Botev's Future Under Threat After Russian Businessman's Departure

At the beginning of June 2025, it was revealed that Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv lost its owner — Russian businessman Anton Zingarevich, who was banned from entering Bulgaria for 10 years. As a result, the club accumulated debts exceeding €5.5 million, and negotiations over a new owner reached an impasse.

Club Without Owner and With Strained Finances
Following the entry ban, Zingarevich officially stepped down from managing Botev. The club's total debt, including obligations to third parties, has officially surpassed €5.5 million.

Currently, Botev is left without stable funding: no main investor, sponsorship contracts are frozen, and the budget for the upcoming season is uncertain. With no clarity on the debt situation, potential buyers are backing away, afraid of inheriting unclear financial liabilities.

Urgent Talks and “Critical Days”
Local businessman Iliyan Filipov has offered short-term financial support but refuses to take on ownership risks. He stated the final days before the season begins will be decisive: if the debt situation isn’t resolved by mid-June, Botev may declare a “zero year” and drop to the Second League.

“We don’t know the exact size of the obligations, there’s no coach or players, and time is running out,” Filipov said in a social media post. He also demands that former board members sign personal liability agreements for any new debts.

What the Fans’ Association Says
Members of the local fan association expected debt forgiveness from Zingarevich, but lengthy promises haven’t materialized into documents. As a result, the club’s fate remains undecided, and fan hope is fading fast.

Armenian Football Connection
Notably, Botev had Armenian U19 midfielder Edgar Piloyan on its roster in recent seasons. He is likely to return to FC Van (Yerevan), his previous club. Anton Zingarevich had also been linked to Van (Charentsavan). There was a joint transfer pipeline between Botev, Van, and Vista Academy (Gelendzhik): youth players went from Vista to Van, then to Botev. This path was taken by players like Edgar Piloyan, John Batidji, Emmanuel John, Malik Odeinka, Izuchukwu Okonkwo, and others.

Time will tell whether Botev survives this crisis and how it might impact Armenian club Van. If Botev fails to resolve its debt issues and attract a new investor, it risks missing the Bulgarian season and starting over in the Second League.

Botev is one of the oldest football clubs in Bulgaria and considered among the most popular.