Bulgaria vs Ireland
head-to-head record
- Bulgaria wins
- 3
- Draws
- 6
- Ireland wins
- 6
15 meetings, 1924 to 2025Goals: Bulgaria 12, Ireland 19
Bulgaria and Ireland have met 15 times since 1924. Ireland have won 6, Bulgaria 3, and 6 matches ended level. They last met on 23 March 2025, when Ireland won 2–1 in the Nations League.
The 15 meetings have produced 31 goals, 2.07 per game. The biggest win is Ireland’s 3–0 in Euro qualifying in 1979. Ireland are unbeaten in the last nine meetings (4 wins, 5 draws). They went 53 years without meeting, between 1924 and 1977.
Who has won more, Bulgaria or Ireland?
All matches15 matches
Competitive13 matches
Friendlies2 matches
Key numbers
- Goals
- Bulgaria 12, Ireland 192.07 per game
- First meeting
- Ireland 1–0 BulgariaOlympic Games, 28 May 1924
- Most recent
- Ireland 2–1 BulgariaNations League, 23 Mar 2025
- Bulgaria’s biggest win
- Bulgaria 2–1 IrelandEuro qualifying, 1 Apr 1987
- Ireland’s biggest win
- Ireland 3–0 BulgariaEuro qualifying, 17 Oct 1979
- Most goals in a meeting
- Ireland 3–1 BulgariaFriendly, 10 Sept 2019
- Current run
- Ireland unbeaten in 9
- TFN Elo rating now
- Bulgaria 1507 (99th), Ireland 1763 (44th)How the rating works
Last five meetings
- Ireland2Bulgaria1
Nations League
Dublin, Republic of Ireland
- Bulgaria1Ireland2
Nations League
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Ireland0Bulgaria0
Nations League
Dublin, Republic of Ireland
- Bulgaria1Ireland1
Nations League
Sofia, Bulgaria
- Ireland3Bulgaria1
Friendly
Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Who has had the upper hand over time?
The line climbs with every Bulgaria win and drops with every 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
6 matches
321
BulgariaDrawsIreland
In Ireland's home games
8 matches
044
BulgariaDrawsIreland
At neutral venues
1 match
001
BulgariaDrawsIreland
Record by competition
| Competition | Played | Bulgaria | Draws | Ireland | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup qualifying | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4–3 |
| Euro qualifying | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3–6 |
| Nations League | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3–5 |
| Friendly | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2–4 |
| Olympic Games | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0–1 |
Meetings by decade
| Decade | Results | Played | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 1 | 1 | |
| 1970s | 4 | 7 | |
| 1980s | 2 | 5 | |
| 2000s | 3 | 6 | |
| 2010s | 1 | 4 | |
| 2020s | 4 | 8 |
Longest runs
| Longest run of | Bulgaria | Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Wins in a row | 11987 | 22025 |
| Unbeaten meetings | 32004 to 2009 | 91987 to 2025 |
The longest run of draws is 3, from 18 August 2004 to 6 June 2009.
Top scorers in Bulgaria vs Ireland
- 1Frank StapletonIreland2
- 2Lachezar TanevBulgaria2(1 penalty)
- 3Richard DunneIreland2
Scorer records exist for 11 of the 15 meetings, mostly competitive matches. Own goals are not credited to a player.
Questions answered
How many times have Bulgaria and Ireland played each other?
15 times, starting on 28 May 1924. 13 of those meetings were competitive and 2 were friendlies.
Who has won more matches between Bulgaria and Ireland?
Ireland, with 6 wins to 3. 6 matches ended level.
What is the biggest win in Bulgaria vs Ireland?
Ireland’s 3–0 win in Euro qualifying on 17 October 1979 in Dublin.
When did Bulgaria and Ireland last play?
On 23 March 2025 in Dublin, when Ireland won 2–1 in the Nations League.
What is the competitive record between Bulgaria and Ireland?
In 13 competitive matches, Bulgaria have 3 wins, Ireland have 5, and 5 ended level.
Every Bulgaria vs Ireland result
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 2–1 | Bulgaria | Nations League | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | |
| Bulgaria | 1–2 | Ireland | Nations League | Plovdiv, Bulgaria | |
| Ireland | 0–0 | Bulgaria | Nations League | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | |
| Bulgaria | 1–1 | Ireland | Nations League | Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| Ireland | 3–1 | Bulgaria | Friendly | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | |
| Bulgaria | 1–1 | Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| Ireland | 1–1 | Bulgaria | World Cup qualifying | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | |
| Ireland | 1–1 | Bulgaria | Friendly | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | |
| Ireland | 2–0 | Bulgaria | Euro qualifying | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | |
| Bulgaria | 2–1 | Ireland | Euro qualifying | Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| Ireland | 3–0 | Bulgaria | Euro qualifying | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | |
| Bulgaria | 1–0 | Ireland | Euro qualifying | Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| Ireland | 0–0 | Bulgaria | World Cup qualifying | Dublin, Republic of Ireland | |
| Bulgaria | 2–1 | Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Sofia, Bulgaria | |
| Irelandas Irish Free State | 1–0 | Bulgaria | Olympic Games | Colombes, France (neutral) |
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 England12 meetings
Bulgaria vs Northern Ireland11 meetings
Bulgaria vs Romania34 meetings- Bulgaria vs Yugoslavia26 meetings
Bulgaria vs Greece25 meetings
Bulgaria vs Hungary23 meetings
Bulgaria vs Poland23 meetings
More Ireland head-to-heads
- Ireland vs Poland28 meetings
Ireland vs Spain26 meetings
Ireland vs Netherlands23 meetings
Ireland vs Germany20 meetings
Ireland vs Denmark19 meetings- Ireland vs England19 meetings
- Ireland vs France19 meetings
Ireland vs Norway19 meetings
Results through 6 October 2026. Page updated 3 November 2026. How these numbers are calculated.