View source for PFC CSKA Sofia

{{short description|Bulgarian association football club from Sofia}}
{{For|the parent multisport club|USC CSKA Sofia}}
{{Distinguish|FC CSKA 1948 Sofia}}
{{protection padlock|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = CSKA Sofia
| image = CSKA Sofia Logo 2020.png
| image_size = 195px
| fullname = Професионален Футболен Клуб ЦСКА София<br />Professional Football Club CSKA Sofia
| nickname = ''Армейците'' (The Аrmy)<br />''Червените'' (The Reds)
| short name = CSKA
| founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1948|5|5}}
| ground = [[Vasil Levski National Stadium]]<br>[[Stadion Balgarska Armia|New Bulgarian Army Stadium]] (under construction)
| capacity = 43,230
| owntitle = Owner
| owner = National Fund for Sports, Culture, Art, and Science
| mgrtitle = Head coach
| manager = [[Dušan Kerkez]]
| current = 2025–26 PFC CSKA Sofia season
| league = [[First Professional Football League|First League]]
| season = [[2024–25 First Professional Football League (Bulgaria)|2024–25]]
| position = First League, 5th of 16
| website = {{official URL}}
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{{USC CSKA Sofia}}

'''CSKA Sofia''' ({{langx|bg|ЦСКА София}}) is a Bulgarian professional association football club based in [[Sofia]] and currently competing in the country's premier football competition, the [[First Professional Football League|First League]]. ''CSKA'' is an abbreviation for ''Central Sports Club of the Army'' ({{langx|bg|Централен спортен клуб на армията}}), named after the [[Bulgarian Land Forces|Bulgarian Army]]. CSKA is the most successful football club of [[Bulgaria]] according to the Europe's Club of the Century ranking of the International Federation of Football History & Statistics ([[IFFHS]]).<ref name="IFFHS">[http://www.iffhs.de/?a413f0e03790c443e0f40390b41be8b01905fdcdc3bfcdc0aec70aeedb883ccb05ff1d Europe's Club of the Century] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120524184019/http://www.iffhs.de/?a413f0e03790c443e0f40390b41be8b01905fdcdc3bfcdc0aec70aeedb883ccb05ff1d |date=24 May 2012 }} ''International Federation of Football History and Statistics.'' Retrieved 5 April 2010.</ref>

Officially established on 5 May 1948, CSKA's roots date back to an army officers' club founded in 1923.<ref>[http://www.dnes.bg/sport/2009/10/21/sydyt-prizna-cska-e-naslednik-na-as-23.79567 Court: CSKA is the Official Successor to AS-23] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113003555/https://www.dnes.bg/sport/2009/10/21/sydyt-prizna-cska-e-naslednik-na-as-23.79567 |date=13 November 2017 }} (in Bulgarian) ''Dnes.bg'' Retrieved 24 October 2017.</ref> The club has won a record 31 [[Bulgarian A Professional Football Group|Bulgarian titles]] and 21 [[Bulgarian Cup]]s.<ref name="IFFHS"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bgclubs.eu/ranking/points|title=Вечна ранглиста на А група " Спечелени точки|first=Български футбол|last=ЕООД|website=bgclubs.eu|access-date=3 May 2017|archive-date=3 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303011806/http://bgclubs.eu/ranking/points|url-status=live}}</ref> Internationally, CSKA are the only Bulgarian club to have reached the semi-finals of the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]], which they have done twice, and they have also reached the semi-final of the [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]] once.<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/history/clubs/50076--cska-sofia/ UEFA Champions League&nbsp;– History&nbsp;– CSKA Sofia]  ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 22 December 2011.</ref>

CSKA's home colors are red and white and its home ground is the [[Stadion Balgarska Armia|Bulgarian Army Stadium]]. The club's biggest rivals are [[PFC Levski Sofia|Levski Sofia]] and matches between the two sides are known as "[[The Eternal Derby]] of Bulgaria".

== History ==

=== 1923–1948 ===
In November 1923, football clubs ''Athletic Sofia'' and ''Slava Sofia'' merged to form [[AS 23 Sofia|AS-23]], short for ''Officers' Sports Club Athletic Slava 1923'', under the patronage of the [[Ministry of Defence (Bulgaria)|Ministry of War]], which provided the equipment.

[[File:AS-23_ustav.jpg|thumb|AS-23's founding charter (4 November 1923)]]

In 1931, AS-23 won their first Bulgarian championship and The Tsar's Cup, followed by another Tsar's Cup in 1941. The club's stadium (completed in 1938) was named ''Athletic Park'' and was situated where the [[Stadion Balgarska Armia|Bulgarian Army Stadium]] now resides.

On 9 November 1944, with the support of Mihail Mihaylov, an accountant at the Ministry of War and a patron of [[FC Shipka Sofia|Shipka Sofia]], a unifying agreement was signed, merging ''AS-23'', ''Shipka'', and ''Spartak (Poduene)'' to form Chavdar Sofia. Gen. [[Vladimir Stoychev]] from AS-23, who at the time was fighting on the front in World War II, was appointed (by [[Telegraphy#Telegram services|telegram]]) as the new club's chairman. Lawyer [[Ivan Hristov Bashev|Ivan Bashev]], a future Bulgarian foreign minister, was appointed club secretary and the person in charge of football.<ref name="sport1-43745">[http://www.sport1.bg/sport1/node/43745 With Horns Against History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420195010/http://www.sport1.bg/sport1/node/43745 |date=20 April 2012 }} (in Bulgarian) ''Sport1.bg'' 12 February 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2010.</ref>

=== 1948–1962 ===
[[File:Unifying protocol of Chavdar (Sofia).jpg|thumb|The unifying protocol of Chavdar Sofia (1944)]]
With the help of Mihail Mihaylov again, in February 1948, Chavdar became the departmental club of the Central House of the Troops ("Centralnia Dom na Voiskata") and took on the name of CDV. Looking for ways to stop the club's decline, CDV's administrators sought to merge it with another club. In May 1948, an agreement was reached between CDV and [[FC Septemvri Sofia|Septemvri Sofia]] (which had already earned a place in the play-offs) for uniting the clubs under the name "Septemvri pri CDV" (Septemvri at CDV). The contract was signed on 5 May 1948, which is officially considered the club's date of foundation.

The club's played its first official match on 19 May 1948 against [[PFC Slavia Sofia|Slavia Sofia]] at Yunak Stadium, a 1–1 draw. Septemvri pri CDV eliminated Aprilov ([[Gabrovo]]) and [[FC Spartak Varna|Spartak Varna]] en route to the final, where it faced [[PFC Levski Sofia|Levski Sofia]], losing 1–2 in the first leg. The decisive second match occurred on 9 September 1948. Septemvri pri CDV's lineup consisted of: Stefan Gerenski, Borislav Futekov, [[Manol Manolov]], Dimitar Cvetkov, Nikola Aleksiev, Nako Chakmakov (captain), [[Dimitar Milanov]], Stoyne Minev, [[Stefan Bozhkov]], Nikola Bozhilov and Kiril Bogdanov. The score was 3–3 on aggregate, as Septemvri pri CDV led 2–1 near the end of regulation time, when a last-minute goal by Nako Chakmakov gave the club its first ever title.

In 1950, the word "''Narodna''" ("Peoples" in English) was added to the name of the Central House of the Troops, changing it to '''Central House of the People's Troops''' ("Centralen Dom na Narodnata Voiska" in English), or C.D.N.V., effectively changing the club's name. The following two years, C.D.N.V. won two consecutive titles. In 1951, the club clinched their first double. In [[A PFG 1953|1953]], the club was again renamed by the authorities, this time to '''Otbor na Sofiyskiya Garnizon''' ("Team of the Sofia Garrison"), and most of the key players were illegally transferred out. The title was lost.

The following year, the club was renamed '''CDNA''' (''Central House of the People's Army''), and the years between 1954 and 1962 marked one of the most successful periods for ''the Reds'', who won nine consecutive titles (an unprecedented achievement in Bulgarian football at the time and a record the club held for 60 years) and, in 1956, took part in the second installment of the newly created [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]] competition, reaching the quarter-finals.<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/61214--cska-sofia-vs-crvena-zvezda/ UEFA Champions League 1956/57 CSKA Sofia vs. Crvena Zvezda] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907091830/https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/61214--cska-sofia-vs-crvena-zvezda/ |date=7 September 2021 }} ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 13 February 2021.</ref>

=== 1960s ===
In 1962, CDNA was merged with DSO Cherveno Zname to form '''CSKA Cherveno Zname''' ("CSKA Red Flag"). The Central House of the People's Troops ceased its affiliation with the club, which was taken over by the Ministry of People's Defense. CSKA finished third after [[FC Spartak Plovdiv|Spartak Plovdiv]] and [[PFC Botev Plovdiv|Botev Plovdiv]] in the [[A PFG 1962-63|1962–63 season]]. The [[1963–64 A PFG|following season]], CSKA had its worst performance in the [[First Professional Football League (Bulgaria)|Bulgarian championship]] to date, finishing 11th in the final table, only three points from relegation. This led to the sacking of legendary coach [[Krum Milev]] after 16 years at the helm.

CSKA did not recapture the title until [[1965–66 A PFG|1966]]. However, during the [[1966–67 A PFG|1966–67 season]], CSKA recorded its first major international achievement, reaching the semi-finals of the [[1966–67 European Cup|European Cup]] for the first time, where they faced Italian giants [[Inter Milan|Inter]]. After two hard-fought 1–1 draws, a third decisive match was played, which CSKA lost 0–1.<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/68475--internazionale-vs-cska-sofia/ UEFA Champions League 1966/67 CSKA Sofia vs. Inter] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210729102432/https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/68475--internazionale-vs-cska-sofia/ |date=29 July 2021 }} ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 13 February 2021.</ref>

The next two seasons were unmemorable for the ''Army Men'', finishing in fifth and second place respectively. In 1968, CSKA underwent another merger, joining with [[FC Septemvri Sofia|Septemvri Sofia]] and taking on the name of '''CSKA Septemvriysko Zname''' ("CSKA September Flag"). The club clinched the title in [[1968–69 A PFG|1969]] with the help of recent acquisition [[Petar Zhekov]], who would go on to become the top Bulgarian goalscorer of all time, a record Zhekov held for 52 years until he was surpassed by [[Martin Kamburov]] in 2021.

