Bulgaria Crowned Balkan U18 Volleyball Champions After Near-Perfect Tournament Run

Jerusalem, 24 June, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Tirana, Albania (BTA) Bulgaria’s women’s under-18 volleyball team Tuesday claimed the Balkan Championship title after recording three convincing victories to finish top of the standings.

The team, coached by Atanas Petrov, secured the trophy with a dominant 3-0 (25:10, 25:8, 25:18) win over hosts Albania in their final match. Bulgaria controlled the game throughout and left little doubt about its superiority.

The young Bulgarian side impressed throughout the tournament, losing just one set on its way to the title. It opened the competition with a 3-0 victory over Serbia, followed by a 3-1 win against Turkiye, before completing its campaign with another straight-sets victory over Albania.

The tournament served as part of Bulgaria’s preparations for the upcoming European U18 Women’s Volleyball Championship, which will be held in Lithuania and Latvia from July 1 to 12.

Bulgaria has been drawn in Pool B alongside hosts Lithuania, Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Greece and France.