The new season in the men's Russian volleyball championship will start on October 18, 2024, with the matches of the first round being played on October 18 and 19. Unlike last year, when the start was given as early as September 4, this time the beginning has been shifted due to the World Championship in the Philippines (September 12–28).

Format and Calendar

The championship will be played on a 'everyone against everyone' system with home and away matches. By the third round, each team will have played at least once at home, and the regular season will end between March 12 and 14, 2025.

The initial calendar is compiled using the Berger table, and for the second consecutive year, the team numbers are determined by draw, not according to positions from the last championship. The final schedule will be approved in July.

Bulgarian Presence in the Superleague: Plamen Konstantinov, Moni Nikolov

The 2024/25 season will be particularly interesting for Bulgarian fans, as Moni Nikolov – a talented Bulgarian setter – will play for Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk) under the guidance of former Bulgarian national team coach Plamen Konstantinov. Both face serious ambitions and expectations – Lokomotiv is traditionally a strong team with medal aspirations.

It is interesting that Kuzbass – Lokomotiv's first opponent in the championship – is the former club of another Bulgarian national player: Asparuh Asparuhov, who also gained valuable experience in the Russian league and left a good impression with his play. From the new season, Asparuhov will compete in Poland.

Key matches from 1st and 2nd round

1st Round

October 18 (Saturday):

• Kuzbass – Lokomotiv

• Dynamo (Moscow) – Zenit-Kazan

• Nova – Orenburg

October 19 (Sunday):

• Dynamo-LO – Fakel

• MGTU – Zenit St. Petersburg

• ASK – Belogorie

• Yenisei – Gazprom-Yugra

• Yaroslavich – Dynamo-Ural

2nd Round

October 22 (Wednesday):

• Orenburgie GUBERNIA – Dinamo

• Lokomotiv – Dinamo-Ural

• Zenit SPb – Dinamo-LO

October 23 (Thursday):

• Kuzbass – MGTU

• Gazprom-Yugra – Yaroslavich

• Belogorie – Yenisei

• Zenit-Kazan – ASK

• Fakel – Nova

Opening Tournament: Cup of the 80th Anniversary of Victory

The season will open with the Cup of the 80th Anniversary of Victory, successor to the previous tournaments Cup of Legends and Cup of the Centuries. It will feature eight of the strongest men's and women's teams, distributed into groups according to their ratings for the 2024/25 season.

Men's Tournament – Groups:

• Group A: Zenit-Kazan, Dinamo-LO, Dinamo (Moscow), Kuzbass

• Group B: Zenit (SPb), Belogorie, Lokomotiv (Novosibirsk), Dinamo-Ural

This will also be the first official test for Moni Nikolov with the Lokomotiv team and Plamen Konstantinov at the helm, in fierce competition with teams like Zenit SPb and Belogorie.

Women's Tournament – Groups:

• Group A: Lokomotiv (Kaliningrad), Leningradka, Dinamo (Moscow), Dinamo (Krasnodar)

• Group B: Dinamo-Ak Bars, Zarechye, Uralochka-NTMK, Dinamo-Metar