=== 1970s ===
[[File:CSKA Sofia team 1973.jpg|thumb|CSKA Sofia in 1973]]
The 1970s are widely considered the period when CSKA made its name on the European stage. The club began the decade modestly, claiming second place domestically and reaching the round of 16 in [[1970–71 European Cup Winners' Cup]], where they fell to English side [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] 0–2 on aggregate.<ref>[http://www.bounder.friardale.co.uk/Match%20Reports/1970/19701104.jpg Webb Forces a Chelsea Victory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509115008/http://www.bounder.friardale.co.uk/Match%20Reports/1970/19701104.jpg |date=9 May 2012 }} ''The Daily Mirror'' 5 November 1970. Retrieved 20 December 2011.</ref> However, from 1971 to 1973, CSKA won three consecutive titles and delivered one of the biggest surprises in European football when it eliminated reigning European champion [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] – considered the finest team of all time<ref>[https://www.si.com/soccer/2011/11/29/bate-whatifworldcup What if the FIFA World Cup had been played in a different year] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914035026/https://www.si.com/soccer/2011/11/29/bate-whatifworldcup |date=14 September 2017 }} ''Sports Illustrated'' 29 November 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2017.</ref> – 2–1 on aggregate in the [[1973–74 European Cup]].<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/63198--cska-sofia-vs-ajax/ UEFA Champions League 1973/74 CSKA Sofia vs. Ajax]  ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 13 February 2021.</ref>

[[File:Jan Mulder (midden) in actie, Bestanddeelnr 926-7782.jpg|thumb|CSKA vs Ajax (October 1973)]]

They then faced German champions [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] in the quarter-finals. After losing 1–4 in the first leg in [[Munich]], CSKA bowed out of the competition following a 2–1 win at home.<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/63204--cska-sofia-vs-bayern/ UEFA Champions League 1973/74 CSKA Sofia vs. Bayern Munich]  ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 13 February 2021.</ref> Between 1975 and 1979, the club won two more domestic titles.

=== 1980s ===
The [[1980–81 A PFG|1980–81 season]] was again a memorable one for CSKA Sofia, winning the Bulgarian title once more and twice beating European champion [[Nottingham Forest F.C.|Nottingham Forest]], both times with 1–0 scorelines,<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/63684--nottm-forest-vs-cska-sofia/ UEFA Champions League 1980/81 CSKA Sofia vs. Nottingham Forest]  ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 13 February 2021.</ref> before being stopped by the future European champions [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] with a 6–1 defeat on aggregate in the quarter-finals of the European Cup.<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/63734--cska-sofia-vs-liverpool/ UEFA Champions League 1980/81 CSKA Sofia vs. Liverpool] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509111558/https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/63734--cska-sofia-vs-liverpool/ |date=9 May 2021 }} ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 13 February 2021.</ref>

The next season, CSKA reached their second-straight European Cup semi-final, eliminating Spanish champions [[Real Sociedad]], [[Glentoran F.C.|Glentoran]] and Liverpool after losing 0–1 in England and winning 2–0 at home with two goals by [[Stoycho Mladenov]].<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/63799--cska-sofia-vs-liverpool/ UEFA Champions League 1981/82 CSKA Sofia vs. Liverpool]  ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 13 February 2021.</ref> In the semi-final, the ''Reds'' again faced Bayern Munich. The first leg was held in Sofia and started with a full dominance over Bayern, as by the 16th minute, CSKA were leading 3–0 in front of 85,000 jubilant spectators who saw the European final in their dreams. But the final score was 4–3 for CSKA. In Munich, the club suffered a 4–0 defeat, ending what is still the deepest run by a Bulgarian side in the European Cup or UEFA Champions League.<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/63801--bayern-vs-cska-sofia/ UEFA Champions League 1981/82 CSKA Sofia vs. Bayern Munich]  ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 13 February 2021.</ref>

In the domestic league, CSKA did not let go of the title until the [[1984–85 A PFG|1984–85 season]], where they finished second behind arch-rivals Levski, but still managed to reach the [[Bulgarian Cup]] final.

On 18 June 1985, the final for the Bulgarian Cup was held at the [[Vasil Levski National Stadium]] between CSKA and Levski Sofia. The match was marked by many questionable referee decisions and saw several brutal fights, including an assault on a referee by some of Levski's players. CSKA won the match 2–1, even though they had missed a penalty when the score was 2–0. By decree of the Central Committee of the [[Bulgarian Communist Party]], both teams were disbanded and re-founded under new management. CSKA was renamed '''Sredets''' while Levski was renamed ''Vitosha''. Several players were banned from participating in official matches for varying periods of time, including [[Hristo Stoichkov]] and [[Kostadin Yanchev]] from CSKA. One year later, the committee's decision was reversed and the players were reinstated.

As Sredets, the club finished in fourth place in the [[1985–86 A PFG|1985–86 season]]. In 1987, the club was renamed '''CFKA Sredets''' ("Central Football Club of the Army Sredets"), and the following three years were marked by a formidable performance, even as [[FC Septemvri Sofia|Septemvri Sofia]] ended their 20-year partnership with CFKA in 1988 and became an independent club again. Coached by [[Dimitar Penev]], CFKA won the title in 1987 and 1989 and reached the [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]] semi-finals against [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] in 1989. In reaching this stage in the tournament, CFKA had eliminated [[Roda JC Kerkrade|Roda JC]] after penalty kicks following a 2–1 win at home and a 1–2 loss away. Barcelona, coached by former Dutch international [[Johan Cruyff]], won both matches (4–2 in [[Barcelona]] and 2–1 in Sofia) and CFKA were eliminated, but Cruyff did notice the talent of Hristo Stoichkov and decided to bring him to Barcelona the following year, effectively launching Stoichkov's international career.

=== 1990s ===
The decade, immediately following the [[fall of communism]], brought turbulent changes to Bulgarian football, and the club was not spared. The '''CSKA''' name was restored starting with the [[1989–90 A PFG|1989–90 season]] and they won the title again. In March 1991, former footballer and administrator [[Valentin Mihov]] was chosen as president of CSKA. The club bought some of the most talented Bulgarian players, including [[Yordan Letchkov]], [[Ivaylo Andonov]] and [[Stoycho Stoilov]], among others. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense concluded their affiliation with the club. Despite the uncertainty and the numerous problems that followed, CSKA won the title again in 1992. They were later eliminated in the first round of the [[1992–93 UEFA Champions League]] by [[FK Austria Wien|Austria Wien]] after losing 1–3 in [[Vienna]] and winning 3–2 in Sofia.

In the meantime, [[Valentin Mihov]] was appointed president of the [[Bulgarian Football Union]] and Petar Kalpakchiev was chosen as his replacement. However, Kalpakchiev wrangled with the club's administration over their decisions to replace several coaches, one of which was [[Gjoko Hadžievski]], considered to be leading the club in the right direction, and eventually he was fired.

The owner of the [[Multigroup]] conglomerate, [[Iliya Pavlov]], took over as president, but ultimately his sponsorship proved insufficient to overcome the club's ineffective management. Five coaches were changed in just one season, with Tsvetan Yonchev being coach for just one day. In Europe, CSKA nevertheless defeated [[Juventus FC|Juventus]] 3–2 in the first round of the [[1994–95 UEFA Cup]], but the result was annulled by [[UEFA]] because of the delayed player-indexing of forward [[Petar Mihtarski]], and Juventus were awarded a 3–0 victory by default. In the second leg in [[Turin]], CSKA succumbed to a 5–1 defeat.

In the summer of 1995, CSKA made a strong selection and eventually the club included half of the youth national football team of Bulgaria. [[Plamen Markov]] was appointed head coach, but after a disappointing first half of the season, he was replaced by [[Georgi Vasilev (footballer, born 1946)|Georgi Vasilev]], who had previously won three Bulgarian titles (one with [[FC Etar Veliko Tarnovo|Etar Veliko Tarnovo]] and two with Levski Sofia). Vasilev managed to win a double with CSKA for the [[1996–97 A PFG|1996–97 season]], entering the second qualifying round of the Champions League against [[FC Steaua București|Steaua București]]. After a dramatic 3–3 in [[Bucharest]], CSKA fell 0–2 at home.

Vasilev was unexpectedly released from the club at the beginning of the second half of the [[1996–97 A PFG|1997–98 season]] after a 3–0 win over [[PFC Spartak Pleven|Spartak Pleven]]. Coach [[Petar Zehtinski]] took his place. That year, the club saw the return of Hristo Stoichkov, [[Emil Kostadinov]] and [[Trifon Ivanov]], but the three of them challenged each other for the captain's band. Stoichkov played in only four matches and left CSKA right before the derby with Levski to play for a club in [[Saudi Arabia]]. After the end of the season, Ivanov also left the club. CSKA finished in third place.

In the summer of 1998, Dimitar Penev took the lead as head coach for the second time. CSKA reached the second round of the [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]] and won the Bulgarian Cup, but disappointed in the domestic league, finishing in fifth place in [[1998–99 A PFG|1999]]. That season, the young talents of [[Martin Petrov]], [[Stilian Petrov]], [[Dimitar Berbatov]] and [[Vladimir Manchev]] started to play a bigger role in the team. There were problems with player-indexing due to some unpaid obligations to [[PFC Naftex Burgas|Neftochimik]]. In the domestic championship, CSKA had only 16 players registered for the [[1999–2000 A PFG|1999–2000 season]] and some un-indexed players took part in official UEFA games. Consequently, at the shareholders meeting at the end of 1999, the club ownership was transferred to businessman [[Vasil Bozhkov]].

=== 2000s ===
After the first two fixtures in the spring of 2000, which the club lost, Dimitar Penev was relieved as coach and in his place was appointed [[Georgi Dimitrov (footballer born 1959)|Georgi Dimitrov&nbsp;– Jacky]], who was later replaced by [[Spas Dzhevizov]]. After a 1–1 draw with [[PFC Pirin Blagoevgrad (1922)|Pirin]] at [[Stadion Balgarska Armia|Bulgarian Army Stadium]], Dzhevizov handed in his resignation and [[Aleksandar Stankov (manager)|Aleksandar Stankov]] took his place. Even though at times CSKA had fallen as far as nine points behind league leaders Levski, the club shortened the difference to only two points before the decisive match for the title at [[Georgi Asparuhov Stadium]]. CSKA dominated Levski for most of the match, as Dimitar Berbatov made several serious misses, but a last-minute goal from [[Georgi Ivanov (footballer, born 1976)|Georgi Ivanov]] secured the title for Levski.

In the summer of 2000, the Italian Enrico Catuzzi was retained as head coach, who managed to revive the team. However, even though the ''Army Men'' played attractive matches under his leadership, Catuzzi resigned during the winter break, citing family problems. [[Aleksandar Stankov (manager)|Aleksandar Stankov]] was appointed as coach again, but was replaced by Catuzzi again after two losses from Litex for the cup and the championship. ''The Reds'' finished second, seven points behind Levski.

To start the [[2001–02 A PFG|2001–02 season]], CSKA's head coach was [[Asparuh Nikodimov]], who would be fired during the winter break, as CSKA was situated two points behind Levski. He was replaced by another Italian, [[Luigi Simoni]]. Simoni failed to make CSKA champions as the club finished third and lost the [[Bulgarian Cup]] final to Levski. Simoni left at the end of the season.

