The coach of the Bulgarian women's national team, Marcello Abbondanza, has named an extended roster of 39 volleyball players for the upcoming training camp and participation in the Nations League. Training starts on May 1st in Sofia, with the team gathering in the 'Hristo Botev' hall.

Individual approach and work in two groups

Considering the busy club and international calendar, the coaching staff, led by Abbondanza, has planned an individual approach for each player. All volleyball players will receive one week of rest after their club commitments end, before joining the national team's camp.

Preparation will be organized into two groups. Work with the second group will be entrusted to the Serbian specialist Dragan Nesic, who officially joins the 'Lionesses'' staff.

International program for the second group

As part of the strategy to develop a wider range of players, the second group will have the opportunity for competitive practice by participating in international matches. In this regard, the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation has received an invitation for a tournament in China (July 18–28), with all participation costs covered by the hosts – a sign of the excellent relations between the two federations.

Extended roster of Bulgaria

Setters:

Lora Slavcheva (Maritsa Plovdiv); Margarita Guncheva (Maritsa Plovdiv); Dimana Ivanova (Levski Sofia); Kiara Andonov (Dragoman / Levski Sofia); Stefani Dyankova (TSPVK); Boyana Boyanova (Minior Pernik); Liyana Vasileva (Levski Sofia)

Outside Hitters:

Elena Becheva (AEK Larnaca – Cyprus); Alexandra Milanova (Afyon Belediyespor – Turkey); Miroslava Paskova (LOVB Atlanta – USA); Maria Koleva (Dentil Praia – Brazil); Viktoria Koeva (Maritsa Plovdiv); Alexandra Kitipova (Maritsa Plovdiv); Kalina Veneva (TSPVK); Bariela Zhekova (Levski Sofia); Vyara Parapunova (Levski Sofia); Maria Zlatanova (Levski Sofia); Nikol Okoro (CSKA); Diyana Borisova (Maritsa Plovdiv); Tsvetelina Ilieva (Ladies in Black Aachen – Germany); Viktoriya Dimitrova (Bellingham University – USA)

Middle Blockers:

Borislava Saykova (Maritsa Plovdiv); Venesa Radeva (Levski Sofia); Boryana Angelova (Maritsa Plovdiv); Denitsa Angelova (TSPVK); Elena Kolarova (Levski Sofia); Kaya Nikolova (Maritsa Plovdiv); Ivanina Malinova (Levski Sofia)

Opposite Hitters:

Mikaela Stoyanova (Megabox – Italy); Merelin Nikolova (Bahçelievler Belediyespor – Turkey); Iva Dudova (Maritsa Plovdiv); Elisaveta Sarieva (Maritsa Plovdiv); Radostina Marinova (Dinamo București – Romania); Monika Krusteva (Leonessa – Italy)

Liberos:

Zhana Todorova (Maritsa Plovdiv); Mila Pashkuleva (Maritsa Plovdiv); Maria-Magdalena Nedyalkova (Maritsa Plovdiv); Viktoriya Ninova (CSKA)

Abbondanza's extended squad clearly shows a search for balance between experience and prospect. The significant presence of players from Maritsa and Levski, who form the backbone of the domestic league, is striking, as is the stable international presence – especially among the outside hitters.
Dividing the preparation into two groups is a strategic move that allows not only optimal physical load but also expands the staff's options. The inclusion of Dragan Nesic and the planned matches in China suggest a long-term vision for building a deeper rotation – a key factor for a tournament like the Nations League.
The schedule for the Bulgarian women's national team in the 2026 Nations League presents serious challenges from the very first week, as the 'Lionesses' will face leading forces in world volleyball in three consecutive tournaments – in Brazil, Thailand, and Serbia.

Bulgaria's Schedule – Nations League 2026:

Week 1 (Brazil, Brazil):
June 3: Italy – Bulgaria
June 5: Dominican Republic – Bulgaria
June 6: Brazil – Bulgaria
June 7: Bulgaria – Turkey

Week 2 (Bangkok, Thailand):
June 17: Bulgaria – Poland
June 18: Thailand – Bulgaria
June 19: Bulgaria – Canada
June 21: Bulgaria – Ukraine

Week 3 (Belgrade, Serbia):
July 8: Serbia – Bulgaria
July 10: Bulgaria – Czech Republic
July 11: Bulgaria – France
July 12: Bulgaria – Germany

photo:volleyballworld.com