The Bulgarian women's national team has been drawn into Group F for the 2027 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, which will now be called the World Cup. Bulgaria's opponents will be Japan, Russia, and Argentina. This was determined by the draw held on October 26 and broadcast live on the official Volleyball World channel.
One of the main participants in the ceremony was American volleyball legend Karch Kiraly. The three-time Olympic champion personally drew the strip with Bulgaria's name, which sent our national team into one of the most interesting and difficult groups of the tournament.
The presence of Russia attracts particular attention. The two-time world champion from 2006 and 2010 is once again among the participants in a major international championship after its prolonged absence due to sanctions imposed in 2022.
In August, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) announced the return of Russian national teams to the Nations League in 2027, while clarifying that discussions with organizers in the USA and Canada regarding the women's team's participation in the World Cup were ongoing. Subsequently, Russia was included among the 32 qualified participants, and today's draw placed them in a group with Bulgaria.
Japan, seeded at the top of Group F, is among the leading forces in world women's volleyball. The Asian team occupies the sixth position in the draw distribution, while Russia is at No. 11. Argentina is at No. 20, and Bulgaria is at No. 29.
For our national team, this means a serious challenge in the battle for the round of 16. Japan and Russia will enter the group with high ambitions, and the match against Argentina promises to be particularly important for Bulgaria's chances. With a regulation that allows only the top two teams to advance, every victory will be crucial.
Bulgaria's last encounter with Russia in women's volleyball dates back to June 12, 2019, when our national team lost 0:3 (20:25, 23:25, 16:25) in the Italian city of Perugia in a Nations League match. Thus, the two teams will face each other at the 2027 World Cup after an eight-year break in official matches between them. The last clash with Japan was more recent – on May 16, 2024, in Antalya, Turkey, again in the Nations League. Then the Asian team won convincingly 3:0 (25:13, 25:15, 25:15). The Bulgarian team also has fresh impressions of Argentina, against whom they played two friendly matches in May this year. Both ended in 0:3 defeats – in Santa Fe and Rosario. Thus, our national team will be looking for its first won set against these three opponents after its last five matches with them.
The draw also determined Bulgaria's potential opponents in the first elimination round. Group F intersects with Group C, which includes Turkey, the Dominican Republic, France, and Egypt. The winner of our group will meet the second-placed team from Group C, and the second-placed team will play against its winner.
The World Cup will take place from August 20 to September 5, 2027, in the USA and Canada, with 32 national teams participating, divided into eight groups of four. The group stage matches and the round of 16 will be held in Montreal, Quebec, Omaha, and Orlando.
The quarterfinals, semifinals, and medal matches will be played at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The final is scheduled for September 5.
The tournament also has an additional stake. The three highest-ranked national teams in the final standings that do not yet have Olympic quotas will qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Bulgaria secured a place among the 32 participants through the world ranking as of October 2, 2026. Now, our national team faces a much more difficult task – to overcome a group in which it will meet two traditionally strong opponents and an ambitious South American team.
photo:volleyballworld.com
