2024-02-28 21:48:14
Volleyball is certainly one of the most popular sports in our country, and thanks to the efforts of our federation, Bulgaria will host another major championship.
On Monday, it became officially clear that our country’s bid to host part of the European Men’s Championship in 2026 has been approved by the continental confederation.
A total of 4 countries will host the forum. So far, the name of only one other is clear – Romania. The other two are yet to be announced.
The matches from one group, four round of 16 and two quarter finals will be played in Bulgaria. The same thing happened last year. Then the men’s European matches took place in Varna, and the fans filled the Congress Hall at all the matches of our national teams.
Bulgaria was co-host along with Italy, Israel and North Macedonia.
This was the 8th time our country hosted a European volleyball tournament. The beginning was made in 1950, when Sofia hosted the women’s and men’s championships.
A similar format with joint household of both sexes was valid up to and including 1987. 6 years earlier, the two European championships took place in Varna.
Again, our maritime capital hosts a European, but now only for ladies in 2001.
14 years later, through Sofia, our country co-hosted the men’s continental championship with Italy.
In 2021, Plovdiv was chosen to host matches from the European Women’s Championship, which was also hosted by Serbia, Romania and Croatia.
Bulgaria also hosted 2 world championships – for women and men in 1970, and only for men together with Italy 6 years ago.