In the summer of 2002, former CSKA striker Stoycho Mladenov was appointed as head coach. With him, the team set a record of 13 consecutive wins in 13 matches and won the title for the first time since 1997. However, Mladenov was fired the following season after losing to [[Galatasaray S.K. (football)|Galatasaray]] in the qualifying rounds of the [[2003–04 UEFA Champions League]] and after giving a less than impressive performance in the first round of the [[2003–04 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]], where the club lost on penalty kicks to [[FC Torpedo Moscow|Torpedo Moscow]]. Immediately after, two of the new arrivals, [[Léo Lima]] and [[Rodrigo de Souza Cardoso|Rodrigo Sousa]], purchased for a total of 3 million dollars the year before, left the club on the grounds they had not received two monthly salaries. [[FIFA]] decided they had the right to leave and that CSKA had to pay them and release the players to their former club, [[CR Vasco da Gama|Vasco da Gama]]. Alexander Stankov was temporarily appointed as head coach until the winter break, when [[Ferario Spasov]] officially took over. At the end of 2004, Spasov was replaced by Serbian coach [[Miodrag Ješić]], despite the club's first place in the league. With Ješić at the helm, CSKA won their record 30th domestic title in 2005.

For the [[2005–06 UEFA Champions League]], after eliminating [[KF Tirana|Tirana]] in the second qualifying round, CSKA were paired against reigning European champions Liverpool. The club lost 1–3 in the first match in Sofia, but surprisingly won the second leg 1–0 away at [[Anfield]].<ref>[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=51536 CSKA Claim Amazing 1–0 over Liverpool] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014085307/http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=51536 |date=14 October 2012 }} ''Novinite.com'' 23 August 2005. Retrieved 2 April 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=51537 Liverpool: CSKA Turned into Real Struggle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014085412/http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=51537 |date=14 October 2012 }} ''Novinite.com'' 23 August 2005. Retrieved 2 April 2010.</ref>

In the [[2005–06 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]], ''the Reds'' eliminated [[Bayer 04 Leverkusen|Bayer Leverkusen]] (with Dimitar Berbatov in the team) with two 1–0 wins and reached the group stage, where they finished fifth with three points from four matches and were eliminated. During the winter break of the [[2005–06 A PFG|2005–06 season]], the club was in first place, seven points ahead of Levski. However, during the CSKA lost the seven-point advantage and ultimately finished second, three points behind Levski. Club president Vasil Bozhkov blamed head coach Miodrag Ješić for the failure to capture the title and fired him, while some supporters blamed Bozhkov instead.

Former CSKA head coach Plamen Markov was appointed in Ješić's place. Bozhkov then announced that he would restrict the finances of the club and that during the upcoming season CSKA will not be aiming at the title. In December 2006, Bozhkov sold the club to Indian steel tycoon and owner of [[Kremikovtzi AD]], [[Pramod Mittal]], brother of [[ArcelorMittal]]'s [[Lakshmi Mittal]]. Former Bulgarian politician [[Aleksandar Tomov (politician)|Aleksandar Tomov]] became president of the club and assured the supporters that CSKA would, in fact, be aiming at both the championship and the cup. After two draws in the beginning of the spring half of [[2006–07 A PFG|2006–07]], CSKA found themselves six points behind Levski. As a result, Plamen Markov was replaced by Stoycho Mladenov. CSKA finished second.

During the beginning of the [[2007–08 A PFG|2007–08]] season, CSKA purchased players for more than €2&nbsp;million. The team was unluckily eliminated from the [[2007–08 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]] in the first round by French side [[Toulouse FC|Toulouse]] after a 96th-minute goal from [[André-Pierre Gignac]] in the second leg. CSKA was also eliminated from the [[Bulgarian Cup]] in the Round of 16 by Lokomotiv Plovdiv. The match was engulfed in a scandal because of three CSKA players who at the time were on loan at Lokomotiv ([[Stoyko Sakaliev]], [[Aleksandar Branekov]] and [[Ivan Ivanov (footballer, born 1988)|Ivan Ivanov]]). The players had clauses in their contracts restricting them from playing matches against CSKA, but Lokomotiv's management used the players anyway.

At the end of the season, the ''Army Men'' secured the title well in advance, finishing 16 points ahead of second-placed Levski and without losing a single match. On 5 May 2008, the club marked its 60th birthday with big celebrations organized by the management. An alley of fame was built, comprising the names of the most successful current and former players of CSKA. On 24 May 2008, an exhibition match was played between the current squad and a mixed team of Bulgarian and foreign football stars. The mixed team was coached by former [[Germany national football team|German international]] [[Lothar Matthäus]], who was a special guest for the anniversary celebrations. The match ended 6–6.

In June 2008, only days after CSKA won its 31st title, UEFA notified the [[Bulgarian Football Union]] (BFU) that the club would not receive a license for participating in the [[2008–09 UEFA Champions League]] because of unpaid obligations.<ref>[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=93746 Bulgaria FC CSKA Without License, Out of Champions' League] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081101143223/http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=93746 |date=1 November 2008 }} ''Novinite.com'' 3 June 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2010.</ref><ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/2302461/CSKA-Sofia-excluded-from-Champions-League.html CSKA Sofia excluded from Champions League] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829121509/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/2302461/CSKA-Sofia-excluded-from-Champions-League.html |date=29 August 2017 }} ''Telegraph.co.uk'' 5 June 2008. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> The BFU then speculated this could also result in CSKA not being able to take part in the domestic championship, effectively turning it into an amateur club. Attempts to arrange a settlement with UEFA proved unsuccessful and CSKA lost its right to compete in the Champions League in favor of runners-up Levski Sofia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=731486.html |publisher=UEFA |title=Levski aim to ride their luck |access-date=10 July 2008 |archive-date=23 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123184902/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/news/kind=1/newsid=731486.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The person widely blamed for the crisis was club president Aleksandar Tomov, who resigned shortly after and was arrested and charged with embezzling millions of [[Bulgarian lev|levs]] from CSKA and [[Kremikovtzi AD]].<ref>[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109077 Bulgaria Court Resumes Trial against CSKA Ex-President Tomov] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014085629/http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109077 |date=14 October 2012 }} ''Novinite.com'' 20 October 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.</ref>

The problems with the license exposed the club's weak financial situation and led to chaos and panic, prompting many of the key players to flee, including head coach Stoycho Mladenov himself, who left saying he was not happy with the fire sale of so many important players. The future of CSKA looked grim, its status as a professional club hanging in the balance. In the midst of the crisis, Dimitar Penev was given the head coach's job for the third time and burdened with the task of saving the club. With almost all senior players gone, Penev had no choice but to rely on members of the CSKA youth squad.

Ultimately, CSKA managed to fulfill all licensing requirements set by the BFU and was allowed to compete in A Group.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bfunion.bg/index.php?request=news&set_month=8&news_id=1009 | language=bg |publisher=BFUnion.bg | title=Съобщение на Лицензионната комисия при БФС | access-date=5 August 2008 | archive-date=8 August 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080808044020/http://www.bfunion.bg/index.php?request=news&set_month=8&news_id=1009 | url-status=live }}</ref> Despite all the difficulties, and to the surprise of the whole football community, Penev's young squad claimed the [[Bulgarian Supercup]] in August 2008, overcoming Litex 1–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.football24.bg/?gg=3&hh=4&ii=140&jj=6&ll=8725&mm=140|publisher=Football24.bg|title=CSKA won the Supercup Final|access-date=4 August 2008|archive-date=22 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722232320/http://football24.bg/?gg=3&hh=4&ii=140&jj=6&ll=8725&mm=140|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Pfk cska sofia.JPG|thumb|CSKA Sofia in [[UEFA Europa League]] 2011]]
At the beginning of the [[2008–09 A PFG|2008–09 season]], the club managed to strengthen their ranks by signing Bulgarian internationals [[Zdravko Lazarov]] and [[Vladimir Manchev]]. On 24 December 2008, club owner Pramod Mittal announced he had signed a preliminary contract with a local investor to sell the club.<ref>[http://www.rediff.com///sports/2008/dec/25pramod-mittal-sells-cska-sofia.htm Pramod Mittal sells CSKA Sofia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605094049/http://www.rediff.com/sports/2008/dec/25pramod-mittal-sells-cska-sofia.htm |date=5 June 2010 }} ''Rediff.com'' 25 December 2008. Retrieved 8 April 2010</ref> The deal was finalized on 6 March 2009, and the ownership of the club was transferred to Titan Sport EAD, a subsidiary of Bulgarian waste management company Titan AS.<ref>[https://int.soccerway.com/news/2009/March/26/bulgaria-gives-green-light-to-sale-of-cska-sofia/ Bulgaria gives green light to sale of CSKA Sofia] ''Soccerway.com'' 26 March 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> Meanwhile, coach Dimitar Penev was replaced by his nephew, [[Lyuboslav Penev]], who set aggressive goals for the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=806862.html|publisher=UEFA|title=CSKA swap Penevs in Bulgaria|access-date=5 March 2009|archive-date=6 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306223048/http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=806862.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> After having led the league for most of the season, CSKA finished the championship in second place, one point behind arch-rivals Levski.

