Publication date: 21 Jul 2023
About the Men’s European Volleyball Championship
The Men’s European Volleyball Championship is an international volleyball tournament among men’s national teams of Europe. The tournament is held every two years, under the direction of the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV). Italian national team is the reigning champion, winning the title for the 7th time.
A similar women’s event is called the Women’s European Volleyball Championship.
2026 Men’s European Volleyball Championship
Where will EuroVolley 2026 be held?
For the fourth time in history, the men’s EuroVolley will be held in four countries at once:
- Romania — the first host country, announced on December 5, 2022;
- Bulgaria — confirmed on February 26, 2024, becoming the first country to host the tournament for the second time;
- Finland — the city of Tampere will host one of the group stages (announced on March 14, 2024);
- Italy — joined the list of organizers on March 25, 2024.
Who will take part?
The tournament will feature 24 teams. The qualifying matches will be held in 2025, but it is already known that the host countries will receive automatic qualification. The strongest teams from the previous European Championship are also expected to participate.
Tournament favorites:
- Italy — European Champion 2021 and one of the most stable teams on the continent;
- Poland — silver medalist of the World Championship and a constant favorite of all tournaments;
- France — Olympic champions with a strong lineup;
- Slovenia — multiple EuroVolley finalists with a bright style of play;
- Serbia, Germany, the Netherlands — teams that regularly make it to the playoffs and are capable of surprising.
History of the Championship
The first world championship of this format was held in 1848. It was attended by 6 national teams. The Czechoslovak national team won the gold medal. For some time, the teams of the USSR and Czechoslovakia were the main contenders for victory and fought zealously for the gold medal. The Soviet Union’s team won 9 consecutive games between 1967 and 1987.
For the entire history of the European Championship, the national teams of Italy and the USSR showed the best results.
Italian athletes accounted for 7 victories; the USSR national team (hereinafter Russia) was the champion 14 times.
The current format of the competition consists of a qualification stage, lasting 2 years and thanks to which the list of teams participating in the finals of the European Championship becomes known. This stage lasts for 2 weeks and 24 teams compete in it.
Results of the previous Men’s European Volleyball Championships
| The year | Venue | Results/ Place |
| 2023 | Italy, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Israel | 1st place – Poland
2nd place – Italy 3rd place – Slovenia |
| 2021 | Poland, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland | 1st place – Italy
2nd place – Slovenia 3rd place – Poland |
| 2019 | France, Slovenia, Belgium, Netherlands | 1st place – Serbia
2nd place – Slovenia 3rd place – Poland |
2028 Men’s European Volleyball Championship
At the moment, information about the venues and dates of the next Men’s Europeаn Volleyball Championship is not yet known.
Keep an eye on the dates of the European Volleyball Championships and other events in our Sporting Events Calendar.
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