The 2026–27 efbet Liga features 14 teams following last season’s reduction, with the bottom six entering a relegation group after the regular season where the lowest finishers drop to the Second League and the 13th plays a playoff. Early results show Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Lokomotiv Sofia mired at the foot with just three points from their opening matches, while newly promoted Dunav Ruse and Cherno More also sit near the drop zone amid poor defensive records and limited squad depth. Levski Sofia’s dominant start has widened the gap at the top, leaving mid-table sides like Botev Vratsa and Septemvri Sofia facing immediate pressure to stabilize form before the winter window closes. Historical patterns indicate that smaller-budget clubs rarely recover from slow openings in a shortened league.