Bulgaria will participate in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2026 with the ambition to establish itself among the best teams in the world. The Lions will play a total of 12 matches against elite teams in three tournament weeks – in Brazil, Slovenia, and the USA, each bringing its own challenges and opportunities.
🇧🇷 Week 1 – Brazil, Brazil (June 10–14)
The tournament starts with an extremely tough pool in Brazil, where Bulgaria will have to show character against four strong opponents.
| Date | Time (local – Brazil) | Time (Bulgaria) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 10 | 13:00 | 19:00 | 🇧🇪 Belgium – Bulgaria 🇧🇬 |
| June 11 | 16:30 | 22:30 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria – Iran 🇮🇷 |
| June 13 | 15:30 | 21:30 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria – Argentina 🇦🇷 |
| June 14 | 14:30 | 20:30 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria – Serbia 🇷🇸 |
The first week is a true test of endurance – four matches in five days against top-tier opponents. Belgium and Iran will be crucial for a good start, while the matches against Argentina and Serbia will show the team's readiness level. The evening hours in Bulgarian time make the matches convenient for local fans to watch.
Ten days later, Bulgaria moves to Europe, where four new matches await them in the Slovenian capital.
| Date | Time (local – Slovenia) | Time (Bulgaria) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 24 | 13:00 | 14:00 | Bulgaria – Italy |
| June 25 | 20:30 | 21:30 | Slovenia – Bulgaria |
| June 27 | 16:30 | 17:30 | Bulgaria – Canada |
| June 28 | 13:00 | 14:00 | Bulgaria – Ukraine |
Ljubljana offers a closer and more familiar environment, and Bulgarian fans will have a real opportunity to travel and support the team live. The match against Italy is undoubtedly the central event of the week, and host Slovenia is always an inconvenient opponent with a great crowd. The matches against Canada and Ukraine will be crucial for the final standings in the Nations League.
The final week of the preliminary phase takes Bulgaria across the Atlantic, to the Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
| Date | Time (local – USA, Chicago) | Time (Bulgaria) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 15 | 12:00 | 20:00 | Bulgaria – Poland |
| July 17 | 16:00 | 00:00 (+1 day) | 🇨🇳 China – Bulgaria 🇧🇬 |
| July 18 | 20:00 | 04:00 (+1 day) | 🇺🇸 USA – Bulgaria 🇧🇬 |
| July 19 | 16:00 | 00:00 (+1 day) | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria – France 🇫🇷 |
The third week is perhaps the toughest – with matches against Olympic champion France, hosts USA, and the always ambitious Poland. The only match with a convenient time for Bulgarian viewers is the one against Poland (20:00), while the other matches will be in the deep night or early morning hours our time. The late-night and early morning matches will be a true test of Bulgarian fans' dedication.
🔎 What to expect?
Bulgaria's program in the 2026 Nations League is intense and diverse – 12 matches against elite teams, each with its own stakes. With three tournament weeks on three different continents, the "Lions" will have to adapt quickly to both time differences and different playing styles.
Every victory will be important in the battle for a spot in the final eight, as well as the more important goal – accumulating points for the ranking list with an eye on Los Angeles 2028.
