UEFA Opens Urgent Disciplinary Case After Europa League Crowd Trouble

UEFA has announced a series of disciplinary decisions involving Bulgarian clubs following incidents in European competition, with PFC Levski Sofia sanctioned over racist behaviour by supporters and urgent proceedings opened after crowd disturbances during a UEFA Europa League qualifier involving PFC CSKA Sofia.

The UEFA Appeals Body has ordered the enforcement of a previously suspended punishment against Levski Sofia after finding the club's supporters guilty of racist and discriminatory behaviour during the 1-1 UEFA Champions League qualifying draw against FK Borac on 7 July.

As a result, Levski Sofia has been banned from selling tickets to away supporters for its next UEFA club competition match. The sanction activates a suspended punishment originally imposed by UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body in September 2025.

The Bulgarian club has also been fined €15,000 and handed a further one-match away ticket sales ban. However, that additional sanction has been suspended for a probationary period of two years and will only be enforced if the club commits another similar offence during that time.

Separately, UEFA has launched urgent disciplinary proceedings following the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round second-leg match between Derry City and PFC CSKA Sofia, which the Bulgarian side won 2-1 on 16 July in Derry, Northern Ireland.

Derry City faces four charges, including a pitch invasion, throwing of objects, crowd disturbances and insufficient protection of the playing area against intruders.

CSKA Sofia has been charged with throwing objects, causing damage to the stadium and its installations, crowd disturbances, racist and discriminatory behaviour, and a breach of UEFA's basic rules of decent conduct by a staff member.

UEFA confirmed the proceedings have been initiated under Article 55 of its Disciplinary Regulations due to the seriousness of the incidents.

Because the case could affect supporter attendance at future UEFA matches, the governing body said its disciplinary panels will consider the matter on an expedited basis, with a decision expected early next week.