Bulgaria women's volleyball team opens VNL season with 0-3 loss to Italy

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) highlighted that the Bulgarian women's national team is in a three‑year adaptation phase, integrating younger players and receiving $84,000 in empowerment funding plus $167,000 for equipment. In the 2025 Volleyball Nations League, Bulgaria began the tournament in Brazil with a 0‑3 defeat to world and Olympic champion Italy, losing sets 22‑25, 16‑25 and 27‑25. Despite a strong finish in the third set, the Italians secured the win. Key performers for Bulgaria were Alexander Milanova (12 points) and Mikaela Stoianova (10 points). The team’s next match is against the Dominican Republic on June 5, followed by fixtures against Poland, Thailand, Canada and Ukraine. The FIVB report notes Bulgaria’s rise from 20th to 15th in the world rankings earlier in the season and a World Championship group‑stage exit that provided valuable experience.