FC Spartak Varna, officially known as FC Spartak 1918 Varna, is a Bulgarian football club based in Varna. The club’s visual identity has been shaped by a complex history involving ownership disputes over its crests, leading to several documented changes in the 21st century.
Design and History
The club’s traditional colors are blue and white, which were adopted at the club’s founding in 1918 and have remained unchanged since then. The crest features a shield shape with the letter “C” in the center, which is associated with “Spartak,” “The Blues,” and “The Falcons.” A stylized falcon image symbolizes the historical period when the club was known as “Bulgarski Sokol” and “Shipchenski Sokol.” This falcon design was created by artist Yuliy Dimitrov in 1998 for the club’s 80th anniversary. Dimitrov also designed the club’s last crest before a 2017 change. [1]
In 2016, the club adopted a new crest after the rights to the previous emblem were acquired by a private company. The new emblem, also designed by Yuliy Dimitrov, was approved by the General Assembly of FC Spartak 1918 on 25 August 2016. It retained the traditional blue and white club colors, the characteristic shield shape, and the letter “C” in the center. [1] The change was publicly announced in June 2017. [2]
Following negotiations, the club managed to regain the rights to its original crests. In early January 2018, club chairman Stefan Kalimenov stated that an agreement had been reached for the two emblems to become club property again. [3] On 23 January 2018, Spartak officially returned the rights to their original crest. [4]
The club also adopted blue, white, and red as its colors, reflecting the main colors of the original Spartak Varna. [4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The falcon imagery in the crest references the club’s early history. The club was originally named “Bulgarski Sokol” (Bulgarian Falcon) from 1918, and later “Shipchenski Sokol” from 1924 after a merger with “Shipka.” The stylized falcon on the emblem symbolizes this historical period. [1]
The letter “C” in the center of the shield is associated with “Spartak,” “The Blues,” and “The Falcons,” serving as a direct reference to the club’s identity and nickname. [1]
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