Bulgarian businessman Iliyan Filipov, president of top-flight club FC Botev Plovdiv, was killed by gunfire in the early hours of Wednesday, 30 September 2026. The news that Iliyan Filipov was shot dead has shaken Bulgarian business and football. He was one of the country’s most prominent transport entrepreneurs, and his death has triggered one of the biggest police operations Plovdiv has seen in years.
What we know about the killing
The first alert came at around 1 a.m. According to the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), which cited a statement from Bulgaria’s Interior Ministry, a report of a shot man was received at about 1 a.m., and his death was established at the scene. BNR also reported that Filipov was shot in the head. BNR English
Reuters reported that the killing happened at a property he owned in the city. The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) quoted Plovdiv police chief Senior Commissioner Vasil Kostadinov as saying the murder took place at a property owned by the businessman, in a Plovdiv neighbourhood. The BTA article is timestamped 11:03 on 30 September. Reuters
Some Bulgarian outlets, including bTV and Standart, added that the shooting happened at or near his home. The exact district has been reported as the “Hristo Smirnenski” quarter in some outlets, citing the local Maritsa newspaper, but police statements describe the location only as a Plovdiv neighbourhood, so the district name remains unverified.
Who was Iliyan Filipov?
According to BNR, Filipov was the founder and manager of PIMK, which it describes as the country’s largest transport company. Reuters called him the owner of one of Bulgaria’s largest transport and logistics companies, while BTA described him as co-owner of the largest transport and logistics company in Bulgaria. Radio Plovdiv called him one of the two co-founders and owners of PIMK. To avoid overstating any single source, the safest description is that he was a co-founder and co-owner of PIMK, one of Bulgaria’s largest transport and logistics firms.
In football, Filipov was president of FC Botev Plovdiv. Reuters described him as the club’s majority shareholder, while Bulgarian outlets widely called him the owner. His name is also associated with the construction of Hristo Botev Stadium in Plovdiv, although the exact nature of his role in the stadium project is not clearly defined in the sources reviewed. Note: some outlets spell the name “Ilian Filipov”; this article uses the Reuters/BNR spelling, “Iliyan Filipov”.
The police and prosecutor response
The response was swift. Reuters said officers had blocked the main exit and entry points of Plovdiv. BTA quoted Plovdiv police chief Senior Commissioner Vasil Kostadinov as saying cordon and security measures were introduced immediately to minimize the chance of the perpetrator escaping.
Emil Parmakov, director of the National Police General Directorate, said a task force had been set up on the orders of the Interior Minister, with investigators from Sofia joining Plovdiv officers. Tightened controls were introduced in border areas, and patrols were checking suspicious vehicles.
Plovdiv District Prosecutor Vanya Hristeva addressed reporters at a briefing. BTA reported that her office is overseeing pre-trial proceedings, with authorities investigating the case as premeditated murder. She was also quoted by Reuters as saying: “We are actively pursuing all possible leads.”
A note on that quote: the exact wording is verified only through Reuters syndicated copies, as BTA does not carry that sentence. It is presented here as Reuters-attributed.
Why it matters for Bulgarian football
FC Botev Plovdiv is a top-tier Bulgarian club, and Filipov was its president. The loss of a club’s leading figure — particularly one who also controlled the business group behind the club’s home ground — raises immediate questions about the club’s stability and future. The Bulgarian Football Union expressed condolences, as did other top-flight clubs, according to BTA. The full impact on the club, its players and its supporters will only become clear in the coming days.
For the wider football world, the assassination recalls the power struggles that have shadowed the sport’s ownership in the region. Football’s financial rules keep getting tougher — as seen when Manchester City were found guilty on 114 of 115 Premier League financial charges — but club ownership itself remains a high-stakes game. The sport’s money story is rarely simple: Roberto Carlos has spoken about losing nearly all of his football earnings, while Faiq Bolkiah’s fortune makes him football’s richest player.
What is still unknown
Much remains unclear. In the coverage reviewed for this article, no arrest or suspect had been publicly named, and no motive had been established. Reports of the shooter fleeing into a nearby forest area, or of a single gunshot, come only from unconfirmed reports in a football trade outlet and should not be treated as fact. Police said they were pursuing a specific line of inquiry based on concrete information, according to BTA, but details were not disclosed. There was also no verified information about whether Filipov had previously reported receiving threats.
Reports may also change as the day goes on. This article draws on BNR’s coverage published at 08:55 on 30 September 2026, BTA’s article timestamped 11:03, and syndicated copies of the Reuters wire. Check for updates before relying on these details.
What to watch next
The key question is whether investigators name or detain a suspect while the checkpoints around Plovdiv and the border controls remain in place — and what answers the ongoing pre-trial proceedings ultimately bring.
