Bulgaria vs Northern Ireland
head-to-head record
- Bulgaria wins
- 6
- Draws
- 2
- Northern Ireland wins
- 3
11 meetings, 1972 to 2024Goals: Bulgaria 12, Northern Ireland 13
Bulgaria and Northern Ireland have met 11 times since 1972. Bulgaria have won 6, Northern Ireland 3, and 2 matches ended level. They last met on 15 October 2024, when Northern Ireland won 5–0 in the Nations League.
The 11 meetings have produced 25 goals, 2.27 per game. The biggest win is Northern Ireland’s 5–0 in the Nations League in 2024. They went 21 years without meeting, between 1979 and 2001.
Who has won more, Bulgaria or Northern Ireland?
All matches11 matches
Competitive10 matches
Friendlies1 match
Key numbers
- Goals
- Bulgaria 12, Northern Ireland 132.27 per game
- First meeting
- Bulgaria 3–0 Northern IrelandWorld Cup qualifying, 18 Oct 1972
- Most recent
- Northern Ireland 5–0 BulgariaNations League, 15 Oct 2024
- Bulgaria’s biggest win
- Bulgaria 3–0 Northern IrelandWorld Cup qualifying, 18 Oct 1972
- Northern Ireland’s biggest win
- Northern Ireland 5–0 BulgariaNations League, 15 Oct 2024
- Most goals in a meeting
- Bulgaria 4–3 Northern IrelandWorld Cup qualifying, 28 Mar 2001
- TFN Elo rating now
- Bulgaria 1507 (99th), Northern Ireland 1721 (57th)How the rating works
Last five meetings
- Northern Ireland5Bulgaria0
Nations League
Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Bulgaria1Northern Ireland0
Nations League
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Bulgaria2Northern Ireland1
World Cup qualifying
Sofia, Bulgaria
- Northern Ireland0Bulgaria0
World Cup qualifying
Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland0Bulgaria1
Friendly
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Who has had the upper hand over time?
The line climbs with every Bulgaria win and drops with every Northern Ireland win, so its height shows who has won more meetings up to that point.
Every meeting on one timeline
Home, away and neutral
In Bulgaria's home games
5 matches
401
BulgariaDrawsNorthern Ireland
In Northern Ireland's home games
5 matches
212
BulgariaDrawsNorthern Ireland
At neutral venues
1 match
010
BulgariaDrawsNorthern Ireland
Record by competition
| Competition | Played | Bulgaria | Draws | Northern Ireland | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup qualifying | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10–4 |
| Euro qualifying | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0–4 |
| Nations League | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1–5 |
| Friendly | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1–0 |
Meetings by decade
| Decade | Results | Played | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4 | 7 | |
| 2000s | 3 | 9 | |
| 2020s | 4 | 9 |
Longest runs
| Longest run of | Bulgaria | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Wins in a row | 32001 to 2008 | 21978 to 1979 |
| Unbeaten meetings | 62001 to 2024 | 31973 to 1979 |
Top scorers in Bulgaria vs Northern Ireland
- 1Isaac PriceNorthern Ireland3
- 2Gerry ArmstrongNorthern Ireland2
- 3Hristo BonevBulgaria2(2 penalties)
- 4Martin PetrovBulgaria2
- 5Todor NedelevBulgaria2
Scorer records exist for 8 of the 11 meetings, mostly competitive matches. Own goals are not credited to a player.
Questions answered
How many times have Bulgaria and Northern Ireland played each other?
11 times, starting on 18 October 1972. 10 of those meetings were competitive and 1 were friendlies.
Who has won more matches between Bulgaria and Northern Ireland?
Bulgaria, with 6 wins to 3. 2 matches ended level.
What is the biggest win in Bulgaria vs Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland’s 5–0 win in the Nations League on 15 October 2024 in Belfast.
When did Bulgaria and Northern Ireland last play?
On 15 October 2024 in Belfast, when Northern Ireland won 5–0 in the Nations League.
What is the competitive record between Bulgaria and Northern Ireland?
In 10 competitive matches, Bulgaria have 5 wins, Northern Ireland have 3, and 2 ended level.
Every Bulgaria vs Northern Ireland result
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 5–0 | Bulgaria | Nations League | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Bulgaria | 1–0 | Northern Ireland | Nations League | Plovdiv, Bulgaria | |
| Bulgaria | 2–1 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| Northern Ireland | 0–0 | Bulgaria | World Cup qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Northern Ireland | 0–1 | Bulgaria | Friendly | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Northern Ireland | 0–1 | Bulgaria | World Cup qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Bulgaria | 4–3 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| Northern Ireland | 2–0 | Bulgaria | Euro qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Bulgaria | 0–2 | Northern Ireland | Euro qualifying | Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| Northern Ireland | 0–0 | Bulgaria | World Cup qualifying | Sheffield, England (neutral) | |
| Bulgaria | 3–0 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Sofia, Bulgaria |
Recent form
Bulgaria
- Wat LuxembourgNations League2–0Tue 6 Oct 2026
- Lat IcelandNations League0–3Sat 3 Oct 2026
- Dv EstoniaNations League0–0Tue 29 Sept 2026
- Lv LuxembourgNations League1–2Sat 26 Sept 2026
- Dat MoldovaFriendly2–2Fri 5 Jun 2026
Related rivalries
More Bulgaria head-to-heads
Bulgaria vs France22 meetings
Bulgaria vs Ireland15 meetings
Bulgaria vs England12 meetings
Bulgaria vs Romania34 meetings- Bulgaria vs Yugoslavia26 meetings
Bulgaria vs Greece25 meetings
Bulgaria vs Hungary23 meetings
Bulgaria vs Poland23 meetings
More Northern Ireland head-to-heads
- Northern Ireland vs England99 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Scotland96 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Wales95 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Germany21 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Spain19 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Denmark14 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Austria13 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Portugal13 meetings
Results through 6 October 2026. Page updated 3 November 2026. How these numbers are calculated.