This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
On July 10, 2020, Bulgaria reported a daily record of 330 coronavirus cases, prompting the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) to postpone the start of the next season's domestic top flight by two weeks.
The BFU's decision was made in response to the complicated epidemiological situation in the country, with the BFU's Medical Commission submitting a proposal to postpone the championship's kick-off.
"The BFU accepted the proposal in order to preserve the health of players, staffs and officials in a force majeure situation," the BFU said in a statement on Saturday.
The current league season is still under way, but on Thursday, the government ordered all games to be played behind closed doors.
More than half of Bulgarian top flight clubs as well as second-tier teams have been hit by the coronavirus, with Cherno More Varna reporting 16 cases and Lokomotiv Plovdiv reporting nine positive cases among their players.
The start of the new season, initially scheduled for July 24, will now take place on August 7, the BFU said.
