Germany vs. Bulgaria Prediction on September 13, 2025

Match info

The Germany vs Bulgaria match will open the competition in Pool E of the preliminary round of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, the 21st staging of the tournament contested by the senior men’s national teams of the members of the international volleyball governing body, FIVB. This edition is a milestone as the tournament’s entry into Southeast Asia and represents the most comprehensive World Championship to date.

Germany and Bulgaria’s match, taking place on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. PHT (Philippine Time, local time) at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, carries weight beyond a simple fixture. Opening the campaign for both nations, it sets the immediate tone for their tournament trajectories. With Olympic and volleyball pedigree on both sides, this showdown in the capital of the Philippines is a defining moment for shaping advancement to the final round.

Meeting statistics

Current form & playstyle: Germany

Germany enters the tournament with a deliberate trajectory of rebuilding and strategic development. Investment through the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme has provided CHF 288,000 in coaching support since 2023, fostering long-term stability and progression. At the 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball Nations League, Germany faced challenges—finishing in 14th place, a slight regression from 11th spots in prior years—highlighting the team’s transitional phase. They are led by coach Michał Winiarski, who brings experience and a fresh perspective as they seek to convert incremental gains into results.

Their playstyle is grounded in disciplined organization and adaptability. With seasoned players like György Grozer offering powerful offense, and a mix of emerging talent, “The Eagles” relies on structured systems, resilient defense, and calculated attack transitions.

Germany is historically solid yet currently finding its rhythm, leveraging experience and strategic empowerment support to climb competitively.

Current form & playstyle: Bulgaria

Bulgaria, under coach Gianlorenzo Blengini, is embracing a long-term vision. The team is undergoing a generational renewal, supported by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme. Blengini emphasizes technical refinement and talent nurturing rather than short-term gains. Ranked 15th worldwide, Bulgaria delivered a promising performance in the 2025 VNL, also finishing 10th, capturing wins over high-caliber teams like Germany, Japan, Slovenia, and Poland.

The dynamic Nikolov brothers—Aleksandar (outside hitter, explosive scorer) and Simeon (young, creative setter)—are central to the team’s thrust, supported by stalwarts like middle blocker Aleks Grozdanov and libero Martin Bozhilov, anchoring both offense and defense. Their style is energetic, technical, and forward-looking, intertwining youthful audacity with tactical intelligence.

“The Lions” are an up-and-coming team in transition, blending youth-driven offense, technical creativity, and leadership to push beyond the rebuilding phase.

Head-to-head

While there’s limited direct rivalry data from this tournament stage, Bulgaria notably edged out Germany during the 2025 Volleyball Nations League. This victory stands as a psychological advantage heading into their World Championship clash. Even so, new betting sites in Europe put Bulgaria in the role of an underdog.

Match analytics

Given Bulgaria’s recent win over Germany in the Nations League and the momentum generated by their young core, they appear to have a slight psychological and tactical edge. Germany’s experience and structured style could make the match close, but Bulgaria’s offensive explosiveness—especially through Aleksandar Nikolov—might tilt the balance. We think Bulgaria will win, and especially if the odds offer them as slight underdogs, such a bet increases value. Value market to consider too: Over 3.5 sets — reflects the likelihood of a back-and-forth battle.

Tip: Match Winner – Match – Bulgaria at 1.90 odds on TornadoBet.