From January 16 to 18, Samokov will become the capital of Bulgarian club volleyball. The best eight teams in the country will compete in direct eliminations to determine the new holder of the prestigious efbet Cup of Bulgaria 2026 trophy.

The quarter-finals start on Friday, the semi-finals are on Saturday, and the grand final is on Sunday. Before it, at 3:00 PM, Etropole and Minyor Pernik will contend for the Cup of Bulgaria – Higher League. All matches will be played in the modern hall"SamElion", which will host the elite of Bulgarian volleyball in conditions befitting the rank of the tournament.

Levski enters as the reigning trophy holder, but the competition is more than serious, the format allows no mistakes, and every match is a matter of life or death.The National Volleyball League gathered the opinions of the coaches of the tournament participants before tomorrow's first whistle.

Nayden Naydenov (Lokomotiv Avia)

The head coach of the efbet Super Volley leader is adamant that first place in the championship does not bring tranquility, but only confidence. According to him, the Cup is a completely different tournament where concentration must be maximum from the first to the last point.

Naydenov emphasizes the high motivation after losing the Supercup against Levski and admits that every opponent plays extremely mobilized against Lokomotiv. For the quarter-final against Montana, he is clear – past results mean nothing, and a surprise is always possible if the level drops even for a moment.

Ivan Stanev (Neftochimic 2010)

The sports director, who also took over the coaching position days before the tournament, spoke openly about the separation with Francesco Cadeddu – a management decision, difficult to make, but with the idea of change.

Stanev admits that the failure as co-hosts in 2025 weighs heavily and serves as a lesson. According to him, Neftochimic is always a favorite only on paper, and everything is proven on the court. For the clash with Beroe, he is categorical – respect for the opponent, but also belief that the team can show a fundamentally different face.

Blagovest Katrandzhiev (Pirin Razlog)

The coach of Pirin expects another tough battle with Levski, a rematch of last year's quarter-final. Katrandzhiev emphasizes discipline, character, and release from unnecessary tension as key factors.

The preparation went according to plan, and confidence comes from the well-done work. According to him, the excellent conditions in Samokov and the full stands can only help for even higher quality matches.

Aleksandar Popov (CSKA)

For the coach of the "Reds," a good ranking is never an end in itself – the true assessment comes with a trophy. Popov emphasizes that against Dea Sport, everything starts from 0:0, regardless of the two clean victories in the championship this season.

The acquisition of Spas Bayrev is seen not as a sensation, but as an opportunity for greater squad depth. Expectations for the "SamElion" hall are extremely high.

Nikolay Zhelyazkov (Levski)

The coach of the current Cup holder is pleased with the second place after the autumn half-season and with how the team handled difficulties. According to him, there is no additional pressure – this is a new tournament and a new challenge.

Zhelyazkov emphasized the experience Levski has gained in recent years, but he is aware that against Pirin, a complete self-sacrifice will be needed. He expects a tough battle and hopes for a full hall.

Georgi Dimitrov (Deya Sport)

Deya's coach spoke about the desire to win and the ambition to prove that the team still has the strength for big matches. Expectations in Burgas are always high, but Dimitrov is realistic – the team is at a different stage of its development.

He does not hide that the conditions in Samokov are the best in the country and believes that such an environment is a prerequisite for a strong and attractive tournament.

Miroslav Zhivkov (Beroe)

The coach of the Stara Zagora team acknowledged the difficult start to the season, marked by injuries and forced decisions, but stressed that the team has shown character and finished the autumn season on an upward trend.

For the new clash with Neftochimik, Zhivkov is clear – focus, self-confidence, and execution of the plan. The departure of Spas Bayrev will complicate the task, but Beroe will seek victory in every match, including in Samokov.

Daniel Peev (Montana Volley)

The head coach of Montana Volley, Daniel Peev, highlighted the significant changes in the squad compared to last year and emphasized youth as the main characteristic of the team before the start of the efbet Bulgarian Cup 2026. The team from Montana, who played in the final for the trophy against Levski Sofia in January 2025, this time begin their participation with a quarterfinal against Lokomotiv Avia.

"The team is completely different, extremely young with young players. I hope that both we as staff and they will draw positives from every single match," said Peev.

Montana's coach also reviewed the performance during the first half-season in efbet Super Volley, emphasizing that the team was competitive against its opponents in most cases.

"We were evenly matched in almost all games during the first half-season in the elite, against almost all opponents. Perhaps the exception is the match against Deya, where our game didn't work out at all," he added.

Regarding the upcoming match against Lokomotiv Avia, Peev expressed hope for a good performance and an attractive game for the spectators, also drawing attention to the motivation of his young players.

"I hope we have a good match and it becomes interesting for the public. These young guys are hungry for victory, so it would be great to finish this way in the match against Lokomotiv," concluded the head coach of Montana Volley.
Three days, eight teams, direct eliminations, and one goal – the trophy. Samokov is ready, and the ball is now on the court.