Cherno More VarnaPFC Cherno More Varna holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously existing football club in Bulgaria, serving as the historical cornerstone of the sporting heritage of Varna and the Black Sea coast. The club traces its official founding back to 3 March 1913 with the establishment of the Galata association (soon renamed Reka Ticha), eventually merging two historic pioneers of Bulgarian football—Ticha and Vladislav Varna. Notably, Vladislav Varna won the inaugural Bulgarian national championship in 1925. The team traditionally plays in green-and-white striped shirts, earning them the iconic nickname 'Mornarite' (The Sailors) in homage to Varna's deep maritime roots.
The club's home ground is the historic Ticha Stadium, opened in 1935 and named in honor of one of the club's founding predecessors and the ancient name of the Kamchiya River. Known for its intimate layout and passionate local support, the venue remains one of the toughest away trips in the Bulgarian top flight. Incorporating the historical titles of Ticha and Vladislav, Cherno More Varna boasts 4 Bulgarian national championships (won in 1925, 1928, 1934, and 1938). In modern football, the club achieved its greatest triumph by winning the Bulgarian Cup in 2015 under head coach Nikolay Iliev, defeating Levski Sofia 2–1 after extra time in a dramatic final, followed by winning the Bulgarian Supercup later that year. Key figures in the club's history include Stefan Bogomilov, the club's all-time top goalscorer in the top division, influential playmaker Ilian Iliev (who went on to become a long-serving manager for both club and country), and former captain Georgi Iliev.
In European competitions, Cherno More Varna produced one of its most memorable international performances during the 2008–09 UEFA Cup campaign against Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart. After a narrow 2–1 loss at home, Cherno More shocked Stuttgart in the away leg by taking a 2–0 lead through goals from Hermes Palomino and Georgi Kakalov, eventually drawing 2–2 in a thrilling contest. The club also featured in European qualifiers during the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League against Dinamo Minsk.
