The International KVN League ceases operations in Minsk after 12 years
This was announced during the 37th International Festival "KiViN-2026" in Sochi. The official reason is the need for further development, but behind this lie organizational problems and a decline in the game's quality.
Logo of the International KVN League. Photo from the league's VKontakte page
The league began its history in Minsk back in 2014, achieving TV status already in 2015. Twice, however, it took place in Smolensk during the COVID pandemic (2020 and 2021 seasons).
Recordings of the games were made by STB television channel, and the league was considered the third most important in Alexander Maslyakov's hierarchy, after the Major League and the Premier League. For a long time, Minsk was an attractive venue for teams from all over the CIS.
But the 2025 season was a failure. Last autumn, a scandal occurred: the semi-final games were disrupted due to problems with hall rental. As KVN players reported then, teams and organizers were simply not allowed into the "Minsk" concert hall due to an unsigned agreement, which "came as a shock to the participants." As a result, the games took place in small venues without spectators.
It was announced at the "KiViN-2026" final in Sochi that the International KVN League is taking a break. Shortly after, the international league's SMM manager wrote that he was looking for a new job.
It is unknown whether the International League will return to Minsk after the announced rework or if this project will be permanently closed. For the Belarusian KVN community, this means the loss of a major platform that for years gave young teams the opportunity to get on television.
KVN was a start for many future comedians — Dima Naryshkin, Idrak Mirzalizade, Ivan Usovich, Maksim Kanaval, Andrei Kalmachevsky, and others performed there.
«Nasha Niva» — the bastion of Belarus
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