The 2026 European Women’s Volleyball Championships will be played from 21 August to 6 September: twenty-four participating teams were divided into four groupsthe top four classified will advance to the round of 16, where the direct elimination phase will begin. The continental review will be organized by four countries, which will divide one group each: Pool A will be the protagonist Istanbul (Turkey)Pool B will stage a Brno (Czech Republic)Pool C will animate Baku (Azerbaijan) and Pool D will put on a show Gothenburg (Sweden). The round of 16 and quarter finals will then be played between Türkiye and Czechia, while the semi-finals and final acts will take place on Anatolian soil.
Italy will attend the event to complete the Triple Crown: after having won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and having won the World Championships a month ago, the girls of coach Julio Velasco will try to return to the continental roof and also conquer the pass to the Los Angeles 2028 Games, guaranteed exclusively to the winner of the competition. The Italians will play in Gothenburgin a not so banal group: the Sweden hosts will be able to count on the talent of the phenomenal Isabelle Haak, while the France is on the rise enormously as demonstrated during the last world championship. Croatia, Slovakia and Montenegro however, they are vastly inferior on a technical level.
Turkey will defend their title in front of their home fansin a Pool A that features two decidedly convincing matches against Poland and Germany. Melissa Vargas and her teammates, led on the bench by Daniele Santarelli, will have to pay maximum attention against coach Stefano Lavarini’s red and whites and the attacking Germans, to take the emerging Slovenia with a grain of salt, while Latvia and Hungary do not inspire fears. Serbia hopes to recover the best Tijana Boskovic, meanwhile the draw was excellent: Bulgaria could cause some problems, but Czechia (hosts in Brno), Austria, Ukraine and Greece were among the most welcome opponents. The Netherlands and Belgium are expected to compete for first place in Pool Cstarting favorites over Azerbaijan, Portugal, Romania and Spain.
Italy will be called to a tournament with the suitcase: will play the round of 16 and quarter finals in Brno (Czechia), Pool D will meet with Pool B (the first against the fourth and the second against the third), so in the quarterfinals there could be some replay matches with some group matches. A quarter-final against Serbia is possible (not if the two teams finish the group stage in the same position). In case of qualification for the semi-finals, you will have to fly to Istanbul, where Turkey will await in a possible rematch of the final act of the last World Cup. Below is the calendar for the 2026 European Women’s Volleyball Championships.
EUROPEAN WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL ROUNDS 2026
POOL A (a Istanbul, Turchia)
Türkiye, Latvia, Poland, Germany, Slovenia, Hungary
POOL B (a Brno, Cechia)
Czechia, Austria, Serbia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Greece
POOL C (a Baku, Azerbaijan)
Azerbaijan, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, Spain
POOL D (of the Coths, Svezia)
Sweden, Montenegro, Italia, France, Slovakia, Croatia
DIRECT CANCEL PHASE COUPLING
ROUND OF 16
Eighth 1: A1 vs C4
Eighth 2: A2 vs C3
Eighth 3: A3 vs C2
Ottawa 4: A4 vs C1
Ottawa 5: B1 vs D4
Eighth 6: B2 vs D3
Eighth 7: B3 vs D2
Eighth 8: B4 vs D1
QUARTER-FINALS
Quarter 1: Winner Eighth 1 vs Winner Eighth 4
Quarter 2: Winner Eighth 2 vs Winner Eighth 3
Quarter 3: Winner Eighth 5 vs Winner Eighth 8
Quarter 4: Winner Eighth 6 vs Winner Eighth 7
SEMI-FINALS:
Semi-final 1: Winner Fourth 1 vs Winner Fourth 4
Semi-final 2: Winner Fourth 2 vs Winner Fourth 3
EUROPEAN WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL CALENDAR 2026
Friday 21 August
13.00 Francia vs Slovakia (and Gothenburg)
14.00 Austria vs Serbia (and Brno)
16.00 Azerbaijan vs Portugal (a Baku)
