The Bulgarian national team for boys under 17 years old plays today against Romania in the first semi-final of the Balkan Championship in Tirana (Albania). The match starts at 5:30 PM Bulgarian time, and the winner will qualify for the tournament final. In the second semi-final, starting at 8:00 PM Bulgarian time, Turkey and Serbia will face each other.
The Bulgarian team, led by Ivan Stanev, reached the eliminations as second in Group B, while Romania convincingly won Group A, without losing a single set. Thus, today's semi-final pits two teams that took different paths through the group stage. The captain of the Bulgarian team is Milko Bagdasarov, a bronze medalist from EuroVolley 2026 for boys under 18.
Bulgaria's path to the semi-final
The Bulgarian nationals started the tournament with an extremely contested match against Turkey. After falling behind 0:2 sets, Ivan Stanev's boys equalized the score, but lost in the tie-break with 2:3 (19:25, 21:25, 25:16, 25:21, 11:15).
In their second match, Bulgaria left no chances for Kosovo and won 3:0 (25:9, 25:16, 25:17), thus securing a place among the top four teams at the Balkan Championship.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 05.08.2026 | Bulgaria – Turkey | 2:3 (19:25, 21:25, 25:16, 25:21, 11:15) |
| 06.08.2026 | Kosovo – Bulgaria | 0:3 (25:9, 25:16, 25:17) |
Bulgaria finished the group stage with 4 points, one win and one loss, with a set ratio of 5:3. Despite the defeat to Turkey, the point won and the categorical success over Kosovo secured second place in the group.
Romania's path to the semi-final
Romania went through the group stage flawlessly. Our northern neighbors defeated Serbia 3:0, and then outplayed the host Albania 3:0, without losing a single set.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 04.08.2026 | Serbia – Romania | 0:3 |
| 06.08.2026 | Romania – Albania | 3:0 |
The Romanians finished with a perfect record of 6 points and an impressive game ratio of 6:0, which made them the only semi-finalist without a lost game.
Final standings in Group A
| Team | Points | Matches | Wins | Losses | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6:0 |
| Serbia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3:3 |
| Albania | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0:6 |
Romania was the clear leader in the group and deservedly finished in first place, while Serbia won the second semi-final spot after their victory over Albania.
Final standings in Group B
| Team | Points | Matches | Wins | Losses | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6:2 |
| Bulgaria | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5:3 |
| Kosovo | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0:6 |
Group B turned out to be significantly more contested. Bulgaria was only one point behind Turkey, and it was the dramatic five-set match between the two teams that proved decisive for first place in the final standings.
The semi-final pits two teams in excellent form against each other. Bulgaria has already shown character, coming back from 0:2 sets against Turkey, and then achieving a convincing victory over Kosovo. On the other side, Romania arrives with a maximum of points and without a single lost set. The winner will qualify for the U17 Balkan Championship final, while the loser will play for the bronze medals.
photos:balkanvolleyball.org