In 2009, CSKA earned a place in the [[2009–10 UEFA Europa League]]'s group stage after defeating [[FC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo Moscow]] in the qualifying round and drew [[AS Roma|Roma]], [[FC Basel|Basel]] and [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] in the [[2009–10 UEFA Europa League group stage|group stage]].<ref>[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=107230 CSKA Sofia Reach Europa League Groups after Moscow Victory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723193553/http://novinite.com/view_news.php?id=107230 |date=23 July 2011 }} ''Novinite.com'' 28 August 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> The first match was against Fulham in Sofia, where CSKA took the lead thanks to a beautiful goal by newly signed from [[PSFC Chernomorets Burgas|Chernomoretz Burgas]] Brazilian [[Michel Platini Mesquita|Michel Platini]]. However, a simple goalkeeper mistake at the end of the match allowed Fulham to score, ending the game in a 1–1 draw. Despite the strong start, CSKA did not manage to earn any more points in the group stage and exited the competition after finishing fourth in its group.<ref>[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109192 Bulgaria Top Clubs Sit Last in Europa League Groups] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014085928/http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109192 |date=14 October 2012 }} ''Novinite.com'' 23 October 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.</ref> In November 2009, coach Luboslav Penev threatened to resign following a squabble with the club's management after they had reversed his decision to reprimand several players for disciplinary reasons, but decided to carry on with the job. Their disagreements eventually boiled over in January 2010 and the board relieved Penev of the position.<ref>[https://int.soccerway.com/news/2010/January/13/cska-sofia-sacks-penev/ CSKA Sofia sacks Penev] ''Soccerway.com'' 13 January 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> Reports in the press pointed to former CSKA coach Miodrag Ješić as a possible replacement, but even though Ješić expressed a desire to come back to CSKA, his current contract with Libyan club [[Alittihad Tripoli S.C.|Alittihad Tripoli]] ruled him out.<ref>[http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=725801&cc=5901 Jesic rejects CSKA Sofia speculation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026093950/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=725801&cc=5901 |date=26 October 2012 }} ''ESPN.com'' 15 January 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> On 17 January, the club retained Romanian specialist [[Ioan Andone]] as coach.<ref>[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=112048 Bulgarian Club CSKA Sofia Appoint Romanian Coach] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210015230/http://novinite.com/view_news.php?id=112048 |date=10 December 2011 }} ''Novinite.com'' 17 January 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> Andone brought two Romanian players with him and set out to overhaul the team.<ref>[http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=bul/news/newsid=1446592.html Andone oversees CSKA overhaul] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413003123/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=bul/news/newsid=1446592.html |date=13 April 2010 }} ''UEFA.com'' 8 February 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> However, over the next six matches, CSKA won only two matches, drew arch-rivals Levski 0–0 and lost second place to [[FC Lokomotiv 1929 Sofia|Lokomotiv Sofia]]. On 30 March, after two months on the job, Andone resigned, citing family reasons.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/03/30/sports/sports-uk-soccer-europe-bulgaria-cska.html CSKA Sofia Coach Andone Resigns] ''The New York Times'' 30 March 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> Former CSKA defender [[Adalbert Zafirov]] was put in his place.<ref>[http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=bul/news/newsid=1469910.html Zafirov replaces Andone at CSKA Sofia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100404072042/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=bul/news/newsid=1469910.html |date=4 April 2010 }} ''Uefa.com'' 30 March 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> At the same time, the club turned to Dimitar Penev again, naming him supervisor of the coaching staff.<ref>[http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=115008 Bulgaria Legend Penev Returns to CSKA Sofia Bench] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408001824/https://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=115008 |date=8 April 2020 }} ''Novinite.com'' 8 April 2010. Retrieved 8 April 2010.</ref> Despite the tumultuous second half of the season, CSKA managed to finish at second place in the table, behind champions Litex, and prepared to enter the third qualifying round of the [[2010–11 UEFA Europa League]].<ref>[[2009–10 A PFG]] Retrieved 9 November 2010.</ref>

=== 2010s ===
[[File:Cska with cup of bulgaria 2011.JPG|thumb|CSKA with the [[Bulgarian Cup]] in [[2011 Bulgarian Cup Final]]]]
In the summer of 2010, the club hired [[Pavel Dochev]] as head coach, but after a string of unsatisfactory results, including a 0–1 loss to Levski Sofia and a 1–2 loss to Chernomorets Burgas, he was fired. His place was taken by the relatively unknown Macedonian manager [[Gjore Jovanovski]], who kept his job for just three months before being replaced by his assistant [[Milen Radukanov]]. Under Radukanov, CSKA won the [[2011 Bulgarian Cup Final|2011 Bulgarian Cup]] and the [[Bulgarian Super Cup|Bulgarian SuperCup]], beating league champions Litex Lovech 3–1.

CSKA started 2011–12 with eight-straight league victories, but after a 1–2 defeat against Slavia Sofia and a 0–0 draw against [[PFC Cherno More Varna|Cherno More Varna]], Radukanov was unexpectedly fired by chairman Dimitar Borisov. Dimitar Penev was appointed as a temporary manager with [[Adalbert Zafirov]] as his assistant. In the Stoycho Mladenov was again hired as head coach, and he led the club to a second-place league finish, a single point behind champions [[PFC Ludogorets Razgrad|Ludogorets Razgrad]] after losing on the final day of the season.

CSKA began the season by being surprisingly eliminated from international football by Slovenian side [[ND Mura 05|Mura 05]]. While the first leg in Slovenia ended in a 0–0 draw, a 1–1 tie at home eliminated the ''Reds'' from the [[2012–13 UEFA Europa League]] in the second qualifying round. The start of the domestic championship was unimpressive as well&nbsp;–- a 0–1 loss to Litex, in which the club had no right to use its new signings due to administrative restrictions. However, in the middle of the autumn half of the season, CSKA achieved some significant wins, defeating Levski 1–0 in the Eternal Derby and eliminating Ludogorets Razgrad in the round of 32 of the Bulgarian Cup.

In late December 2012, head coach Stoycho Mladenov was abruptly fired by the club owners for "disciplinary" reasons, and Miodrag Ješić was appointed in his place. During the winter transfer window, CSKA made several signings, such as Bulgarian internationals [[Martin Kamburov]] and [[Spas Delev]], in addition to South-American players [[Márcio de Souza Gregório Júnior|Marcinho]] and [[Ignacio Lores Varela|Ignacio Varela]]. After managing the team for only two matches in the Ješić was sacked and replaced by fan favourite Milen Radukanov, with whom the club managed to finish the season with the bronze medals.

In June 2013, former [[FIFA Ballon d'Or]] winner Hristo Stoichkov was released from Litex Lovech to replace Radukanov on the bench, but the poor financial condition of the club forced him to leave shortly after his arrival without even having signed a contract. Most of the key players left CSKA while speculations about the club's bankruptcy circled in the media.<ref>[http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-bulgaria-cska-stoichkov-idUKBRE96710F20130708 CSKA Sofia Find New Owners as Stoichkov Quits] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904155308/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-bulgaria-cska-stoichkov-idUKBRE96710F20130708 |date=4 September 2017 }} Reuters 8 July 2013. Retrieved 29 Jul 2013.</ref> After the serious financial problems led to CSKA's withdrawal from the [[2013–14 UEFA Europa League]], igniting multiple fan protests, the club was ultimately declared for sale. On 10 July 2013, it was officially purchased by the Red Champions Group, a union of businessmen and club legends. The leader of the group was Aleksandar Tomov, former club president widely blamed for CSKA's financial crisis in 2008. Stoycho Mladenov was hired back as manager by the new owners.

The club made several major signings for the new season, bringing in former team captains [[Valentin Iliev]], [[Emil Gargorov]] and [[Todor Yanchev]]. [[Algeria national football team|Algeria]]'s national goalkeeper [[Rais M'Bolhi]] and ex-[[Premier League]] stars [[Mamady Sidibé]] and Martin Petrov were also brought on board. On 19 October 2013, the reborn CSKA crushed city rivals Levski 3–0 and were given the nickname ''The Phoenixes''. By the end of the season, CSKA smashed Levski three more times and finished in second place, behind Ludogorets Razgrad.

On 21 March 2014, as part of the plan to reduce debt and make the club's finances more transparent, CSKA became the first club from Eastern Europe to be publicly traded by listing itself on the [[Bulgarian Stock Exchange – Sofia|Bulgarian Stock Exchange]].<ref>[https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-troubled-cska-sofia-seek-raise-6-3-161137528--finance.html Troubled CSKA Sofia Seek to Raise $6.3 mln from IPO] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317001432/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/soccer-troubled-cska-sofia-seek-raise-6-3-161137528--finance.html |date=17 March 2016 }} Reuters 5 March 2014. Retrieved 21 March 2014.</ref><ref>[http://www.insideworldfootball.com/world-football/europe/14332-fans-rush-for-cska-sofia-share-as-club-makes-market-debut Fans Rush for CSKA Sofia Shares as Club Makes Market Debut] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325145134/http://www.insideworldfootball.com/world-football/europe/14332-fans-rush-for-cska-sofia-share-as-club-makes-market-debut |date=25 March 2014 }} ''Inside World Football'' 21 March 2014. Retrieved 31 March 2014.</ref>

Before the start of the new season, a few key players were no longer part of the club. Goalkeeper Raïs M'Bolhi was transferred to [[Major League Soccer]] (MLS) side [[Philadelphia Union]] after an impressive performance at the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]]; young talent [[Ivaylo Chochev]] joined [[Palermo F.C.|Palermo]]; club legends Martin Petrov and Todor Yanchev retired; and the team's leading scorer, [[Emil Gargorov]], left due to conflict with the managing board. CSKA were surprisingly eliminated by the Moldovan side [[FC Zimbru Chișinău|Zimbru Chișinău]] in the [[2014–15 UEFA Europa League]]'s [[2014–15 UEFA Europa League qualifying phase and play-off round#Second qualifying round|second qualifying round]], but performed well in the domestic league during the first half of the season, beating rivals Levski twice more and being on the top of the table ahead of Ludogorets before the winter break. However, after the season resumed, CSKA lost three-straight matches without scoring a goal, prompting the resignation of head coach Stoycho Mladenov. Former team captain and youth team's coach [[Galin Ivanov (footballer, born 1975)|Galin Ivanov]] was appointed as the new head coach,<ref>[http://www.sportal.bg/news.php?news=539141 Галин Иванов е новият треньор на ЦСКА] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418134326/http://www.sportal.bg/news.php?news=539141 |date=18 April 2015 }} sportal.bg 24 March 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2015.</ref> but after five more goalless matches, he was replaced by European football legend Lyuboslav Penev, a move widely praised by fans.<ref>[http://www.eurosport.com/football/european-football/2013/goal-shy-cska-turn-to-new-coach-penev_sto4697082/story.shtml CSKA Sofia hire new coach who agrees to work for free] eurosport.com 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.</ref>

On 2 April, CSKA club president Aleksandar Tomov transferred his controlling block of shares to Milko Georgiev and Borislav Lazarov, with club supporters intending to find a new owner and major sponsors capable of paying off the club's numerous debts.<ref>[http://news.ibox.bg/news/id_1910338617 Томов прехвърли акциите си и се оттегли от ЦСКА] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626104926/http://news.ibox.bg/news/id_1910338617 |date=26 June 2015 }} news.bg 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.</ref> On 24 April, it was officially announced the club's new controlling owner would be the corporation Finance Marketing Company Ltd.<ref>[http://www.blitz.bg/sport/article/272360 Официално: ЦСКА с нов собственик] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627114508/http://www.blitz.bg/sport/article/272360 |date=27 June 2015 }} blitz.bg 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.</ref> CSKA finished the season in fifth position, but due to the unfunded debts, the BFU refused to issue the club a license for [[Bulgarian A Football Group|A Group]] for the upcoming season, instead sending the club to the [[Bulgarian V AFG|South-Western V group]], the third tier of Bulgarian football.<ref>{{cite web|title=Съобщение на Лицензионната комисия|url=http://www.bfunion.bg/news/5551|access-date=29 June 2015|language=bg|date=29 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923184328/http://www.bfunion.bg/news/5551|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 24 June 2015, businessman [[Grisha Ganchev]] announced he would be the new owner of CSKA. Club legend Plamen Markov and famous former footballer [[Hristo Yanev]] were appointed as sports director and head coach respectively.<ref>[http://www.blitz.bg/sport/article/280701 Пламен Марков: Много зложелатели искат ЦСКА да не съществува] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702000253/http://www.blitz.bg/sport/article/280701 |date=2 July 2015 }} blitz.bg 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.</ref> Yanev claimed he wants to form a squad consisting entirely of Bulgarian players.

