Today the draw for the new season in the Higher League.Atanas Varbanov (marketing director of NVL), as well as both coaches Dimitar Marinkov ("Dobrudzha 07") and Miroslav Iliev ("Metalurg Pernik"). It was Marinkov and Iliev who drew the lots, determining the order of matches for the upcoming championship.

In the 2025/26 season, the Higher League will feature 14 teams. This means that, unlike last year, there will be no resting team in each round.

• In the regular season, each team will meet all other opponents once.

• The first eight teams in the final standings will advance to the playoffs.

• The champion will win direct promotion to efbet Super Volley, and the second-placed team will have a chance for promotion through a playout against the 11th-placed team from the elite.

The finals forBulgarian CupandSuper League Cupwill be held in the same arena on consecutive days – a tradition that has already proven successful and attractive to fans.

The NVL will guarantee maximum coverage of the season. All matches will be available online on the official platformnvl.bg, and the most important matches from the playoffs and the Cup will also be broadcast on partner online channels.

Reactions from participants

Dimitar Marinkov (Dobrudzha 07):
"A great draw. We will meet everyone at some point. The most important thing is for everyone to be healthy. We are going to Smolyan for our first win."

Miroslav Iliev (Metalurg Pernik):
"We are happy to become part of professional volleyball. We have a good selection, but the key is in the training process. We have been developing an academy for three years, and we have been working with the men's team for two. We have strong names in the squad, but we will have to turn them into a collective. I hope this is the beginning of something big for the club and the children from our academy."

The draw for the 2025/26 season marks the beginning of a championship without bye rounds, with new challenges and ambitious participants. The inclusion of "Metalurg" brings fresh energy, and the traditional contenders for the top are already setting their sights on promotion. An exciting competition awaits, which will keep fans eagerly anticipating from the very first whistle.

photos: NVL