The Bulgarian men's national volleyball team under 22 years old was drawn into the extremely tough second group of the European Championship 2026, which will take place from June 29 to July 4 in the Portuguese city of Albufeira. The draw, held at the CEV headquarters in Luxembourg, assigned the Bulgarians as opponents the reigning champion France, the traditional European powerhouse Italy, and the tough team of Czechia.
Group Two – elite company and a heavy déjà vu
| Group II |
|---|
| France |
| Italy |
| Bulgaria |
| Czechia |
This is a group without a weak team and without a "spare" match. France enters as the reigning European champion, Italy traditionally plays for medals in all age categories, and Czechia relies on physical power and strict tactical discipline. For Bulgaria, every set will matter, and differences could be decided in the details.
The clash with France also carries a strong emotional charge. It was against this opponent that Bulgaria played in the U22 European Championship final in 2024 in Greece and Serbia. At that time, the Bulgarian team won silver medals, and setter Simeon Nikolov, who was among the key figures of the team, was part of the squad. In the preliminary phase in Greece, Bulgaria met Italy and recorded its only loss in the tournament before reaching the final in Vrnjačka Banja.
The contrast with Group One
Group One included Portugal, Poland, Ukraine, and Israel. Ukraine attracted significant attention after sensationally beating Italy in the qualifiers last season.
| Group I |
|---|
| Portugal |
| Poland |
| Ukraine |
| Israel |
Despite Poland's strength, Group One appears more balanced, whereas in Group Two, every match resembles a knockout game from the very first set.
Bulgaria comes confident after Samokov
The Bulgarian team qualified directly for the finals after three victories in the qualification tournament in Samokov (July 11–13):
Bulgaria – Netherlands – 3:0 (25:22, 25:23, 27:25)
Bulgaria - Norway - 3:0 (25:22, 25:23, 25:22)
Bulgaria - Spain - 3:1 (25:27, 25:11, 25:21, 25:13)
New staff and ultimate challenge
At the finals in Albufeira, Bulgaria will be led by head coach Daniel Peev, with assistant Georgi Petrov.
Being placed in the second group means that the national team players will have to be at their maximum level right from the first match. The encounters with France and Italy will demand flawless concentration in every set, and the match against Czechia could prove to be a direct clash for a spot to advance.
The draw placed Bulgaria in the toughest possible group, but also offered a chance for revenge, a test of their growth, and a new opportunity to prove themselves against the elite of European youth volleyball.
