The 2026 CEV EuroVolley for Women reached a dramatic climax at the Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in Istanbul, where home powerhouse Türkiye defeated Italy on Sunday evening in a thrilling tie-break final.
Spurred on by a roaring crowd, the hosts secured a heart-stopping 3-2 (16-25, 25-22, 12-25, 25-21, 15-10) victory in volleyball’s most gruelling continental competition.
Beyond adding another major title to their growing list of achievements, the triumph secured Türkiye direct qualification for the LA28 Olympic Games. This will mark their fourth Olympic appearance, continuing an elite run that includes London 2012, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Melissa Vargas spearheaded the Turkish attack with a stunning performance, delivering 26 spikes and two blocks, while Zehra Güneş added 12 points to help Türkiye edge Italy 149-146 in overall attacks. For the Azzurre, Paola Egonu led the scoring with 28 points, supported by Ekaterina Antropova’s 16-point contribution.
Türkiye’s tempo went on and off throughout the match, with the Italians taking advantage of their strategic service, producing 11 aces, and tight blocking with 16 blocks. The home team battled through turbulent stretches to force a deciding fifth set, igniting the Istanbul crowd as Vargas delivered crucial plays when they mattered most.
Sunday’s victory earned Türkiye their second EuroVolley crown, emerging triumphant from a highly competitive 24-team field.
Entering the championship as clear title contenders, Türkiye capitalised on home-court advantage while building on the momentum of recent international successes, including their stellar campaign as champions of the VNL 2026 season. Playing on home soil, the squad once again showed why they have become one of the teams to beat on the international stage.
Türkiye’s path to the trophy saw them tested throughout the tournament. Their preliminary pool phase was nearly spotless until the final match of group play, when Poland managed a hard-fought tie-break victory in front of the Turkish crowd.
Unfazed by the minor setback, the hosts navigated the knockout stages with laser-like focus. Even when dropping sets in tight elimination contests, Türkiye remained steadfast, driven by the dual goals of continental supremacy and securing direct qualification for Los Angeles.
Beyond crowning the continental champions, EuroVolley 2026 also served as the official CEV qualification event for the 2027 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship, jointly hosted by the United States and Canada.
As the reigning world champions, Italy entered the tournament with an automatic berth, opening up additional qualification spots for Europe. Consequently, champions Türkiye and bronze medallists Serbia, who defeated Poland 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 15-25, 25-18) in the third-place match, secured their direct tickets to the global showcase.
Fourth-placed Poland also earned a berth based on their final EuroVolley ranking.
The Dream Team featured MVP and Best Opposite Melissa Vargas of Türkiye, Best Setter Alessia Orro of Italy and Best Libero Gizem Örge of Türkiye. Serbia’s Henna Kurtagić and Türkiye’s Zehra Güneş were named Best Middle Blockers, while Italy’s Myriam Sylla and Türkiye’s Derya Cebecioğlu were selected as Best Outside Hitters.
The championship wraps up an extraordinary fortnight of European volleyball, with Türkiye leaving Istanbul as continental champions and with their places at both LA28 and the 2027 World Championship secured, setting the stage for the next chapter on the road to Los Angeles.
