This week, Espinho, Portugal, is set to host the highly anticipated 2025 CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Finals. The event will showcase elite women`s beach volleyball teams from eight nations, featuring many of Europe`s top contenders and seasoned athletes.
Reigning European champions Müller and Tillmann are set to compete in Espinho this week.
The picturesque Praia da Baía will serve as the pivotal stage for the decisive phase of the Beach Nations Cup. This thrilling `country versus country` tournament, first introduced to the European beach volleyball calendar in 2022, draws parallels to tennis`s Davis Cup. From Thursday to Sunday, host nation Portugal will welcome seven other countries: Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, and Ukraine. All these nations earned their spots in the Finals by successfully winning their respective Preliminary Phase pools.
The eight qualifying nations will be strategically divided into two pools, each comprising four teams. The top three teams from each pool will then advance to the elimination rounds. Pool winners will secure a direct spot in the semifinals, while teams ranked second and third will compete in quarterfinal matches to vie for the remaining semifinal berths.
Featured Teams and Olympians
The German contingent will see the participation of reigning EuroBeachVolley champions Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann, headlining a formidable field that includes a remarkable 11 Olympians. Müller and Tillmann, who represented Germany at the Paris Olympics and notably secured a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championship, are undoubtedly key players within a robust German squad. Their team also features veteran blocker Sandra Ittlinger and the promising young defender Anna-Lena Grüne, adding depth and experience.
France`s roster boasts four Olympians, with the country dispatching both pairings who proudly represented the host nation at last year`s Paris Games: Lézana Placette/Alexia Richard and Clémence Vieira/Aline Chamereau. Both formidable duos are set to compete fiercely in Espinho this week.
Alexia Richard is one of four French Olympians participating in the Beach Nations Cup Finals.
Spain`s premier team, Daniela Álvarez and Tania Moreno, who were silver medalists at the 2023 EuroBeachVolley and competed in the Paris Olympics, will join forces with Sofía González and Ana Vergara for the Beach Nations Cup Finals.
Similarly, the Lithuanian contingent includes Paris Olympians Monika Paulikiene and Aine Raupelyte, who will be joined by Ariana Rudkoviskaja and Skalve Krizanauskaite for the competition, aiming to make a strong impression.
The Netherlands, as the reigning champions, feature the eleventh and final Olympian in the tournament: Raisa Schoon. This formidable defender participated in both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games. Schoon will partner with Mila Konink, and they will compete alongside Emi van Driel and Wies Bekhuis, both of whom were integral members of the Dutch squad that clinched gold in the 2024 Beach Nations Cup.
Host nation Portugal will rely on the dynamic duos of Gabriela Coelho/Mariana Maia and Vanessa Paquete/Beatriz Lacerda to deliver strong performances and represent their country admirably in front of their enthusiastic home crowd.
Ukraine, an emerging powerhouse in European beach volleyball, will field two teams that have consistently produced solid international results this season: Anhelina Khmil/Valentyna Davidova and Maryna Hladun/Tetiana Lazarenko. Their participation signifies their growing presence on the continent.
Rounding out the list of contenders in Espinho is Estonia, a team that caused a significant upset in the Preliminary Phase by successfully qualifying over strong contender Poland. The Estonian teams competing in the Finals will be Heleene Hollas/Keira Lukas and Eva Kuivonen/Liisa-Lotta Jürgenson, eager to continue their impressive run.
Tournament Schedule
Women`s pool play is scheduled to run from Thursday to Friday. The quarterfinals will also be held in Espinho on Friday, leading into a packed weekend. The semifinals are set for Saturday, culminating in the highly anticipated gold medal match on Sunday, which will crown the 2025 champions.
