[1] The rivalry started in the late 1940s when the newly founded club of CSKA became a champion in their first year in competitive football in 1948.

[2][3] The hostility reached its climax on 19 June 1985 during the Bulgarian Cup final held at Vasil Levski National Stadium when, after many disputable referee decisions, both teams demonstrated poor sportsmanship which resulted in regular fights between them on the pitch.

On 21 June, the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party issued a decree that disbanded both teams.

[4] Although both Levski and CSKA are still regarded as the two most popular and supported teams in Bulgaria, neither of the two sides have been crowned champion after 2009.

Only once in the history of the Eternal derby it was held outside Sofia – in 1991, Levski won the Bulgarian Cup quarter-final 2–0 in a match that was played at Tundzha Stadium in Yambol.