16.00 Italia vs Croatia (a Gothenburg)
17.00 Bulgaria vs Ukraine (and Brno)
5.00pm Türkiye vs Latvia (in Istanbul)
19.00 Sveia vs Montenegro
20.00 Czechia vs Grecia (and Brno)
Saturday 22 August
12.30 Belgium vs Spain (in Baku)
14.00 Germania vs Slovenia (a Istanbul)
15.00 Italia vs Montenegro (a Gothenburg)
3.30pm Romania vs Netherlands (in Baku)
16.00 Ukraine vs Greece (and Brno)
5.00pm Hungary vs Poland (in Istanbul)
18.00 Slovakia vs Sweden (and Gothenburg)
19.00 Austria vs Czech Republic (and Brno)
Sunday 23 August
12.30 Portugal vs Belgium (in Baku)
2.00pm Latvia vs Germany (in Istanbul)
3.00pm France vs Croatia (in Gothenburg)
15.30 Spagna vs Azerbaijan (a Baku)
16.00 Grecia vs Bulgaria (and Brno)
17.00 Slovenia vs Turkey (and Istanbul)
18.00 Italia vs Sveia (to the Coteborg)
19.00 Czech Republic vs Serbia (and Brno)
Monday 24 August
12.30 Netherlands vs Portugal (in Baku)
2.00pm Poland vs Latvia (in Istanbul)
15.30 Azerbaijan vs Romania (a Baku)
16.00 Ukraine vs Austria (and Brno)
16.00 Croatia vs Slovakia (and Gothenburg)
5.00pm Türkiye vs Hungary (in Istanbul)
19.00 Serbia vs Bulgaria (and Brno)
19.00 Montenegro vs Francia (and Gothenburg)
Tuesday 25 August
12.30 Romania vs Belgium (a Baku)
2.00pm Hungary vs Germany (in Istanbul)
3.30pm Netherlands vs Spain (in Baku)
16.00 Italia vs Slovakia (and Gothenburg)
16.00 Grecia vs Austria (and Brno)
17.00 Polonia vs Slovenia (and Istanbul)
19.00 Czech Republic vs Ukraine (and Brno)
19.00 Sveur vs Crosia (to Coteburg)
Wednesday 26 August
12.30 Spain vs Portugal (in Baku)
14.00 Slovenia vs Lettonia (a Istanbul)
15.30 Belgium vs Azerbaijan (a Baku)
16.00 Italia vs Francia (and Gothenburg)
16.00 Austria vs Bulgaria (and Brno)
5.00pm Germany vs Türkiye (in Istanbul)
19.00 Serbia vs Greece (and Brno)
19.00 Sveia vs Montenegro
Thursday 27 August
12.30 Netherlands vs Belgium (in Baku)
14.00 Poland vs Germany (in Istanbul)
15.30 Portugal vs Romania (and Baku)
16.00 Crosia vs Montenegro
16.00 Ukraine vs Serbia (and Brno)
5.00pm Latvia vs Hungary (in Istanbul)
19.00 Sweden vs Francia (and Gothenburg)
19.00 Cechia vs Bulgaria (a Brno)
Friday 28 August
12.30 Spain vs Romania (in Baku)
2.00pm Slovenia vs Hungary (in Istanbul)
15.30 Azerbaijan vs Paesi Bassi (a Baku)
5.00pm Türkiye vs Poland (in Istanbul)
Sunday 30 August and Monday 31 August
Round of 16 (in Brno), two matches per day among the following at times to be defined
Round of 16 5: First group B vs Fourth group D
Round of 16 6: First group D vs Fourth group D
Round of 16 7: Second group B vs Third group D
Round of 16 8: Second group D vs Third group B
Monday 31 August and Tuesday 1 September
Round of 16 (in Istanbul), two matches per day among the following at times to be defined
Round of 16 1: First group A vs Fourth group C
Round of 16 2: First group C vs Fourth group A
Round of 16 3: Second group A vs Third group C
Round of 16 4: Second group C vs Third group A
Wednesday 2 September
Quarter-finals (in Brno), times to be defined
Quarter-final 3: Winner Round of 16 5 vs Winner Round of 16 8
Quarter-final 4: Winner Round of 16 6 vs Winner Round of 16 7
Thursday 3 September
Quarter finals (in Turin), times to be defined
Quarter-final 1: Winner Round of 16 1 vs Winner Round of 16 4
Quarter-final 2: Winner Round of 16 2 vs Winner Round of 16 3
Saturday 5 September
Semifinals (in Istanbul), times to be defined
Semi-final 1: Winner Quarter-final 1 vs Winner Quarter-final 4
Semi-final 2: Winner Quarter-final 2 vs Winner Quarter-final 3
Sunday 6 September
Finals (in Istanbul), times to be defined
EUROPEAN VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM 2026: WHERE TO SEE THEM ON TV
Live TV: all Italy matches, finals and other matches to be defined on Rai channels (detailed schedule to be defined).
Live streaming: all Italy matches, finals and other matches to be defined on Rai Play; all matches on VBTV, for season ticket holders. Further proposals could be added.
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