A serious incident marred the match between "Cherveno Zname" (Kochan) and "Slashten 2007", after the end of the match from the seventh round of A OG Blagoevgrad - Zona Mesta led to ugly scenes and physical altercation. The incident caused a sharp reaction after footage of the incident was publicly released by the visiting club.
The match was played on October 18, 2026 at the stadium in the village of Kochan and ended with a 3:2 victory for the hosts. Instead of the result remaining the main focus after the match, attention was focused on the tension outside the field and the clashes, as evidenced by the published video footage.
Tension and physical altercation after the final whistle
According to the footage circulated in front of the stadium's dressing rooms, a mass brawl broke out involving football players and other attendees. The video shows numerous people involved in the conflict, and the situation appears to be very tense. There was a police car in the immediate vicinity, but the mere presence of the law enforcement agencies did not prevent the escalation of the situation.
What is particularly worrying is the fact that children were also present at the scene. Instead of watching a football match and receiving a positive example of sportsmanship, they witnessed scenes of aggression.
Such incidents raise serious questions about the safety of amateur football stadiums and the responsibility of all those involved in such events. Regardless of the reasons for the tension that arose, physical violence cannot be justified by the result of the match or controversial moments during the game.
FC „Slashten 2007“ with a sharp position
The visiting club published a video of the incident and came out with a position in which it condemned what happened. From „Slashten 2007“ emphasized the inadmissibility of group violence and the need for specific actions to ensure the safety of football players and spectators.
In their statement, the club claims that representatives of the home team filmed what happened and subsequently deleted some of the recordings. This statement is part of the visiting team's position and is subject to verification.
“There is nothing masculine in group violence. There is nothing dignified in self-harm. And there is nothing football-related in these footage“, state “Slashten 2007“.
The club also expresses its outrage at the fact that children witnessed what happened. According to them, such scenes send the wrong message to teenagers and show how much work remains to be done to build a culture of respect and sportsmanship in regional football.
The guests emphasize that they do not automatically blame the entire “Red Flag“ team or its supporters. According to their position, however, everyone who participated in the clashes must bear personal responsibility for their actions.
Call for reaction from the Bulgarian Football Union
In its statement “Slashten 2007“ asks the Bulgarian Football Union about measures to prevent such incidents and protect football players in amateur championships.
The club insists that the case should not be ignored and calls for actions to ensure that physical aggression does not become a common part of football matches at the regional level.
The competent authorities are expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify the participants and their role, and assess whether violations have been committed for which sanctions should be imposed.
At the moment, the visiting club's position represents its public view of what happened. In order to draw firm conclusions about the responsibility of individuals, it is necessary to examine all available video recordings, witness statements and other evidence, as well as to hear the other side.
Football should not be a scene of violence
The case in Kochan once again puts the problem of aggression in amateur football on the agenda. Regional championships have an important role in the development of local communities, in the promotion of physical activity and in the upbringing of young football players in discipline and respect for the opponent.
However, when a match ends with scenes of physical violence, the sporting sense gives way to behavior that has no place on or around the football field.
The result 3:2 for „Red Flag“ remains the official sporting outcome of the match, but the subsequent events overshadowed the football side of the match. The most important thing now is to establish the facts and hold accountable anyone proven to have participated in violence.
The message must be clear: neither victory, nor loss, nor conflict between rivals can justify the brawl. Children who visit the stadiums deserve to see football, sportsmanship and respect, not scenes of aggression.
From "Red Flag" Kochan also came up with a position. Here it is:
"In connection with the published position of FC "Slashten 2007" regarding the match between the two teams, held on Sunday, we consider it necessary to present our point of view on what happened.
First of all, we would like to emphasize that we respect FC "Slashten 2007" as a club and a rival. The match was tense, contested and filled with many football duels, as is typical for such derbies in amateur football.
FC “Cherveno Zname“ has always upheld the principles of sportsmanship, respect and fair play both on and off the pitch. That is why we categorically reject all attempts to present our club and our supporters as the main culprits for events that do not correspond to reality.
A video recording will be attached to this statement, which clearly shows how representatives and individuals associated with the visiting team aggressively approach the side referee, exert physical pressure on him and strike him. As a result of the situation, the side referee fled towards the home crowd, where supporters present intervened to protect him and prevent a more serious incident.
It is particularly important to emphasize that instead of allowing the tension to escalate, the supporters of FC “Cherveno Zname“ present assisted in controlling the situation, protected the referee and prevented the incident from developing into something much more serious.
After the end of the match, although the visiting team's claims were mainly directed at the referee's decisions, some of their representatives remained in the area outside the locker rooms and began exchanging remarks with people from our audience. This further escalated the tension and led to the ugly scenes that we all witnessed.
One more important thing should be noted. The audience of FC “Cherveno zname“ (Kochan) is mainly made up of relatives, friends and families of our football players. Our club is made up entirely of boys from the village and it is completely normal after every home match for there to be a gathering of people around the pitch and the dressing rooms to greet their relatives. This is a common practice in amateur football not only in Bulgaria, but also in many championships throughout Europe, and in itself should not be seen as a prerequisite for conflict or manifestation of ill-intentioned behavior.
At the same time, as a club, we have always strived to be honest, open and objective towards what is happening both on and off the pitch. After an internal investigation carried out by us, we found that individual individuals, representing isolated exceptions, contributed to increasing tension after the end of the match. As a result, specific measures were taken in accordance with the club's internal rules. A supporter of FC “Cherveno Zname“ has been banned from attending team matches, and one player has been suspended from the squad.
With these actions, we clearly state that we are firmly against any manifestations of aggression and behavior that harms football and its values. We believe that every club is responsible for the actions of its representatives, and that is why we hope that FC “Slashten 2007“ will also conduct the necessary analysis of what happened and will take appropriate measures against its players and staff members, whose actions also contributed to the emergence of this unpleasant situation, in accordance with their internal regulations.
It is important for us to protect the good name of FC “Cherveno Zname“ and our audience, which over the years has shown support for the team and respect for the game of football. We do not accept attempts to shift all the blame onto our club and categorically distance ourselves from any forms of violence, regardless of which side they come from.
FC „Cherveno zname“ (Kochan) will continue to work for the development of football in our region and uphold the principles of sportsmanship, respect and correct attitude towards both opponents and football institutions.
We hope that future meetings between the two teams will be remembered only for their football merits, and not for events off the field.
Sincerely, The Management of FC „Cherveno zname“ (Cob)"