Bulgaria's extended squad for the 2026 Nations League, announced by Marcello Abbondanza, clearly outlines a new direction in the team's development with a focus on long-term squad building. Compared to 2025, a significant renewal is observed – both in terms of the number of players and the profile of the selection.

Retained core: who remains in 2026

Despite the large-scale changes, the team's core remains. These are the players around whom the VNL performance will be built:

Setters:
Lora Slavcheva
Margarita Guncheva

Outside Hitters:
Alexandra Milanova
Miroslava Paskova

Middle blockers:
Borislava Saykova

Opposites:
Merelin Nikolova
Mikaela Stoyanova
Radostina Marinova
Iva Dudova

Libero:
Mila Pashkuleva

Total:10 players, which form the stable core of the squad.

Ed. note: Zhana Todorova also features in the extended squad for 2025, but she did not take part due to family reasons and is not included in the actually used core for comparison.

Absences: who is dropped compared to VNL 2025

The selection for 2026 leaves out a number of familiar names:

Outside Hitters:
Elitsa Atanasijevic
Dariya Ivanova
Iveta Stanchulova
Alexandra Georgieva

Middle blockers:
Hristina Vuchkova
Nasya Dimitrova
Alexandra Saykova
Maria Krivoshiyska

Setters:
Kristina Guncheva
Lora Kitipova

Libero:
Galina Karabasheva

Total:12 players drop out

Debuts and new names for VNL 2026

The strongest message in the selection is the broad opening to new competitors:

Setters:
Dimana Ivanova
Kiara Andonov
Stefani Dyankova
Boyana Boyanova
Liyana Vasileva

Outside Hitters:
Elena Becheva
Mariya Yordanova-Koleva(Ed. note – after tension around the national team last year, she receives a call-up again)
Viktoriya Koeva
Alexandra Kitipova
Kalina Veneva
Gabriela Zhekova
Vyara Parapunova
Mariya Zlatanova
Nikol Okoro
Diyana Borisova
Tsvetelina Ilieva
Viktoria Dimitrova

Middle blockers:
Venesa Radeva
Boryana Angelova
Denitsa Angelova
Elena Kolarova
Kaya Nikolova
Ivanina Malinova
Darina Naneva

Opposites:
Elisaveta Sarieva
Monika Krasteva

Libero:
Mariya-Magdalena Nedyalkova
Viktoriya Ninova

➡️ Over20 new names, which significantly expands the staff's choices.

Quantitative comparison

The picture shows that approximately half of the squad has been retained, while the rest has been significantly updated. This is not just a rotation, but a deliberate expansion of competition across all positions.

"Maritsa" forms the most significant presence with 13 players, while "Levski" participates with 9. The two clubs contribute over half of the expanded squad, which logically reflects the current situation in the Bulgarian championship, where these two teams will compete for the title.
However, such a concentration traditionally sparks discussions in volleyball circles \u2013 whether it is an objective selection of the best-prepared players or a priority given to specific clubs. This is a topic that accompanies almost every selection, but ultimately it will be best judged by the team's performance on the international stage.

The context "2025 World Championship"

An additional nuance to the selection is Bulgaria's participation in the 2025 World Championship, where some of the young players have already been given a chance. Among them are Dimana Ivanova, Darina Naneva, and Viktoria Ninova, who are now also part of the expanded squad for the VNL (Volleyball Nations League). It is known that Naneva will also be tried as an opposite hitter.
All three are part of the exceptionally successful generation with world and European titles at junior/youth level, which clearly shows that the staff continues to integrate this potential into the national team.

Conclusion

The 2026 selection clearly shows that Bulgaria is entering aphase of transition and squad expansion:

• A core of experienced players is retained.

• A large number of young and promising names are being introduced

• Greater competition and depth are being sought

This is a strategic move that aims not only for performance in the VNL, but also to build a more sustainable and competitive team in the long term, with an eye towards 2032.

photo:volleyballworld.com