In recent hours, a number of media outlets, mainly Russian, have disseminated information that the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) plans to allow Russia's youth national teams to participate in European tournaments.
The news first appeared on the official website of the Russian Volleyball Federation. The publication claims that Russian youth national teams will be able to participate in European competitions "with full status, under the country's flag and anthem." According to the text, these tournaments also serve as qualifications for world championships.
The information was quickly reprinted by numerous websites worldwide.
CEV's Position
For this reason, volleyweek.bg sought CEV's position.
The Confederation confirmed that the topic had been discussed at an Administrative Board meeting earlier this week, specifying that further information would be published at a later stage.
CEV further emphasized that the decision of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), taken in December 2025 on the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee, applies to both Russia and Belarus.
At the same time, the European Confederation clarified that:
"No changes will be introduced for this year's European U18 and U22 Championships, as the qualification process has already started (U18) or was completed last year (U22)," CEV stated in response to a VolleyWeek inquiry.
This means thatno changes will be made to the composition of participants for the European U22 and U18 Championships in 2026, in which the Bulgarian national teams will also play.
Bulgaria at the U22 Euro in Portugal
The main competition for the Bulgarian U22 national team in 2026 is the European Championship, which will take place in Portugal from June 29 to July 4 in the city of Albufeira.
Our national team qualified for the championship after winning the qualification tournament in Samokov in July 2025 under the guidance of head coach Ventsislav Simeonov and assistant coach Todor Aleksiev.
Bulgaria defeated Spain 3:0 (25:19, 25:18, 25:21), the Netherlands 3:1 (25:20, 23:25, 25:19, 25:21), and Norway 3:0 (25:17, 25:18, 25:16).
At the championship finals in Albufeira, the national team will be led by head coach Daniel Peev, with Georgi Petrov as his assistant.
The U18 national team is also at the European Championship
The main competition for the Bulgarian men's U18 national team in 2026 is the European Championship, which will take place in Italy between July 7 and 18 in the cities of Porto San Giorgio and Cisterna di Latina.
Under the leadership of head coach Miroslav Zhivkov, the Bulgarian team qualified for the championship after a successful qualification in Podgorica. The national team defeated Greece 3:1 (25:22, 21:25, 25:20, 25:19), lost to Serbia 2:3 (25:23, 22:25, 25:21, 23:25, 13:15), and then in the semi-final, they overcame Montenegro 3:0 (25:18, 25:20, 25:19).
In the final, Bulgaria defeated Serbia 3:1 (25:21, 23:25, 25:19, 25:22).
Meanwhile, Atanas Petrov, the coach of the Bulgarian U18 women's national team, announced the extended squad for the second European Championship qualifier. The tournament will take place between March 27 and 29 in Hristo Botev Hall in Sofia, and Bulgaria's opponents will be Romania, Greece, and Sweden.
