AfterLevski Sofiais threatened not to directly participate in the group stage of the Men's Volleyball Champions League for the 2025/26 season, a similar fate seems to befallMaritsa Plovdivin the women's competition for the next edition. According to information from the authoritative Italian websitevolleyball.it,CEV is planning a radical reformin admission to the main scheme of the tournament, in which"wild cards"will play an even more central role.

💰 "Wild card" instead of sporting merit?

Until now, as a multiple champion of Bulgaria, Maritsa hadguaranteed access to the groupsof the most prestigious European club tournament. But now it seems thatchampions of lower-ranked leagues will be pushed out by teams receiving special invitations (wild cards)– not through sporting merit, but thanks to ambitious projects and investment support.

Such is the case with"Zeren Sport" (Ankara), which - although new to the Turkish elite - is already negotiating with CEV for direct entry into the Champions League in exchange for a package ofat least 5 million euros, including sponsorship commitments and a possible hosting of the Final Four in 2026.

📊 Presumed distribution of pots for the Champions League 2025/26

According tovolleyball.it,CEV is working on the following tournament structure, with5 teams in each potand3 wild card spots included, which will take up otherwise available quotas for champions like Maritza:

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1. Imoco Conegliano (ITA)

2. Vero Volley Milan (ITA)

3. Vakifbank Istanbul (TUR)

4. Fenerbahce Opet Istanbul (TUR)

5. Developres Rzeszow (POL)

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1. Savino Del Bene Scandicci (ITA)

2. Eczacıbaşı Dynavit Istanbul (TUR)

3. ŁKS Commercecon Łódź (POL)

4. PGE Rysice Rzeszów (POL)

5. SSC Palmberg Schwerin (GER)

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1. Dresdner SC (GER)

2. Levallois Paris Saint Cloud (FRA)

3. Neptunes Nantes (FRA)

4. Champion of Ukraine (UKR)

5. OK Železničar (SRB)

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1. CS Volei Alba Blaj (ROU)

2. Wild card Champions League

3. Wild card Champions League

4. Wild card Champions League/Team from the qualifying tournament

5. Team from the qualifying tournament

What does this mean for Maritsa Plovdiv?

With such a structurethere is no guaranteed spot for the champion of Bulgariain the group stage – even if they are among the top 20 according to the current national coefficient.Maritsa could be placed in the qualifiersas this could happen with Levski in the men's category, or rely on CEV's goodwill for an invitation, which seems unlikely given clubs with large budgets and strong lobbies.

⚖️ Balance between tradition and market?

CEV openly relies on market expansion and attractive partnerships – including outside traditional volleyball powers. This brings benefits for the development of the sport, butputs pressure on "second wave" clubswhich play an important role in popularizing volleyball in Eastern Europe.

📌 Conclusion

Maritsa's future in the Champions League no longer depends solely on victories in the NVLbut on formulations, policies, and investments determined by CEV. If the trend continues,sporting merit may prove secondaryand Bulgarian club volleyball – facing challenges that require not only victories, but also vision, networks, and resources.