Bulgaria begins its EuroVolley 2026 campaign today. Our national team faces North Macedonia at 7:00 PM in "Arena 8888 Sofia" in their first match of Group B of the championship.
The match also has an interesting Bulgarian connection. Three of the 14 volleyball players in North Macedonia's final squad have played in the Bulgarian championship – setter Georgi Georgiev and outside hitters Aleksandar Ljaftov and Luka Kostic.
Georgi Georgiev has left the most significant mark in Bulgaria. The experienced setter is well-known to the Bulgarian public from his long tenure at Marek Union-Ivkooni, and later he also wore the jersey of Hebar (Pazardzhik). It was during his years in Dupnitsa that he became one of the recognizable names in the Bulgarian championship.
Aleksandar Ljaftov is also well-known. The experienced outside hitter was part of Hebar (Pazardzhik) and also has significant experience on Bulgarian courts. In the current North Macedonia squad, he is one of the most experienced players, and in the new club season, he will play for Hungarian MÁV Előre.
The third Bulgarian connection is Luka Kostic. The outside hitter has worn the jersey of Marek Union-Ivkooni (Dupnitsa), and is now a player for Anagennisi in Cyprus.
Thus, right at the start of EuroVolley against Bulgaria, three volleyball players who are perfectly familiar with the conditions in the domestic championship will stand. Georgiev and Kostic have played for Marek, and Georgiev and Ljaftov have worn the Hebar jersey.
The captain of North Macedonia is opposite hitter Nikola Georgiev, Georgi Georgiev's brother. He is among the most experienced players in Joško Milenkoski's selection and defends the colors of Czech Karlovarsko during the club season.
North Macedonia arrives at EuroVolley with a squad of 14 volleyball players, four of whom will make their debut at a European Championship – David Stojanov, Kristijan Iliev, Mihajlo Mirasciev, and Filip Jovanov. For the team, this is their fourth participation in European finals.
For Bulgaria, the match is the start of a series of five games in Sofia. After North Macedonia, Gianlorenzo Blengini's national team will successively face Portugal, Ukraine, Israel, and Poland. The top four teams from the group advance to the Round of 16.