July 2004 (age 20)	6	0	Vis Mediterranea Soccer
	2DF	Bianka Demirova	(2006-07-08) 8 July 2006 (age 18)			NSA Sofia
	2DF	Gergana Halyanova	(2008-03-12) 12 March 2008 (age 16)			FC Sportika Blagoevgrad
	2DF	Yoanna Tomova	(2003-07-16) 16 July 2003 (age 21)
18	2DF	Zhasmina Atanasova	(1996-06-25) 25 June 1996 (age 28)	6	0	Lokomotiv
19	3MF	Yoana Stankova	(2005-08-20) 20 August 2005 (age 19)	12	1	Freedom
9	3MF	Lora Petrova	(1998-10-12) 12 October 1998 (age 26)	25	1	Cesena [it]
4	3MF	Leonora Zheleva	(1999-05-13) 13 May 1999 (age 25)	8	1	Trikala [el]
8	3MF	Preslava Yordanova	(2005-09-14) 14 September 2005 (age 19)			NSA Sofia
21	3MF	Antonia Angelova	(2005-09-15) 15 September 2005 (age 19)			Sevlievo Ladies
17	4FW	Simona Petkova	(1993-09-03) 3 September 1993 (age 31)	13	0	Unattached
	4FW	Evdokiya Popadinova	(1996-10-26) 26 October 1996 (age 28)	8	3	Lazio
	4FW	Polina Rasina	(1999-03-12) 12 March 1999 (age 25)			NSA
13	4FW	Aleksandra Yaneva	(2001-02-24) 24 February 2001 (age 23)	2	2	AEL
	4FW	Nadezhda Ivanova	(2004-12-17) 17 December 2004 (age 20)	0	0	Beylerbeyi
21	4FW	Aleksandra Sergeeva	(2005-11-03) 3 November 2005 (age 19)	2	0	VfL Wolfsburg II
	4FW	Nikol Dimanova	(2007-07-25) 25 July 2007 (age 17)			FK Paldin Plovdiv
8	4FW	Viky Yavorova	(2003-05-12) 12 May 2003 (age 21)	2	0	Jacksonville State Gamecocks

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up to a Bulgaria squad in the past 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Milena Karakoleva	(2004-04-03) 3 April 2004 (age 20)	1	0	Sportika	v.  Romania, 4 June 2024
DF	Nora Dimitrova (captain)	(1996-07-26) 26 July 1996 (age 28)	14	1	Lokomotiv	v.  Armenia, 9 April 2024
DF	Silviya Kefalova	(2001-06-06) 6 June 2001 (age 23)	2	0	NSA	v.  Armenia, 9 April 2024
DF	Ivet Vasileva	(1998-07-12) 12 July 1998 (age 26)	0	0	LP Super Sport	v.  Armenia, 9 April 2024
DF	Silviya Kefalova	(2001-06-06) 6 June 2001 (age 23)	2	0	NSA	v.  Armenia, 9 April 2024
DF	Ivet Vasileva	(1998-07-12) 12 July 1998 (age 26)	0	0	LP Super Sport	v.  Armenia, 9 April 2024
DF	Mariela Nedeva	(2000-07-12) 12 July 2000 (age 24)	4	0	Lokomotiv	v.  Ukraine, 27 February 2024
DF	Yana Dineva	(2002-11-08) 8 November 2002 (age 22)	9	0	Lokomotiv	v.  Ukraine, 27 February 2024
MF	Anita Churusinova	(2004-05-10) 10 May 2004 (age 20)			NSA Sofia	v.  Armenia, 9 April 2024
MF	Ivana Naydenova	(2001-12-21) 21 December 2001 (age 23)	14	3	Hellas Verona [it]	v.  Armenia, 9 April 2024
MF	Zdravka Parapunova	(2003-08-06) 6 August 2003 (age 21)	0	0	Unattached	v.  Armenia, 9 April 2024
MF	Veni Sarbinska	(1995-12-28) 28 December 1995 (age 29)			Sportika	v.  North Macedonia, 5 December 2023
MF	Eva Atanasova	(2005-06-05) 5 June 2005 (age 19)	1	0	Ludogorets	v.  Kosovo, 23 September 2023
MF	Nikoleta Boycheva	(1994-08-20) 20 August 1994 (age 30)	19	0	Lokomotiv	v.  Romania, 4 June 2024
MF	Ivelina Pavlova	(2003-07-18) 18 July 2003 (age 21)	1	0	NSA	v.  Romania, 4 June 2024
FW	Antonina Shopska	(2001-01-17) 17 January 2001 (age 24)			ŽFK Kamenica Sasa	v.  Romania, 4 June 2024
FW	Yana Yordanova	(2003-02-20) 20 February 2003 (age 21)			Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders	v.  Romania, 4 June 2024
FW	Dimitra Ivanova	(2004-01-26) 26 January 2004 (age 21)	9	0	Politehnica Timișoara	v.  Armenia, 9 April 2024
FW	Catherine Karadjov	(1998-06-19) 19 June 1998 (age 26)	1	0	Orvault	v.  Ukraine, 27 February 2024
FW	Leonora Zheleva	(1999-05-13) 13 May 1999 (age 25)	6	0	AEL	v.  Kosovo, 23 September 2023