On 25 May 2016, CSKA Sofia won the [[2015–16 Bulgarian Cup]], becoming the first third-division club to record such an achievement. In [[2016 Bulgarian Cup Final|the final]], CSKA defeated [[FC Montana|Montana]] 1–0 to lift the cup for the 20th time in club history.<ref>[http://cska.gong.bg/bg-football/v-grupa/hristo-ianev-rykovodstvoto-na-grisha-ganchev-e-na-svetlinni-godini-ot-vsiako-drugo-335538 Христо Янев: Ръководството на Гриша Ганчев е на светлинни години от всяко друго] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704194716/http://cska.gong.bg/bg-football/v-grupa/hristo-ianev-rykovodstvoto-na-grisha-ganchev-e-na-svetlinni-godini-ot-vsiako-drugo-335538 |date=4 July 2015 }} gong.bg 5 July 2015. Retrieved 5 July 2015.</ref>

On 27 May 2016, the legal firm that represented [[PFC Chavdar Etropole]], "PFC Chavdar EAD", was renamed to "PFC CSKA-1948 AD".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.plamak.bg/%D0%B1%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D0%BE%D1%82-%D1%81%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%BD-%D0%B5-%D1%81-38-100-%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%8F/|title=Бизнесмен от Смолян е с 38 100 акции в новия ЦСКА|date=25 May 2016|website=plamak.bg|access-date=3 May 2017|archive-date=29 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829203342/https://www.plamak.bg/%D0%B1%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BD-%D0%BE%D1%82-%D1%81%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%BD-%D0%B5-%D1%81-38-100-%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%8F/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 6 June 2016, the legal firm which representedb Litex Lovech, "PFC Litex-Lovech AD", was renamed to "PFC CSKA-Sofia EAD",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.novsport.com/news1967141_1003.html|title=Novsport.com – В Ловеч ще бъде създаден нов футболен клуб|website=novsport.com|date=31 May 2016 |access-date=3 May 2017|archive-date=29 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829211355/http://www.novsport.com/news1967141_1003.html|url-status=live}}</ref> in order for the club to use PFC Litex Lovech's professional license to apply for the reformed [[First Professional Football League (Bulgaria)|First League]],<ref>{{cite web|title=First Division Clubs in Europe|url=http://www.uefa.org/MultimediaFiles/Download/FirstDiv/uefaorg/Publications/02/40/03/54/2400354_DOWNLOAD.pdf|publisher=UEFA|access-date=13 October 2016|page=21|archive-date=13 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013074553/http://www.uefa.org/MultimediaFiles/Download/FirstDiv/uefaorg/Publications/02/40/03/54/2400354_DOWNLOAD.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> with "PFC CSKA-1948 AD" being written in as its owner. The shift was made because the old legal firm, "PFC CSKA AD", was not issued a professional license, and later went bankrupted and ceased operations as of 9 September 2016. Litex Lovech later began playing in the [[Third Amateur Football League (Bulgaria)|Third League]], taking the place of [[FC Botev Lukovit|Botev Lukovit]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gol.bg/litex/2016-07-06/vartelezhka-liteks-shte-rita-vav-v-grupa-s-litsenza-na-botev-lukovit|title=Въртележка: Литекс ще рита във|website=gol.bg|access-date=3 May 2017|archive-date=17 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817205140/http://www.gol.bg/litex/2016-07-06/vartelezhka-liteks-shte-rita-vav-v-grupa-s-litsenza-na-botev-lukovit|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following a series of unfavourable results in the championship, Hristo Yanev resigned as head coach. The following week, the son of former Romanian football legend [[Anghel Iordănescu]], [[Edward Iordănescu]], was appointed as head coach. However, on 27 November, following a 1–1 home draw against [[FC Vereya|Vereya]], he resigned as head coach.

In September 2017, the club officially announced a sponsorship with [[Mtel (Bulgaria)|Mtel]], the largest telecommunications company in Bulgaria. A sponsorship contract was also signed with Bulgarian [[online gambling]] company WinBet.

On 11 October 2018, after three auctions, the company holding PFC CSKA-Sofia EAD bought the CSKA Sofia EAD brand, becoming officially the successor of the original club.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sportal.bg/news.php?news=750163 |title=Официално: "Ред Енимълс" плати емблемата на ЦСКА |access-date=11 October 2018 |archive-date=11 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011214657/https://www.sportal.bg/news.php?news=750163 |url-status=live }}</ref> The transaction was made for the amount of €4 million, thus giving legitimacy to the new entity, even though it had already been accepted by most supporters and ex-legends of the club as the successor of the original club.

=== 2020s ===
The beginning of the decade marked CSKA's return to the European stage. The club earned a place in the group stage of a European tournament for the first time in ten years after eliminating [[FC Basel]] in the playoffs of the [[2020-21 Europa League]].

[[Stoycho Mladenov]] was appointed as head coach for the fifth time in club history in the summer of 2021, replacing [[Lyuboslav Penev]]. After defeating [[FK Liepāja]], [[NK Osijek]], and [[FC Viktoria Plzeň|Viktoria Plzeň]] in the qualifying rounds of the [[UEFA Europa Conference League]], the club reached the group stage.<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/uefaconferenceleague/clubs/2608297--cska-sofia/ UEFA Europa Conference League 2021-22 CSKA Sofia]  ''UEFA.com'' Retrieved 3 May 2022.</ref>

In April 2022, after it became apparent that the club would not win the title, Mladenov abruptly resigned and was replaced by [[Alan Pardew]], the club's technical director, who became the first Englishman ever to manage CSKA.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61261144 CSKA Sofia appoint Englishman as new manager] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509081617/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61261144 |date=9 May 2022 }} BBC Retrieved 9 May 2022.</ref>

Pardew, however, would resign two months later following a racist incident where CSKA fans threw bananas at black players during a match against [[Botev Plovdiv]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Pardew leaves CSKA Sofia over fans' racism |language=en-GB |publisher=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61665141 |access-date=2022-06-01 |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601182016/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61665141 |url-status=live }}</ref>

For the following 2022-23 season, the club was managed by serbian football legend [[Saša Ilić (footballer, born 1977)|Saša Ilić]], with whom the Reds came tantalizingly close to winning the title, losing it in the final match to rivals Ludogorets by a single point after [[Ivan Turitsov]] missed a penalty in the 95th minute.

==Club identity and supporters ==
[[File:The red army by skycycle.jpg|thumb|CSKA fans in Sector G during the [[2005–06 UEFA Cup group stage|2005–06 UEFA Cup Group A]] game versus [[Hamburger SV]]]]
{{Main|Sector G}}
According to many surveys, CSKA Sofia is one of the two most popular clubs in Bulgaria with approximately 190,000 organized supporters in 799 fan clubs around the world, in almost every country in which there is a large number of [[Bulgarians]]. The official fan club was formed in 1990, which to date is the oldest one in the capital of Bulgaria.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}

CSKA Sofia’s supporter culture has long been intertwined with right‑wing and nationalist currents. The club’s principal ultras section, [[Sector G]], was formally established in 1990 and includes factions such as Animals and Offenders, whose members often espouse  nationalistic, [[Antiziganism|antiziganistic]], [[Albanophobia|albanophobic]] and [[Anti-Turkism|turkophobic]] beliefs.<ref>{{cite web|title=Измъкнаха цар Киро от Катуница, футболни фенове нападат |url=http://www.24chasa.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1051308|publisher=24 chasa|accessdate=2012-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Феновете на ЦСКА: Готови сме за война с циганите!(СНИМКИ+ВИДЕО)8 |url=http://www.zasada.bg/%D1%84%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%86%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8-%D1%81%D0%BC%D0%B5-%D0%B7%D0%B0-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%81/|publisher=Zasada.bg|accessdate=2012-06-15}}</ref> Sector G maintains friendships with other clubs’ right‑leaning ultras; [[CSA Steaua București]], [[Partizan Belgrade]] and [[CSKA Moscow]], and its rivalry with [[Levski Sofia]]’s Sektor B faction is as much ideological as it is sporting.

Despite official BFU regulations against discrimination, CSKA fans have repeatedly flown Nazi symbols and engaged in racist abuse with limited sanction. In April 2015, a swastika flag at a match prompted only a minimum fine, while monkey chants at a player of colour went unpunished.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nicholson |first=Paul  |date=27 April 2015 |title=Bulgarian FA fines CSKA Sofia for swastika flag but 'monkey' jibes unpunished |url=https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2015/04/27/bulgarian-fa-fines-levski-for-swastika-but-cska-monkey-jibes-unpunished/ |work= |location= |publisher= |access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref> Independent investigations have documented links between CSKA hooligan elements and broader far‑right networks, including German MMA‑hooligan groups implicated in attacks on Leipzig’s Connewitz district in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ford |first=Matt |date=16 October 2019 |title=Bulgaria's deep-rooted and interconnected racism problem |url=https://www.dw.com/en/fascists-and-football-bulgarias-deep-rooted-and-interconnected-racism-problem/a-50843110 |work=[[Deutsche Welle]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref>

==League positions==
<timeline>
ImageSize  = width:1600 height:65
PlotArea   = left:10 right:10 bottom:30 top:10
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period     = from:01/07/1948 till:01/07/2025
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:2 start:1949
Colors     =
 id:bl1 value:rgb(0.5,0.8,0.5)
 id:bl2 value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.3)
 id:rs  value:rgb(0.8,0.6,0.6)
 id:rn  value:rgb(0.9,0.1,0.1)

