Bulgarian businessman Ilijan Filipov was murdered after a national team match

The murder occurred around 1 a.m., midnight Polish time, on the private property of a businessman in the Christo Smirnenski district in Plovdiv.

According to preliminary investigators' findings, 53-year-old Filipov was shot in the head and died on the spot.

Plovdiv District Prosecutor Vanya Khristeva announced at a press conference that all possible versions of events and motives for the crime are being investigated.

The police in Plovdiv, supported by officers of the Chief Directorate of the National Police, launched a manhunt for the perpetrator or perpetrators of the murder.

Checkpoints were set up on the roads entering and leaving the city. Officers checked suspicious vehicles. Footage from surveillance cameras was also secured, and investigators are looking for witnesses.

So far, neither the suspects have been arrested nor the motive for the murder has been established.

A few hours earlier he had been at the national team's match

The crime took place a few hours after Filipov watched the match between Bulgaria and Estonia at his club's stadium. The match ended in a goalless draw.

Filipov acquired a majority stake in Botev Plovdiv in June 2025. He then repaid almost EUR 3.5 million of debt left by the club's previous management. He also supported the completion of the stadium reconstruction.

Ilijan Filipov was the founder and head of PIMK - one of the largest transport companies in Bulgaria. The company also operates in the construction industry.