By Nikolay Markov
Exclusively for novinite.com

The World League Council of the international volleyball federation FIVB announced the new format of its premier annual men's competition - the $15 Million World League. Although the total number of participants was reduced from 16 to 12, with four European teams being relegated to a Continental Round, Bulgaria will be among the twelve playing in the Intercontinental Round, accompanied by Brazil, China, Cuba, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Serbia and Montenegro and one more European team yet to be decided.

According to this new format, each year the top two countries in the Continental Round will replace the two weakest European participants in the Intercontinental Round for the following year, based not only on competitive ranking, but also on organization, entertainment and professional standards. FIVB also intends to add two more teams from the Americas to the 2005 edition of the World League.

After a 4-year break, Bulgaria was brought back into the League in 2003 to replace SARS-infested China and after difficult draws and excellent performance on the court ended up fifth in the final rankings. In 2004, China is back, but to replace Venezuela. Most likely, Bulgaria will play its six home matches of the Intercontinental Round in its beautiful coastal resort city of Varna sometime in May-June of 2004.