PlotData   = 
 bar:Position width:16 color:white align:center
 from:01/07/1948 till:01/07/1949 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1949 till:01/07/1950 shift:(0,-4) text:4
 from:01/07/1950 till:01/07/1951 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1951 till:01/07/1952 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1952 till:01/07/1953 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1953 till:01/07/1954 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1954 till:01/07/1955 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1955 till:01/07/1956 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1956 till:01/07/1957 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1957 till:01/07/1958 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1958 till:01/07/1959 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1959 till:01/07/1960 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1960 till:01/07/1961 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1961 till:01/07/1962 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1962 till:01/07/1963 shift:(0,-4) text:3
 from:01/07/1963 till:01/07/1964 shift:(0,-4) text:11
 from:01/07/1964 till:01/07/1965 shift:(0,-4) text:4
 from:01/07/1965 till:01/07/1966 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1966 till:01/07/1967 shift:(0,-4) text:5
 from:01/07/1967 till:01/07/1968 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1968 till:01/07/1969 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1969 till:01/07/1970 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1970 till:01/07/1971 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1971 till:01/07/1972 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1972 till:01/07/1973 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1973 till:01/07/1974 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1974 till:01/07/1975 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1975 till:01/07/1976 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1976 till:01/07/1977 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1977 till:01/07/1978 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1978 till:01/07/1979 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1979 till:01/07/1980 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1980 till:01/07/1981 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1981 till:01/07/1982 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1982 till:01/07/1983 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1983 till:01/07/1984 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1984 till:01/07/1985 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1985 till:01/07/1986 shift:(0,-4) text:4
 from:01/07/1986 till:01/07/1987 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1987 till:01/07/1988 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1988 till:01/07/1989 shift:(0,-4) text:1 
 from:01/07/1989 till:01/07/1990 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1990 till:01/07/1991 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1991 till:01/07/1992 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1992 till:01/07/1993 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1993 till:01/07/1994 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/1994 till:01/07/1995 shift:(0,-4) text:5
 from:01/07/1995 till:01/07/1996 shift:(0,-4) text:5
 from:01/07/1996 till:01/07/1997 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/1997 till:01/07/1998 shift:(0,-4) text:3
 from:01/07/1998 till:01/07/1999 shift:(0,-4) text:5
 from:01/07/1999 till:01/07/2000 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2000 till:01/07/2001 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2001 till:01/07/2002 shift:(0,-4) text:3
 from:01/07/2002 till:01/07/2003 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/2003 till:01/07/2004 shift:(0,-4) text:3
 from:01/07/2004 till:01/07/2005 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/2005 till:01/07/2006 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2006 till:01/07/2007 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2007 till:01/07/2008 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/2008 till:01/07/2009 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2009 till:01/07/2010 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2010 till:01/07/2011 shift:(0,-4) text:3
 from:01/07/2011 till:01/07/2012 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2012 till:01/07/2013 shift:(0,-4) text:3
 from:01/07/2013 till:01/07/2014 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2014 till:01/07/2015 shift:(0,-4) text:5
 from:01/07/1948 till:01/07/2015 color:green shift:(0,14) text: "[[Bulgarian A Football Group|A Group]]"
 from:01/07/2015 till:01/07/2016 shift:(0,-4) text:1
 from:01/07/2015 till:01/07/2016 color:red shift:(0,14) text: "[[Bulgarian V AFG|V Group]]"
 from:01/07/2016 till:01/07/2017 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2017 till:01/07/2018 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2018 till:01/07/2019 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2019 till:01/07/2020 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2020 till:01/07/2021 shift:(0,-4) text:3
 from:01/07/2021 till:01/07/2022 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2022 till:01/07/2023 shift:(0,-4) text:2
 from:01/07/2023 till:01/07/2024 shift:(0,-4) text:3
 from:01/07/2024 till:01/07/2025 shift:(0,-4) text:
 from:01/07/2016 till:01/07/2025 color:green shift:(0,14) text: "[[First Professional Football League (Bulgaria)|First League]]"
</timeline>

== Honours ==

=== Domestic ===
'''[[Bulgarian A Football Group|Bulgarian A Group]]:'''
:*'''Champions (31) (record):''' [[1948 Bulgarian Republic Football Championship|1948]], [[1951 A Group|1951]], [[1952 A Group|1952]], [[1954 A Group|1954]], [[1955 A Group|1955]], [[1956 A Group|1956]], [[1957 A Group|1957]], [[1958 A Group|1958]], [[1958–59 A Group|1958–59]], [[1959–60 A Group|1959–60]], [[1960–61 A Group|1960–61]], [[1961–62 A Group|1961–62]], [[1965–66 A Group|1965–66]], [[1968–69 A Group|1968–69]], [[1970–71 A Group|1970–71]], [[1971–72 A Group|1971–72]], [[1972–73 A Group|1972–73]], [[1974–75 A Group|1974–75]], [[1975–76 A Group|1975–76]], [[1979–80 A Group|1979–80]], [[1980–81 A Group|1980–81]], [[1981–82 A Group|1981–82]], [[1982–83 A Group|1982–83]], [[1986–87 A Group|1986–87]], [[1988–89 A Group|1988–89]], [[1989–90 A Group|1989–90]], [[1991–92 A Group|1991–92]], [[1996–97 A Group|1996–97]], [[2002–03 A Group|2002–03]], [[2004–05 A Group|2004–05]], [[2007–08 A Group|2007–08]]

'''[[Bulgarian V AFG|Bulgarian V Group]]:'''
:*'''Champions (1):''' [[2015–16 V AFG|2015–16]]

'''[[Bulgarian Cup]]:'''
:*'''Winners (21 times):''' [[1951 Bulgarian Cup Final|1951]], [[1954 Bulgarian Cup Final|1954]], [[1955 Bulgarian Cup Final|1955]], [[1961 Bulgarian Cup Final|1960–61]], [[1965 Bulgarian Cup Final|1964–65]], [[1969 Bulgarian Cup Final|1968–69]], [[1972 Bulgarian Cup Final|1971–72]], [[1973 Bulgarian Cup Final|1972–73]], [[1974 Bulgarian Cup Final|1973–74]], [[1983 Bulgarian Cup Final|1982–83]], [[1985 Bulgarian Cup Final|1984–85]], [[1987 Bulgarian Cup Final|1986–87]], [[1988 Bulgarian Cup Final|1987–88]], [[1989 Bulgarian Cup Final|1988–89]], [[1993 Bulgarian Cup Final|1992–93]], [[1997 Bulgarian Cup Final|1996–97]], [[1999 Bulgarian Cup Final|1998–99]], [[2006 Bulgarian Cup Final|2005–06]], [[2011 Bulgarian Cup Final|2010–11]], [[2016 Bulgarian Cup Final|2015–16]], [[2021 Bulgarian Cup Final|2020–21]]

'''[[Bulgarian Supercup]]:'''
:*'''Winners (4):''' [[1989 Bulgarian Supercup|1989]], [[2006 Bulgarian Supercup|2006]], [[2008 Bulgarian Supercup|2008]], [[2011 Bulgarian Supercup|2011]]

'''[[Bulgarian Cup#Unofficial winners|Bulgarian Cup&nbsp;– (secondary cup competition)]]'''<ref name=BulgarianCupsOverview>{{cite web|title=Bulgaria Cups Overview|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/bulgcuphist.html|access-date=28 September 2015|archive-date=12 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712110307/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesb/bulgcuphist.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
:*'''Winners (1 time) (shared record):''' 1980-81

'''[[Cup of the Soviet Army (1983–1990)|Cup of the Soviet Army – (secondary cup competition)]]'''<ref name=BulgarianCupsOverview />
:*'''Winners (4 times) (record):''' [[1985 Soviet Army Cup Final|1984–85]], 1985-86, 1988-89, [[1990 Soviet Army Cup Final|1989–90]]

=== European ===
'''[[UEFA Champions League|European Cup / UEFA Champions League]]'''
*''' Semi-finals (2):''' [[1966–67 European Cup|1966–67]], [[1981–82 European Cup|1981–82]]
*'''Quarter-finals (4):''' [[1956–57 European Cup|1956–57]], [[1973–74 European Cup|1973–74]], [[1980–81 European Cup|1980–81]], [[1989–90 European Cup|1989–90]]

'''[[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League]]''':
*'''Round of 32 (3):''' [[1984–85 UEFA Cup|1984–85]], [[1991–92 UEFA Cup|1991–92]], [[1998–99 UEFA Cup|1998–99]]
*'''Group stage (4):''' [[2005–06 UEFA Cup|2005–06]], [[2009–10 UEFA Europa League|2009–10]], [[2010–11 UEFA Europa League|2010–11]], [[2020–21 UEFA Europa League|2020–21]]

'''[[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup / UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]'''
*''' Semi-finals (1):''' [[1988–89 European Cup Winners' Cup|1988–89]]

'''[[UEFA Europa Conference League]]'''
* '''Group stage (1):''' [[2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League|2021–22]]

'''Biggest win in European tournaments:'''

*UEFA Champions League&nbsp;– 8–1 in [[1956–57 European Cup|1956–57]] vs [[FC Dinamo București|Dinamo București]]
*UEFA Europa League&nbsp;– 8–0 in [[2000–01 UEFA Cup|2000–01]] vs [[FC Tiraspol|Constructorul]]; 5–0 in [[1999–00 UEFA Cup|1999–00]] vs [[Portadown F.C.|Portadown]]
*UEFA Cup Winners' Cup&nbsp;– 9–0 in [[1970–71 European Cup Winners' Cup|1970–71]] vs [[FC Haka|Haka]]; 8–0 in [[1993–94 European Cup Winners' Cup|1993–94]] vs [[FC Balzers|Balzers]]; 5–0 in [[1988–89 European Cup Winners' Cup|1988–89]] vs [[FK Inter Bratislava|Inter Bratislava]]
*UEFA Europa Conference League&nbsp;– 4–0 in [[2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League|2022–23]] vs [[FK Makedonija G.P.|Makedonija GP]]
*UEFA Intertoto Cup&nbsp;– 4–1 in [[1996 UEFA Intertoto Cup|1996]] vs [[Hibernians F.C.|Hibernians]]

=== Other trophies ===
'''Tournament for Stalin's Birthday, Bulgaria:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1951
'''Tournament in Antwerp, Belgium:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1958
'''Allied Armies Spartakiade:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1958
'''[[Republican spartakiada|Republican Spartakiad]], Bulgaria:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1959
'''[[Mohammed V Trophy]], Morocco:'''<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/mohamed-v.html Mohammed V Trophy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604192807/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/mohamed-v.html |date=4 June 2023 }}. ''[[RSSSF]]''.</ref>
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1967
'''[[:es:Trofeo Ciudad de Palma|Trofeo Ciudad de Palma]], Spain:'''
:*'''Winners (2)''': 1970, 1971
'''Blitz Tournament Smolyan, Bulgaria:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1976
'''[[:es:Trofeo Costa de Valencia|Trofeo Costa de Valencia]], Spain:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1976
'''[[Trofeo Ciudad de Zaragoza]], Spain:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1977
'''Cup Olympic Fire, Bulgaria:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1980
'''Torneio Costa Azul, Portugal:'''
:*'''Winners (2)''': 1989, 1991
'''Tournament Shumen, Bulgaria:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1993
'''Cup Grand-hotel Varna, Bulgaria:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 1995
'''[[:bg:Купа „Плейстейшън“|PlayStation Cup]], Bulgaria:'''
:*'''Winners (4) (record)''': 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007
'''Thöle-Pokal, Germany:'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Werder Bremen&nbsp;– ZSKA Sofia 5:7 n.E. (3:3, 2:3)|url=http://werder-double04.de.tl/vor-der-Saison.htm|access-date=28 September 2015|archive-date=29 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929001200/http://werder-double04.de.tl/vor-der-Saison.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
:*'''Winners (1)''': 2003
'''Arona Cup, Spain:'''<ref>{{cite web|title=[ЦСКА взе купа в Испания|url=http://www.segabg.com/article.php?id=117771|access-date=28 September 2015|archive-date=6 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306091750/http://www.segabg.com/article.php?id=117771|url-status=live}}</ref>
:*'''Winners (1)''': 2004
'''Аrcadia Cup, Turkey:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 2007
'''Sporx Cup, Netherlands and Germany:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 2007
'''[[IFC Pego Cup]], Spain:'''
:*'''Winners (1) (record)''': 2008
'''[[Kaliakra Kavarna Albena Cup|Albena Cup]], Bulgaria:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 2009
'''Martyrs of 17 February Cup, Libya:'''<ref>{{cite web|title=[CSKA Sofia Win First 17 Feb Tournament|url=http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=3&i=7955|access-date=28 September 2015|archive-date=29 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929111412/http://www.tripolipost.com/articledetail.asp?c=3&i=7955|url-status=dead}}</ref>
:*'''Winners (1)''': 2012
'''Tournament Tsarsko selo, Bulgaria:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 2016
'''Stubai Cup, Austria:'''
:*'''Winners (1)''': 2017

== Club crest ==

The main element in the current club crest is the red five-pointed star&nbsp;– symbol of glory and power. Red was the colour of the uniform of the Roman legions, associated with love, freedom and aggression. The six oak leaves above the star symbolise strength, endurance and traditions. CSKA's name and year of foundation (1948) can be seen below the star, between two Bulgarian flags. The circle form of the crest symbolises infinity and eternity.

