The Bulgarian women's national team will face Canada in the Nations League 2026 against an opponent who, this time, will be in their most dangerous form – with Kiera Van Ryk in the squad.

The opposite hitter returns to the team, led by former Bulgaria coach Giovanni Guidetti, after being unavailable for much of 2025. This is crucial news for the upcoming clash, as she is the main scorer for the Canadians.

In 2025, Bulgaria faced Canada twice – under different circumstances, but with the same final outcome.

The first match was in the Nations League, where Canada had Van Ryk.

Canada – Bulgaria 3:2(25:18,25:12,23:25,19:25,15:4)

In this match, Van Ryk was a leading figure, and Bulgaria showed character by leveling from 0:2 to 2:2 sets, but couldn't withstand the tie-break.

The second clash came at the World Championship in Thailand – this time without Van Ryk in the Canadian squad.

Canada – Bulgaria 3:1(25:23,25:18,23:25,25:18)

Despite the absence of their main scorer, the Canadians once again found a way to win, demonstrating greater stability in key moments.

The facts are telling – Bulgaria lost to Canada both with and without Van Ryk. The difference, however, is significant.

With her return, Canada gains a clear leader in attack and even greater effectiveness in the finishing phase. Combined with Giovanni Guidetti's work and a deeper roster, this makes the North Americans an even more formidable opponent.

For Bulgaria, the task is clear – if they want to change the script from 2025, they will have to find a solution against Canada's strongest weapon and withstand the key moments that have so far tipped the scales in favor of the opponent.

Photos:volleyballworld.com