European Women's Volleyball Championship 2026 begins

The 2026 European Women's Volleyball Championship has commenced, hosted across Turkey, the Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, and Sweden.

The Polish national team enters the tournament as a strong contender with medal potential, despite being placed in a challenging group alongside Turkey, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, and Latvia. Experts note that while Poland is ranked fifth in the FIVB, their recent consistency in the Nations League provides a strong foundation for a deep run into the knockout stages.

Italy, led by head coach Julio Velasco, has made a strong start to the competition. In their opening match against Croatia in Gothenburg, Sweden, the Italian team secured a 2-0 lead, highlighted by strong performances from Ekaterina Antropova and Paola Egonu. Velasco, at 74 years old, also sets a record as the oldest coach to participate in the European Championships.

The tournament features a group stage format where the top four teams from each group advance to the knockout rounds, with the final stages scheduled to take place in Istanbul.