After CSKA won its 30th national title in 2005, three golden stars were added to the logo.<ref>[http://redhearts.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16&Itemid=17&layout=default&date=2013-01-01 Емблемата] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829205045/http://redhearts.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16&Itemid=17&layout=default&date=2013-01-01 |date=29 August 2017 }} redhearts.eu 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.</ref> In 2017, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the club, CSKA introduced an updated chest.<ref>[http://cska.bg/index.php?main_page=document_general_info&cPath=65&products_id=3265 Юбилейната емблема] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170409195658/http://cska.bg/index.php?main_page=document_general_info&cPath=65&products_id=3265 |date=9 April 2017 }} cska.bg 6 April 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.</ref>

<gallery>
File:Black lion rampant in a circle.svg|"Atletik – Slava (AS`23)" (1923–44)
File:Chavdar CDV.svg|"Chavdar (from 1948 – CDV)" (1944–48)
File:Septemvri pri CDV logo.png|"Septemvri pri CDV" (1948–49)
File:CDNV logo.png|"CDNV" (1950–1953)
File:CDNA logo.png|"CDNA" (1954–1962)
File:CSKA Cherveno Zname logo.png|"CSKA Cherveno Zname" (1962–1968)
File:CSKA Cherveno Zname alternative logo.png|"CSKA Cherveno Zname" alternative (1964–1968)
File:CSKA Cherveno Zname logo variant 2.png|"CSKA Cherveno Zname" alternative (1965–1968)
File:CSKA Septemvriysko Zname logo.png|"CSKA Septemvriysko Zname" (1968–1985)
File:CSKA Septemvriysko Zname red logo.png|"CSKA Septemvriysko Zname" alternative (1968–1985)
File:CSKA Septemvriysko Zname alternative logo.png|"CSKA Septemvriysko Zname" European championships (1968–1985)
File:CFKA Sredets logo.png|"CFKA Sredets" (1985–1989)
File:CSKA old-2.png|"CSKA" (1987–1988) and (1990–1998)
File:CSKA 98-99.png|"CSKA" (1998)
File:CSKA 99-05.png|"CSKA" (1989) and (1998–2005)
File:CSKA Sofia logo.svg|"CSKA" (2005–2017)
File:CSKA Sofia logo for 70th anniversary.png|"CSKA" (2017–2019)
File:CSKA Sofia Logo 2020.png|"CSKA" (2019–present)
</gallery>

== Names ==
CSKA has carried a plethora of names throughout its history. In chronological order, they are as follows:<ref name="HistoryCSKA">{{cite web|url=http://www.cska.bg/%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%86%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0/|title=ИСТОРИЯ НА ЦСКА|website=cska.bg|access-date=3 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009010928/http://www.cska.bg/%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D1%86%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0/|archive-date=9 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Septemvri pri CDV ({{langx|bg|Септември при ЦДВ}}), ''September at the Central House of the Troops'' in 1948 and 1948/49.
* Narodna Voiska ({{langx|bg|Народна Войска}}), ''People's Troops'' in 1950.
* C.D.N.V. ({{langx|bg|Централен Дом на Народната Войска, Ц.Д.Н.В.}}), ''Central House of the People's Troops'' in 1951 and 1952.
* Otbor na Sofiyskiya Garnizon ({{langx|bg|Отбор на Софийския Гарнизон}}), ''Team of the Sofia's garrison'' in 1953.
* CDNA ({{langx|bg|ЦДНА, Централен Дом на Народната Армия}}), ''Central House of the People's Army'' from 1954 and until the 1961/62 season.
* CSKA "Cherveno zname" ({{langx|bg|ЦСКА „Червено знаме“}}), ''CSKA "Red Flag"'' between 1962/63 and 1967/68.
* CSKA "Septemvriysko zname" ({{langx|bg|ЦСКА „Септемврийско знаме“}}), ''CSKA "September's flag"'' between 1968/69 and 1984/85.
* CFKA "Sredets" ({{langx|bg|ЦФКА „Средец“}}), ''Central Football Club of the Army "Sredets"'' from 1985/86 and until 1988/89
* CSKA ({{langx|bg|ЦСКА}}), ''CSKA&nbsp;– Central Sports Club of the Army'' since 1989/90.

== Shirt sponsors and manufacturers ==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!Period
!Kit Manufacturer
!Shirt Sponsor
|-
|1948–75
||{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} locally produced
|rowspan=4|<small>''None''</small>
|-
|1975–83
||{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Adidas]]
|-
|1983–85
||{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Puma AG|Puma]]
|-
|1985–89
|rowspan=3|{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Adidas]]
|-
|1989–90
||[[Comco]]
|-
|1990–91
|rowspan=5|Sintofarm
|-
|1991–92
||{{flagicon|Italy}} [[ABM Diffusion|ABM]]
|-
|1991–92
||{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Umbro]]
|-
|1992–95
||{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Erreà]]
|-
|1995–96
||{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Lotto Sport Italia|Lotto]]
|-
|1996–99
|rowspan=2|{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Puma AG|Puma]]
|[[Multigroup]]
|-
|1999–00
|rowspan=5|<small>''None''</small>
|-
|2000–01
||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]
|-
|2001–03
||{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Lotto Sport Italia|Lotto]]
|-
|2003–04
||{{flagicon|Japan}} [[ASICS]]
|-
|2004–05
|rowspan=4|{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Uhlsport]]
|-
|2005–08
||[[Vivatel]]
|-
|2008–09
||<small>''None''</small>
|-
|2009–11
|rowspan=3|[[Globul]]
|-
|2011–12
||{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Kappa (company)|Kappa]]
|-
|2012–13
|rowspan=2|{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Legea]]
|-
|2013–15
|rowspan=2|<small>''None''</small>
|-
|2015–16
|{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Lotto Sport Italia|Lotto]]
|-
|2016–22
|{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Adidas]]
|<small>[[A1 Bulgaria|A1]] / WINBET</small>
|-
|2022–
|{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Macron (sportswear)|Macron]]
|<small>WINBET / [[A1 Bulgaria|A1]]</small>
|}
{{col-end}}

*Only Domestic Cup matches

== European record ==
{{Main|PFC CSKA Sofia in European football}}
<small>''Fully up to date as of 3 August 2023''</small>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!width="318" style="background:#DCDCDC"|Competition
!width="35" style="background:#DCDCDC"|{{Tooltip|S|Seasons}}
!width="35" style="background:#DCDCDC"|{{Tooltip|P|Played}}
!width="35" style="background:#DCDCDC"|{{Tooltip|W|Won}}
!width="35" style="background:#DCDCDC"|{{Tooltip|D|Drawn}}
!width="35" style="background:#DCDCDC"|{{Tooltip|L|Lost}}
!width="35" style="background:#DCDCDC"|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!width="35" style="background:#DCDCDC"|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!width="35" style="background:#DCDCDC"|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
|-
|align=left|[[UEFA Champions League]] / [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]]
|25||98||41||16||41||140||144||–4
|-
|align=left|[[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]] / [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup]]
|5||22||12||0||10||49||29||+20
|-
|align=left|[[UEFA Europa League]] / [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]]
|25||116||40||34||42||148||140||+8
|-
|align=left|[[UEFA Europa Conference League]]
|3||20||5||5||10||18||27||−9
|-
|align=left|[[UEFA Intertoto Cup]]
|1||4||2||1||1||8||4||+4
|-
|-class="sortbottom"
!Total||59||260||100||56||104||363||344||+19
|}

=== UEFA ranking ===

{{updated|25 June 2023}} 
''Source: [https://kassiesa.net/uefa/data/method5/trank2023.html]''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! Rank !! Team !! Points
|-
|112||align=left|{{flagicon|AUT}} [[Wolfsberger AC]]||13.500
|-
|113||align=left|{{flagicon|ISR}} [[Maccabi Haifa F.C.|Maccabi Haifa]]||13.000 
|-bgcolor="#ddffdd"
|113||align=left|{{flagicon|BGR}} '''CSKA Sofia'''||13.000
|-
|115||align=left|{{flagicon|AUT}} [[SK Sturm Graz|Sturm Graz]]||12.500
|-
|115||align=left|{{flagicon|HUN}} [[FC Fehérvár|Fehérvár]]||12.500
|}

== Players ==
=== Current squad ===
{{updated|25 June 2025}}
{{Fs start|hidenote=yes}}
{{Fs player|no=1|nat=BRA|name=[[Gustavo Busatto]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=3|nat=GAM|name=[[Sainey Sanyang]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=4|nat=SPA|name=[[Adrián Lapeña]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=5|nat=KOS|name=[[Lumbardh Dellova]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=6|nat=SCO|name=[[Liam Cooper]]|pos=DF|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]}}
{{Fs player|no=7|nat=NOR|name=[[Olaus Skarsem]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=9|nat=BEL|name=[[Aaron Leya Iseka]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=11|nat=GLP|name=[[Matthias Phaëton]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=12|nat=BUL|name=[[Marin Orlinov]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=13|nat=COL|name=[[Brayan Córdoba]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=14|nat=BUL|name=[[Teodor Ivanov]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=15|nat=FRA|name=[[Thibaut Vion]]|pos=DF|other=[[Vice-captain (association football)|vice-captain]]}}
{{Fs player|no=16|nat=BUL|name=[[Georgi Chorbadzhiyski]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=18|nat=LUX|name=[[Mica Pinto]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=19|nat=BUL|name=[[Ivan Turitsov]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=20|nat=BUL|name=[[Martin Stoychev]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=21|nat=BLR|name=[[Fyodor Lapoukhov]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=22|nat=COD|name=[[Jason Lokilo]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=24|nat=BUL|name=[[Yulian Iliev]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=28|nat=CYP|name=[[Ioannis Pittas]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=29|nat=BUL|name=[[Ivan Tasev (footballer)|Ivan Tasev]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=30|nat=BUL|name=[[Petko Panayotov]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=73|nat=BUL|name=[[Ilian Iliev (footballer, born 1999)|Ilian Iliev Jr.]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=77|nat=KOS|name=[[Zymer Bytyqi]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=91|nat=BUL|name=Yoan Bornosuzov|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=99|nat=CMR|name=[[James Eto'o]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs end}}

''For recent transfers, see [[List of Bulgarian football transfers winter 2024–25#CSKA Sofia|Transfers winter 2024–25]] and [[List of Bulgarian football transfers summer 2025#CSKA Sofia|Transfers summer 2025]].''

