After we informed yesterday about the danger of Levski Sofia not directly entering the Champions League group stage, many readers sent inquiries about what would actually happen with the "Blues'" European autumn. Driven by the desire to provide some truthful, not speculative, information, we contacted the CEV media department for more details on the topic.
The Bulgarian champion has exactly two ways to appear among the elite of #CLVolleyM in the 2025/26 season, and both start with the same condition — the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation must submit the club's registration to the CEV databaseby June 18, 2025 (12:00 CEST). If the documents are not submitted on time, participation remains only a dream.
Why we are not directly placed in the groups:
📊 Distribution of CEV Champions League quotas for the 2026 season
🇧🇬 Bulgaria and the lack of a quota for the 4th round
Bulgariadoes not have a direct quota for the 4th round (group stage)in the Men's Champions League for the 2026 season. This is due to a reduced position in the European club ranking, which is used as a basis for distributing spots.
For the 2025 season, the country hadone direct quotaat the draw on July 15, 2025
For 2026, this quota has been lost due to a drop in points earned by Bulgarian clubs.
Option one: The Qualification Route
This is the "classic" path reserved for the Bulgarian quota. "Levski" starts from the 1st round, which opens immediately after the men's zonal cups conclude — i.e., in the first days afterOctober 26, 2025
CEV collects€2,000 per round; with three stages passed, the bill reaches €6,000.
A win brings 3,000 €, and a loss 2,000 €, so part of the fee can be returned on the court.
Elimination does not mean the end of Europe – teams eliminated in R1–R3 migrate to the 1/32 finals of the CEV Cup.
Qualifications add up to six matches in the autumn but require relatively little cash and provide a chance to gradually enter a high-level rhythm.
Option two: Wild Card for Round 4
CEV distributes several invitations, with which selected clubs skip the qualifications and enter directly into the group stage (mid-December 2025 – end of February 2026).
The price of the pass is25,000 €, payable at once.
In the group stage, six matches are guaranteed, and each victory is worth 10,000 €.
When evaluating applications, CEV looks at results, hall, audience, media interest, and sponsorship potential.
The invitation is not certain, but if won, the club gets a direct stage against the strongest teams and an easier product for televisions and partners.
❗ Conclusion:
The list of specific participants in the group stageof the Men's Volleyball Champions League for the 2025/26 season hasnot yet been finalized
. This will become clear:after the registration period ends
(June 18, 2025),and at the latestat the draw on July 15, 2025
All registered teams - regardless of whether they are in early qualifications or awaiting a "wild card" decision - will be included in the draw onJuly 15, 2025, in Luxembourg
