The men's Super League will start on October 31st with a number of changes in both the competitive format and the organization of the championship. The second tier of Bulgarian club volleyball will gather 13 teams, and the 2026/27 season will be a transitional one before the number of participants is reduced to 12.
One match against everyone and a "golden set" in the playoffs
The regular season will be played in one round – each team will play once against the other 12. The draw determines in which of these matches the respective team will be the host and in which it will be the guest.
The top eight in the final standings advance to the playoffs. The eliminations will be decided in two matches with exchanged home advantage. If the opponents exchange one victory each, the winner will be determined by a "golden set".
The main goal is first place in the Super League, which grants the right to participate in Winbet Super Volley in the 2027/28 season.
How 13 teams will become 12 next season
The change in the number of participants happens as follows. In the current season, there are 13 teams in the Super League. The champion leaves the division and moves up to Winbet Super Volley, while the team finishing in last, 13th place, is directly relegated to ANVG. At the same time, one team from ANVG will win promotion to the Super League.
Thus, the calculation is simple – out of the current 13 teams, two leave the Super League – one up to the elite, and the other down to ANVG. Only one team enters in their place – the winner who earned promotion from ANVG. In this way, in the 2027/28 season, the participants in the Super League will be 12.
The team that finishes in the penultimate 12th place in the current campaign retains its place directly and will not play a playout for survival.
Serious digitalization of the Super League
One of the big changes in the new season will be the technological provision of the championship. The National Volleyball League is taking a serious step towards the digitalization of the second tier as well.
The registration cards of players and coaches are transitioning entirely to electronic form, which will reduce administrative work and the use of paper documents.
An even more significant change for sports and technical staff is the creation of a specialized server where video recordings from each match will be stored. Clubs will also have professional software for statistical analysis, through which they will receive detailed data on the performance of teams and individual players, as well as individual rankings.
From the new season, an official MVP – the most valuable player in the match – will also be determined after each game.
There will also be a change in the work of the refereeing brigades. Arbitrators will be equipped with radios, which will allow direct and fast communication during matches.
NVL will financially stimulate clubs that promote young volleyball players
One of the most significant innovations is related to the development of young Bulgarian athletes.
Initially, an option was considered for the National Volleyball League to cover referee fees, but ultimately the funds will be directed in another direction – towards clubs that provide opportunities for the development of young volleyball players.
A special program will be introduced for financial incentives for teams that promote young players. Thus, giving playing time to promising volleyball players will also bring a specific financial incentive to the clubs.
The president of NVL-men, Zhivko Zhelev, emphasized the significant change that the Super League has undergone in recent years.
"In recent years, we have witnessed serious development in the Super League, both in terms of raising the level and attracting club partners and increased spectator interest. Most of the clubs are now semi-professional, and only a few years ago they played mainly out of love for volleyball. It is normal to continue this trend of development and upgrading, taking advantage of the opportunity to develop young talents," commented Zhelev.
The 13 teams that start the battle in the Super League
In the 2026/27 season, 13 clubs will participate in the Super League:
Dobrudzha 07 (Dobrich)
Minior (Pernik)
Rakovski 1964 (Sevlievo)
Stoychev-Kaziyski Volleyball Academy – VASK (Sofia)
Rodopa (Smolyan)
Botev (Lukovit)
Chernomorets Byala 2008 (Byala)
Etropole
Grad (Belogradchik)
Levski 2005 (Karlovo)
Izgrev (Yablanitsa)
Sofia University
Zvezdets (Gorna Malina)
The new name among the participants is Levski 2005 (Karlovo), which won promotion from the third tier of Bulgarian volleyball. The battle between the 13 teams begins on October 31, and after the end of the season, the Super League will transition to its new format with 12 participants.
photo:nvl.bg
