A Bulgarian football club, Arda Kardzhali, made a big mistake when they held a minute’s silence for former player Petko Ganchev, only to later find out he was still alive.

This happened during a match between Arda Kardzhali and Levski Sofia on March 16, 2025. Before the game began, players from both teams stood together in the center circle, bowed their heads, and paid respects to Ganchev, who was thought to have passed away. However, the club quickly realized it had been given wrong information about his death.

The club posted an apology on social media, saying, “The management of PFC Arda would like to express a huge apology to the former Arda player Petko Ganchev and his relatives after receiving incorrect news about his death.” They also wished him good health and many more years to enjoy the success of Arda.

The mistake caused worry for Ganchev’s wife, who was concerned when she heard about the announcement. She was waiting for him to return home but was already anxious since the match had started, and he hadn’t come back yet.

When he arrived, she was in tears, telling him that the TV had announced his death. Ganchev said he was shocked and confused by what was happening.

This unusual event quickly spread on social media, with many people calling it one of the biggest mistakes in sports history.