Following a thrilling weekend of intense qualifiers held across five nations, seven formidable national teams have successfully earned their place in the much-anticipated #EuroVolleyU22M Final Round. This prestigious tournament is slated to unfold in the summer of 2026 in the vibrant city of Albufeira, Portugal, where these qualified teams will join the hosts. Among the direct qualifiers are Ukraine, Czechia, Bulgaria, Poland, and France, all of whom emerged as victorious pool leaders. Additionally, Israel and Italy also clinched their spots, securing the coveted positions as the two best runners-up across all qualifying pools.
Ukraine caused a sensation with their success over Pool A hosts Italy.
Ukraine delivered a truly sensational performance, most notably upsetting Pool A hosts Italy with a commanding 3-1 victory in Cisterna on Saturday. This crucial win solidified Ukraine`s perfect record, as they concluded their qualifier campaign with three impressive victories in as many matches. Their flawless run also included a hard-fought 3-2 triumph over Denmark and a decisive 3-1 win against England. Despite their significant loss to Ukraine, Italy demonstrated remarkable resilience, bouncing back to win their remaining matches against Denmark and England without dropping a single set. This strong finish allowed them to secure their ticket to the Final Round as one of the best second-placed teams.
The other direct qualifiers, France, Czechia, Bulgaria, and Poland, showcased dominant displays in their respective groups. France exhibited an impeccable performance in Tbilisi, winning all their matches against Georgia, Luxembourg, and Ireland without conceding a single set, highlighting their formidable prowess. Similarly, Czechia and Bulgaria demonstrated strong form, each dropping only one set in their Pool B (Ankara) and Pool C (Sofia) campaigns, respectively, underscoring their consistency. Poland faced a slightly more challenging path in Daugavpils, Latvia, where they battled past Israel in a tight 3-2 encounter before confidently securing straightforward 3-0 victories against Croatia and the home side.
In total, eight elite teams are set to compete for the championship title in next year`s Final Round in Portugal. It is also noteworthy that France will enter the tournament as the reigning U22 European champions, having claimed the prestigious title at the previous event held in the Netherlands.
