Rodopa Smolyan

In 1960 the town's sports societies were merged into one association called Rodopa. In 1985 the football side left it and became an independent organisation, FC Rodopa . Both steps came after Rodopets, the original society, was formed on 1 January 1927, when the town was still called Pashmakli. The club counts that year as its founding.

The paperwork was the lesser problem. Rodopa declared bankruptcy in 2010 over financial difficulties, was re-formed in 2011, and was dissolved again in 2014. It was re-formed for a second time before that year was out.

In 1997/98 the club won the Cup of the Bulgarian Amateur Football League, beating Kaliakra Kavarna in the final. In 2001/02 it reached the same final again and lost 2-0 to Yantra Gabrovo. A year later it won the B Group and went up to the A Group, the top division, for the first time. That first top-flight season, 2003/04, also brought a run to the quarter-finals of the Bulgarian Cup, where CSKA Sofia went through on aggregate.

The club has no honour from the A Group.