SOFIA, Bulgaria (Interstat) — The battle for supremacy between the two clubs bearing the CSKA name shifts to the home of the younger rival Friday, as FK CSKA 1948 Sofia hosts PFK CSKA Sofia in a Bulgarian First League derby.

The match, scheduled for May 8, 2026, pits a visiting side riding a wave of momentum against a host team seeking to reclaim its footing in a city rivalry defined by narrow margins.

PFK CSKA Sofia enters the fixture with heightened confidence after a signature 1-0 victory Sunday against league force Ludogorets 1945 Razgrad. The result snapped a pattern of inconsistency for the visitors, who had lost to Levski Sofia (3-1) and fallen to Ludogorets 3-0 in mid-March, but have otherwise shown resilience. Over their last 10 league matches, they have posted six wins, including shutouts of Beroe and Dobrudzha.

FK CSKA 1948 Sofia, meanwhile, arrives following a 1-0 defeat at Levski Sofia on May 2. That result ended a promising stretch during which the hosts had beaten Ludogorets 2-1 and Cherno More 4-0 — the latter a statement victory on April 15. They have lost only twice in their last six matches, though both defeats came against the league’s top sides.

The head-to-head ledger tilts decisively in favor of the visitor. PFK CSKA Sofia has won the last two meetings, both by 2-0 scores — most recently on Feb. 14 at this venue. FK CSKA 1948 Sofia’s lone win in the past three encounters came Aug. 24, 2025, a 1-0 home result that interrupted a four-match losing streak in the derby.

All three recent games have been decided by a single goal or a two-goal margin, and all featured at least one shutout. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 1-1 draw.

For the visiting side, Friday’s result could provide a springboard as they eye a Bulgarian Cup match at Lokomotiv Plovdiv on May 20. For the hosts, it is an opportunity to reassert home form and close the gap in the standings against their more decorated city counterpart.

Kickoff is scheduled for Friday evening.