=== Out on loan===

=== Reserve team and Youth Academy===
{{Main|PFC CSKA Sofia II}}
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=2|nat=BUL|name=Lachezar Ivanov|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=23|nat=BUL|name=[[Ilian Antonov]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=25|nat=BUL|name=[[Mark-Emilio Papazov]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=31|nat=BUL|name=Georgi Gerginov|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=32|nat=BUL|name=Dimitar Nikolov|pos=DF}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=33|nat=BUL|name=Bozhidar Petrov|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=34|nat=BUL|name=Vasil Kaymakanov|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=35|nat=BUL|name=[[Martin Sorakov]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=36|nat=BUL|name=[[Radoslav Zhivkov]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=45|nat=BUL|name=Yulian Gilov|pos=MF}}
{{Fs end}}

===Foreign players===
Up to twenty foreign nationals can be registered and given a squad number for the first team in the [[First Professional Football League (Bulgaria)|Bulgarian First League]], however only five non-EU/EEA nationals can be used during a match day. Those non-EU/EEA nationals with European ancestry can claim citizenship from the nation their ancestors came from. If a player does not have European ancestry he can claim Bulgarian citizenship after playing in Bulgaria for 5 years.
{|
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
||
'''EU/EEA Nationals'''
*{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Aaron Leya Iseka]]
*{{flagicon|Cyprus}} [[Ioannis Pittas]]
*{{flagicon|France}} [[Thibaut Vion]]
*{{flagicon|Luxemburg}} [[Mica Pinto]]
*{{flagicon|Norway}} [[Olaus Skarsem]]
*{{flagicon|Spain}} [[Adrián Lapeña]]
||
'''EU/EEA Nationals (Dual citizenship)'''
*{{flagicon|Brazil}} {{flagicon|Italy}} [[Gustavo Busatto]]
*{{flagicon|Cameroon}} {{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[James Eto'o]]
*{{flagicon|DR Congo}} {{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Jason Lokilo]]
*{{flagicon|Guadeloupe|football}} {{flagicon|France}} [[Matthias Phaëton]]
*{{flagicon|Kosovo}} {{flagicon|Norway}} [[Zymer Bytyqi]]
||
'''Non-EU/EEA Nationals'''
*{{flagicon|Belarus}} [[Fyodor Lapoukhov]]
*{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Brayan Córdoba]]
*{{flagicon|Gambia}} [[Sainey Sanyang]]
*{{flagicon|Kosovo}} [[Lumbardh Dellova]]
*{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Liam Cooper]]
||
|}

== Bulgarian Army stadium ==
{{Main|Bulgarian Army Stadium}}
The team's home stadium, the Bulgarian Army Stadium, was completed in 1967 and stands on the same spot as its predecessor, Athletic Park. It is situated in the [[Borisova gradina]] park, named after Bulgarian tsar [[Boris III]], in Sofia's city centre. The stadium has four sectors with a total of 22,995 places (18,495 seats),<ref name="gong.bg">{{cite web|url=http://gong.bg/bg-football/a-grupa/nad-10-000-chakat-na-cska-ludogorec-304996|title=Над 10 000 чакат на ЦСКА – Лудогорец, сектор "Г" приема до 6000 – Gong.bg|website=gong.bg|access-date=3 May 2017|archive-date=27 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627173611/https://gong.bg/bg-football/a-grupa/nad-10-000-chakat-na-cska-ludogorec-304996|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="7sport.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.7sport.net/archive7ds/2014/11/17/fb_1footbg/d7337_6.htm|website=7sport.net|access-date=3 May 2017|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304122919/http://www.7sport.net/archive7ds/2014/11/17/fb_1footbg/d7337_6.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|title=Тончи Кукоч ще вика по Лудогорец от сектор "Г" – 7day SPORT / 7дни СПОРТ }}</ref> of which 2,100 are covered. The pitch length is 105 metres and the width is 68 metres.

The sports complex also include a basketball court and gymnastics facilities, as well as the CSKA Sofia Museum of Glory. The press conference room has 80 seats.

== Managerial history ==
{{Further|List of PFC CSKA Sofia managers}}
This is a list of the last 10 CSKA Sofia managers:
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!|Name
!|Nat
!|From
!|To
!|Honours
|-
|align=left|[[Bruno Akrapović]] 
|{{flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} 
|align=left|11 November 2020
|align=left|28 March 2021
|—
|-
|align=left|[[Lyuboslav Penev]]
|{{flagicon|BUL}}
|align=left|28 March 2021
|align=left|26 July 2021
|style="font-size: 80%"|1 [[Bulgarian Cup]]
|-
|align=left|[[Stoycho Mladenov]]
|{{flagicon|BUL}}
|align=left|26 July 2021
|align=left|14 April 2022
|—
|-
|align=left|[[Alan Pardew]] 
|{{flagicon|ENG}}
|align=left|15 April 2022
|align=left|1 June 2022
|—
|-
|align=left|[[Saša Ilić (footballer, born 1977)|Saša Ilić]] 
|{{flagicon|SRB}}
|align=left|2 June 2022
|align=left|28 July 2023
|—
|-
|align=left|[[Nestor El Maestro]] 
|{{flagicon|SRB}} {{flagicon|ENG}}
|align=left|29 July 2023
|align=left|14 April 2024
|—
|-
|align=left|[[Stamen Belchev]] (caretaker)
|{{flagicon|BUL}}
|align=left|15 April 2024
|align=left|31 May 2024
|—
|-
|align=left|[[Tomislav Stipić]]
|{{flagicon|CRO}}
|align=left|4 June 2024
|align=left|28 August 2024
|—
|-
|align=left|[[Aleksandar Tomash]]
|{{flagicon|BUL}}
|align=left|28 August 2024
|align=left|31 May 2025
|—
|-
|align=left|[[Dušan Kerkez]]
|{{flagicon|BIH}}
|align=left|4 June 2025
|align=left|Present
|—
|-
|}

== Club officials ==
=== Board of directors ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Role
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}}  Foundation "National Fund for Sports, Culture, Art and Science"
|Owner
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Danail Iliev
|President
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Dimitar Penev]]
|Honorary President
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Radoslav Zlatkov
|Executive Director
|-
|{{flagicon|Portugal}}  [[Paulo Noga]]
|Sports Director
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} ''vacant''
|Administrative Director 
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Mihail Aleksandrov]]
|Technical Director
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} ''vacant''
|Communications Director
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Kostadin Angelov]]
|Academy Director
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Petar Stoyanov
|Financial Director
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} ''vacant''
|International Department
|}

=== Current technical body ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Role
|-
|{{flagicon|BIH}} [[Dušan Kerkez]]
|Head coach
|-
|{{flagicon|Brazil}} Rafael Ferreira
|Assistant coach
|-
|{{flagicon|Serbia}} [[Milovan Sikimić]]
|Coach
|-
|{{flagicon|Serbia}} Dragan Sretenijević
|Goalkeeper coach
|-
|{{flagicon|Serbia}} Igor Delibašić
|Fitness coach
|- 
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Martin Stoyanov
|Analyzer
|- 
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Polina Hadzhiyankova
|Psychologist
|-
|{{flagicon|Cuba}} {{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Orlando Morera
|Translator
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Georgi Iliev
|Club doctor
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Ivan Hristov
|Physiotherapist
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Stanislav Krastev
|Physiotherapist
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Aleks Mladenov
|Physiotherapist
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Dimko Pantev
|Physiotherapist
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Nikolay Petrov
|Physiotherapist
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Stilian Svetoslavov
|Physiotherapist
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Metodi Tomanov]]
|Chief Scout
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Radoslav Zdravkov]]
|Scout
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Galin Ivanov (footballer, born 1975)|Galin Ivanov]]
|Scout
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Tsvetomir Valeriev]]
|Scout 
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Viktor Ignatov
|Press Officer
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Stoyko Sakaliev]]
|Administrator
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Petar Zanev]]
|Coordinator
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} Dobri Dimov
|Housekeeper
|}

== Club kits ==

After the merger between Chavdar Sofia and [[FC Septemvri Sofia|Septemvri Sofia]], it was accepted the club's home colour would be red. White became the club's away colour.

In previous years, black was also used, mainly for away or third kits. Other colours of the CSKA kits that can be seen are grey, yellow, orange and green, but only in rarely occasions and only in the colour scheme of the third kits. In the 2009–10 season, and for the first time in club history, CSKA used gold for their away kits.

After the 2011–12 season in which CSKA used equipment of the Italian company [[Kappa (company)|Kappa]], from June 2012 the club has new kit supplier, Italian company [[Legea]]. The team used the new equipment for the first time in the pre-season friendly against Moscow side [[FC Torpedo Moscow|Torpedo Moscow]], ended 1–2. The kits were sample and they were with a different outfit and a different spot where the team badge was placed. The official presentation of the new kits was before the friendly match against Macedonian side [[FK Drita|Drita]] on 14 July 2012 (2–0), played at the Bulgarian Army Stadium.

== Club anthem ==
The official anthem of CSKA Sofia is the song "Sartsa cherveni" ("Red hearts") by the famous Bulgarian singer [[Yordanka Hristova]]. The song is written in 1999 by composer Evgeni Dimitrov and lyricist [[Ivaylo Valchev]], authors of many of the hits of [[Slavi Trifonov]] and [[Ku-Ku Band]].<ref>[http://www.prosport.bg/news/18034/Данчето-подари-Сърца-червени-на-ЦСКА Данчето подари "Сърца червени" на ЦСКА] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914164708/http://www.prosport.bg/news/18034/%D0%94%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%BE-%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8-%D0%A1%D1%8A%D1%80%D1%86%D0%B0-%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%A6%D0%A1%D0%9A%D0%90 |date=14 September 2016 }} prosport.bg 6 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{official website|http://www.cska.bg/}}
* [https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/teams/2608297--cska-sofia/ UEFA profile]

{{PFC CSKA Sofia}}
{{First Professional Football League (Bulgaria)}}
{{Football in Bulgaria}}
{{First Professional Football League (Bulgaria) seasons}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:CSKA Sofia}}
[[Category:PFC CSKA Sofia| ]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1948]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Sofia]]
[[Category:Right-wing politics in sports]]