Today at 10:00 AM, the 49th meeting of the Sofia Municipal Council (SMC) will be held in the "Sofia" meeting hall at 33 Moskovska Street.
Two points related to volleyball are on the session's agenda – under numbers 4 and 5, with the new focus being on the proposal for Sofia to apply to host the Volleyball Nations League in 2026.
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Under number 5 in the "Other" section, a report with incoming reg. No. СОА25-ВК66-8450/03.10.2025, submitted by municipal councilors Deyan Nikolov, Emil Dimitrov, Ivaylo Kostadinov, and Hristo Gadev, is included, concerning financial support and Sofia's bid to host the Volleyball Nations League 2026.
The submitters point out that Bulgaria has already been confirmed as a host for the tournament, and propose Sofia be chosen as the host city, as the capital possesses the necessary infrastructure, logistics, and capacity to organize an event of such scale.
“Hosting the Nations League in Sofia will bring international prestige and establish the capital as a European sports capital, will have an economic effect on tourism, and will popularize volleyball among young people,” the report states.
The main hall envisioned for the tournament is "Arena 8888", which has the largest capacity in Bulgaria and has already proven it can host high-ranking international forums.
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Under number 4 in the "Additional Points" section today, a report with incoming reg. No. СОА25-НЦ62-918/1/06.10.2025, submitted by Vasil Terziev, Tsvetomir Petrov, and Dimitar Shalafov, will also be reviewed, concerning the conclusion of a partnership agreement between the Sofia Municipality and the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation.
The document foresees the provision of funds from the municipality's budget for the preparation and organization of Sofia's hosting of the Men's European Volleyball Championship in 2026 (EuroVolley 2026).
📰Volleyweek already reported in detail yesterday on this point, which could lead to a change in the original plan – matches scheduled for Varna to be moved to Sofia, if an agreement is reached between the municipality and the BFV.
Ruse – the capital's main competitor for the VNL
Almost in parallel with the Sofia Municipality's initiative, Ruse also officially expressed interest in hosting matches from the Nations League 2026.
The proposal was submitted by Prof. Velizar Pavlov and received the full support of Mayor Pencho Milkov.
“Arena Ruse is the second most capable hall in the country after ‘Arena 8888’ and fully meets international requirements,” stated Prof. Pavlov.
Mayor Milkov emphasized that Ruse will send an official proposal to the BFV, recalling that the federation's president, Lyubomir Ganev, is a native of the city – a fact that could prove decisive in the choice of host city.
Bulgaria to host two major events in 2026.
In 2026, our country will be the arena for two of the most prestigious volleyball events –
The Men's European Championship (EuroVolley 2026)
anda Volleyball Nations League tournament (VNL 2026).
It is still not decided which city will host the VNL and Euro 2026 matches; besides Sofia and Ruse, Plovdiv and Burgas have expressed interest, while Varna has been officially nominated to CEV for the matches of the continental championship, which also provides a quota for Los Angeles 2028.
The decision of FIVB, CEV, and BFV is expected in the first half of 2026, when the international calendar will be finalized.
📊Analysis:
The report on Sofia's bid for the 2026 Nations League places the capital in direct competition with Ruse for the prestigious hosting rights. The same applies to Euro 2026, where Sofia and Varna will compete.
Sofia has an infrastructural and logistical advantage, while Ruse scores with compactness, a new base, and strong local support.
Varna has long held the title of "volleyball capital" of Bulgaria, but whether this will tip the scales in its favor – remains to be seen.
Today's meeting of the Sofia Municipal Council could prove decisive — if the council approves the proposal, Sofia will officially enter the race for two tournaments that will bring European and world volleyball back to the heart of Bulgaria.
