The 2016–17 Third Amateur Football League season was the 67th season of the

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

n Third Amateur Football League. The league is equivalent to the third level of the Bulgarian football pyramid, with a total of four divisions within it. The divisions themselves are geographically separated into ''Northwest'', ''Northeast'', ''Southeast'', and ''Southwest''. This was the first season following the 2016 reorganization of the Bulgarian football league system, which saw the emergence of new a competition format, including the First and Second Professional Football Leagues.

Changes from the 2015–16 season

Club Movements Between V Group and B Group

The champions of the four

2015–16 V AFG The 2015–16 V Football Group season was the 66th season of the Bulgarian V Group. The group comprised the third level of the Bulgarian football league system, Bulgarian football pyramid and was divided into four geographic regions: ''North-West' ...

divisions gained promotion to the 2016–17 Second League: Chernomorets Balchik from V AFG Northeast and

Nesebar Nesebar (often transcribed as Nessebar and sometimes as Nesebur, , pronounced ) is an ancient city and one of the major seaside resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, located in Burgas Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous ...

from V AFG Southeast, Etar Veliko Tarnovo from V AFG Northwest and

CSKA Sofia CSKA Sofia () is a Bulgarian professional association football club based in Sofia and currently competing in the country's premier football competition, the First League. ''CSKA'' is an abbreviation for ''Central Sports Club of the Army'' ...

from V AFG Southwest. Chernomorets Balchik refused to participate for financial reasons, while a new club

was formed with the merger of Chavdar Etropole and

Litex Lovech FC Lovech (; formerly Litex Lovech) is a Bulgarian professional association football, football club based in Lovech, that competes in the Second Professional Football League (Bulgaria), Second League. The club was founded in 1921 as Hisarya Spor ...

and was invited by the

Bulgarian Football Union The Bulgarian Football Union ( BFS) is the governing body of association football in Bulgaria, and a member of UEFA since 1954. It organizes a football league, Bulgarian Parva Liga, and fields its Bulgaria national football team in UEFA and F ...

directly to the newly formed First League. In return, four teams were relegated to the Third League: Dobrudzha Dobrich,

Septemvri Simitli FC Septemvri () is a Bulgarian football club based in Simitli, which currently plays in the Third League, the third tier of the Bulgarian football league system. History The club was founded in 1942. From 1961 to 1975, it was called "Pirin miner ...

Lokomotiv Mezdra FC Lokomotiv Mezdra (ФК Локомотив Мездра) was a Bulgarian football club from the town of Mezdra, which last played in the A RFG Vratsa, the fourth tier of Bulgarian football. The club's home ground was the Lokomotiv Stadium i ...

and Litex Lovech II.

Club Movements Between V Group and the Regional Groups

* Northeast: Ticha Dolni Chiflik and Dve Mogili were relegated last season to regional divisions. Benkovski Byala, Himik Devnya and

Shumen Shumen (, also Romanization of Bulgarian, romanized as ''Shoumen'' or ''Šumen'', ) is the List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, tenth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and economic capital of Shumen Province. Etymology The city ...

did not apply for participation. Dobrudzha Dobrich was relegated from B Group. Marisan Ruse merged with Ruse into Lokomotiv Ruse, while Inter Plachidol moved to

Dobrich Dobrich ( ; ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, 9th most populated city in Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Dobrich Province and the capital of the region of Southern Dobrudzha. It is located in the northeastern part of the cou ...

. The new clubs promoted from the regional divisions were

Spartak Varna FC Spartak Varna () is a Bulgarian association football club based in Varna, which currently competes in the First League, the top level of Bulgarian football league system. Spartak plays its home matches at the local Stadion Spartak. Founded ...

, Dorostol Silistra and

Hitrino Hitrino (, ) is a village in northeastern Bulgaria, part of Shumen Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Hitrino Municipality, which lies in the northwestern part of the province. Hitrino is located in the northeastern Ludog ...

