# Refereeing disputes in Bulgarian football

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/refereeing-disputes-in-bulgarian-football
> Updated: 2026-10-11T19:43:00.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2.

Bulgarian football clubs have raised formal complaints regarding officiating and refereeing decisions in matches involving CSKA 1948.

In September, Slavia Sofia protested a 1:2 defeat to CSKA 1948, specifically challenging a penalty decision and the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system. The club alleged that head referee Radoslav Gighenov failed to personally review footage on the monitor, relying instead on the mobile unit. Slavia Sofia stated they have lost eight points due to VAR interventions in four of their ten league matches.

In October, CSKA Sofia escalated its grievances by filing an official complaint with the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) Referee Commission following a 3-2 victory over CSKA 1948 in Bistritsa. Sports director Valentin Iliev criticized head referee Lyuboslav Lyubomirov, describing the officiating as a ‘punitive action’ against the team. Iliev claimed the club has been repeatedly forced to play against 14 men due to biased decisions.

Specific grievances in the complaint include a disputed goal for the opposition, two disallowed goals for CSKA, and a controversial second yellow card issued to Stefano Sensi in the 93rd minute. Citing a pattern of ‘fabricated’ fouls and inconsistent decision-making, CSKA Sofia has demanded that Lyubomirov be banned from officiating their matches and has called for his permanent removal from professional football.

## Claims

- CSKA plans to file an official complaint regarding the refereeing in the match against CSKA 1948. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The club disputes a goal scored by the opponents, claiming there was no foul. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The club disputes the second yellow card issued to Stefano Sensi. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- CSKA defeated CSKA 1948 with a score of 3-2. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-11: CSKA Sofia files complaint against referee following match controversy

CSKA Sofia has filed a formal complaint with the BFU against referee Lyuboslav Lyubomirov, demanding his permanent removal from professional football following controversial decisions in their 3-2 win over CSKA

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cska-to-file-complaint-over-refereeing-in-win-against-cska-1948

### 2026-09-19: Slavia Sofia protests refereeing and VAR decisions after loss to CSKA 1948

Slavia Sofia has protested the officiating and VAR decisions following their 1:2 loss to CSKA 1948, citing a loss of trust in the impartiality of the refereeing system.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/slavia-sofia-protests-refereeing-and-var-decisions-after-loss-to-cska-1948

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Cite as: Refereeing disputes in Bulgarian football. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/refereeing-disputes-in-bulgarian-football