Anticipation is running high for the CEV EuroVolley 2026 Women`s Drawing of Lots, set to take place this Saturday at 20:45 CEST at the historic Castello Normanno-Svevo in Bari. This crucial event signifies the official launch of preparations for Europe`s leading volleyball championship, with both participating teams and eager fans keenly awaiting the structure of the preliminary groups that will define the early stages of the competition.
The 2026 tournament is expected to offer an unforgettable experience, hosted across four diverse nations: Türkiye, Czechia, Azerbaijan, and Sweden. Each host country will inject its unique essence into this premier European event. Istanbul will be the stage for the thrilling final round, but before that, the road to continental triumph will wind through intense group-stage battles in Brno, Baku, and Gothenburg, where Europe`s top teams will fiercely compete for advancement and a chance at the medals.
A strong contingent of twenty-four national teams has successfully qualified for the championship. This impressive roster includes the four host nations and the formidable Italian squad, who hold both current world and Olympic champion titles. Other volleyball powerhouses like Poland, France, Serbia, and the Netherlands are also set to compete, alongside a diverse array of teams from Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovakia, Germany, Belgium, Romania, Slovenia, Hungary, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Austria, Portugal, Montenegro, and Latvia.
Every team participating in the draw will be focused on securing an advantageous group placement to maximize their chances of progressing to the knockout stages in Istanbul. Notably, Türkiye is hosting the final round for the third time in 23 years, having previously hosted the medal matches in Ankara in 2003 and 2019. The entire Drawing of Lots event will be live-streamed on the European Volleyball YouTube channel. During the draw, each host nation will first choose an accompanying team for their group, after which the remaining qualified teams will be allocated to complete the pools.