. * Northwest: Yantra Gabrovo, Botev Kozloduy and Gigant Belene were relegated from last season to regional divisions.

, relegated from B Group last season, was not granted permission to participate due to unpaid dues to the

. The new clubs promoted from the regional divisions were Miziya Knezha and Kom Berkovitsa. Dunav 98 Selanovtsi merged with Botev Kozloduy into Parva Atomna Kozloduy, while

Botev Lukovit FC Botev Lukovit () is a Bulgarian football club from Lukovit, currently playing in the Bulgarian "A" RFG Lovech. The stadium of the club is The City Stadium in Lukovit with capacity of 3,000 people. History Botev Lukovit Football Club was fo ...

merged with

into

. * Southeast: Chernomorets Burgas and

Sliven Sliven ( ) is List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality in Northern Thrace. It is situated in the Sliven Valley at the foothills of th ...

were relegated from last season to regional divisions, while

Spartak Plovdiv PFC Spartak Plovdiv () is a Bulgarian football club based in Plovdiv, which plays in the third tier of Bulgarian football, the Third League. The club was established in 1947 and folded its senior team in 2016, before being 'refounded' in 2017. ...

resigned shortly before the start of the season. Levski Karlovo joined the Second League. The new clubs promoted from the regional divisions were Atletik Kuklen, Arda Kardzhali, Vereya II,

Elhovo Elhovo ( ) is a Bulgarian town in Yambol Province, located on the left bank of the Tundzha river, between Strandzha and Sakar Mountain, Sakar mountains. Second largest city in the region after Jambol, the city is located at 36 km from border ...

and

Lyubimets Lyubimets ( ) is a small town in Haskovo Province, southern-central Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Lyubimets Municipality. As of December 2009, the town had a population of 7,670.Spartak Plovdiv PFC Spartak Plovdiv () is a Bulgarian football club based in Plovdiv, which plays in the third tier of Bulgarian football, the Third League. The club was established in 1947 and folded its senior team in 2016, before being 'refounded' in 2017. ...

. * Southwest: Balkan Varvara and

Lokomotiv Sofia FC Lokomotiv Sofia () is a Bulgarian professional association football club based in Sofia, which currently plays in the First League, the top tier of Bulgarian football. Founded as Railway Sports Club in 1929, and refounded in 2015, following ...

relegated from last season to regional divisions. Vitosha Bistritsa and

Septemvri Sofia Septemvri () is a Bulgarian professional association football club based in Sofia, which currently competes in the Second League, the second tier of Bulgarian football. Its home ground is the Septemvri Stadium, but due to its poor condition the ...

joined the Second League. Furthermore, Sofia 2010 merged into Tsarsko Selo and also joined the Second League.

was relegated from B Group. The new clubs promoted from the regional divisions were Chavdar Etropole,

Hebar Pazardzhik FC Hebar () is a Bulgarian professional football club based in Pazardzhik. The club currently competes in the First League, the first tier of the Bulgarian football league system. Founded in 1918, Hebar has played at their current home ground, ...

Marek Dupnitsa FC Marek () is a Bulgarian football club based in Dupnitsa, currently playing in the Second League, the second level of the Bulgarian football league system. It was founded in 1947 following the unification of four local clubs. Home matches take ...

, Svoboda Peshtera and

Balkan Botevgrad BC Balkan Botevgrad () is a Bulgarian professional basketball club based in Botevgrad.Team profile at ''Bgbasket.com ...

. Malesh Mikrevo merged with Pirin Razlog to form Pirin Razlog (11th in B Group last season and subsequently merged with

); Chiko Byaga merged with

into

, and Pravets merged with Chavdar Etropole into Chavdar Etropole.

Northeast group

Stadia and locations

Regular season

Championship round

Relegation round

Southeast group

Stadia and locations

League table

Northwest group

Stadia and locations

League table

Southwest group

Stadia and locations

League table

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2016-17 Third League Third Amateur Football League (Bulgaria) seasons 3