Captains

• Radoslava Slavcheva (????–)

Records

See also: Category:Bulgaria women's international footballers

As of 23 May 2021

Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 2021.

Most capped players # Player Year(s) Caps

Top goalscorers # Player Year(s) Goals Caps

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup record									Qualification record
Year	Result	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1991	Did not qualify								UEFA Euro 1991
1995									UEFA Euro 1995
1999									6	2	1	3	11	12
2003	Did not enter								Did not enter
2007
2011	Did not qualify								8	2	2	4	9	25
2015									10	0	1	9	3	62
2019	Did not enter							Did not enter
2023	Did not qualify							10	0	0	10	1	37
2027	To be determined							To be determined
Total	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	34	4	4	26	24	136

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

UEFA Women's Championship

UEFA Women's Championship record									Qualifying record
Year	Result	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	P/R	Rnk
1984	Did not enter								Did not enter
1987
1989	Did not qualify								8	0	2	6	1	18	–
1991									6	0	0	6	3	18
1993									4	0	0	4	1	9
1995									4	1	1	2	3	11
1997									6	4	0	2	13	6
2001	Did not enter								Did not enter
2005
2009	Did not qualify								3	2	0	1	8	1	–
2013									10	0	0	10	1	54
2017	Did not enter								Did not enter
2022
2025	Did not qualify								6	2	1	3	6	8	[b]	41st
2029	To be determined								To be determined
Total	–	–	–	–	–	–	–		41	7	3	31	30	117	41st

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

UEFA Women's Nations League

UEFA Women's Nations League record
Year	League	Group	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R	Rnk
2023–24	C	5	2nd	6	1	2	3	4	14	*	40th
2025	C	5	To be determined
Total				6	1	2	3	4	14	40th

	Promoted at end of season
	No movement at end of season
	Relegated at end of season
*	Participated in promotion/relegation play-offs

Honours

Albena Cup

• Champions : 2008

Balkan Cup

• Champions : 2008

See also

• Sport in Bulgaria
  • Football in Bulgaria
    • Women's football in Bulgaria
• Bulgaria men's national football team

Notes

1. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine are required to play their home matches at neutral venues until further notice.^[2]
2. From Euro 2025 onwards a new qualifying format was introduced, linked to the Women's Nations League where teams are divided into leagues with promotion/relegation between the leagues at the end of each cycle.

References

1. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
2. "Decisions from today's extraordinary UEFA Executive Committee meeting". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
3. match rapport

External links

• Official website (in Bulgarian)
• FIFA profile