The Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in 2026 will be the first major test for the Bulgarian women's national team under the leadership of the new head coach, Marcello Abbondanza. The Italian specialist takes over the team with the ambition to build a new image, relying heavily on the younger generation – some of the players who have already made a name for themselves with their golden success as U19 World Champions.
Bulgaria's schedule in the VNL 2026 group stage includes a total of 12 matches, distributed across three tournament weeks – in Brazil, Thailand, and Serbia, and it will be important for fans to also keep track of the time differences between local time and the Bulgarian time zone.
VNL 2026 (Women) – Week 1
Brazil, Brazil (June 3–8, 2026)
| Date | Time (local – Brazil) | Time (Bulgaria) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 3 | 16:30 | 22:30 | 🇮🇹 Italy – Bulgaria 🇧🇬 |
| June 5 | 16:30 | 22:30 | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic – Bulgaria 🇧🇬 |
| June 6 | 11:00 | 17:00 | 🇧🇷 Brazil – Bulgaria 🇧🇬 |
| June 7 | 18:00 | 00:00 (+1 day) | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria – Turkey 🇹🇷 |
VNL 2026 (Women) – Week 2
Thailand (June 17–21, 2026)
| Date | Time (local Thailand) | Time (Bulgaria) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 17 | 17:00 | 13:00 | Bulgaria Poland |
| June 18 | 20:30 | 16:30 | Thailand Bulgaria |
| June 19 | 20:30 | 16:30 | Bulgaria Canada |
| June 21 | 13:00 | 09:00 | Bulgaria Ukraine |
In Thailand, the times are much more convenient for the Bulgarian audience, with most matches being before or around noon our time.
VNL 2026 (Women) Week 3
Belgrade, Serbia (July 8 12, 2026)
| Date | Time (local Serbia) | Time (Bulgaria) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 8 | 20:00 | 21:00 | Serbia – Bulgaria |
| July 10 | 16:30 | 17:30 | Bulgaria – Czech Republic |
| July 11 | 16:30 | 17:30 | Bulgaria – France |
| July 12 | 16:30 | 17:30 | Bulgaria – Germany |
The Belgrade week is the closest in terms of time zone and provides an excellent opportunity for Bulgarian fans to follow the matches during convenient evening hours.
