2026 Men's European Volleyball Championship qualification

This article describes the qualification for the 2026 Men's European Volleyball Championship.[1]

Qualification

Bulgaria, Finland, Italy and Romania as host countries were directly qualified. The eight best placed teams at the 2023 edition also gained direct entries into the tournament. 21 teams compete for the remaining 12 places at the final tournament.

Means of qualification Qualifier Means of qualification Qualifier
Host countries  Bulgaria Qualification Pool A
 Finland Pool B
 Italy Pool C
 Romania Pool D
2023 European Championship  Poland Pool E
 Slovenia Pool F
 France Pool G
 Netherlands Best runners-up
 Serbia
 Ukraine
 Germany
 Portugal
Total 24

Direct qualification

All of the host countries' teams directly qualified for the tournament. Then, the top eight teams from previous edition also automatically qualified.

Qualified for the 2026 European Championship
Qualified as hosts for the 2026 European Championship
Rank Team
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Poland
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Italy
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Slovenia
4  France
5  Netherlands
6  Serbia
7  Romania
8  Ukraine
9  Germany
10  Portugal
11  Croatia
12  Czech Republic
13  Turkey
14  Belgium
15  Bulgaria
16  North Macedonia
17  Spain
18  Israel
19  Montenegro
20  Estonia
21  Finland
22  Greece
23   Switzerland
24  Denmark

Format

There are seven pools of three teams each; the winners of each pool and the best five runners-up will qualify for the 2026 European Championship. The pools are played in a double round-robin.

Schedule

The dates were updated to adapt to the new FIVB calendar.

Round Round date[1][2]
Matchday 1 17/18 August 2024
Matchday 2 24/25 August 2024
Matchday 3 28/29 August 2024
Matchday 4 9/10 August 2025
Matchday 5 13 August 2025
Matchday 6 16/17 August 2025

Pools composition

The pools were set following the Serpentine system according to their European Ranking for national teams as of 6 November 2023. Rankings are shown in parentheses.[1]

Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D Pool E Pool F Pool G
 Turkey (8)  Belgium (11)  Czech Republic (13)  Croatia (16)  Spain (17)  Greece (18)  Slovakia (19)
 Denmark (27)  Azerbaijan (26)  Montenegro (24)  Estonia (23)   Switzerland (22)  North Macedonia (21)  Latvia (20)
 Hungary (28)  Austria (29)  Norway (31)  Israel (34)  Sweden (35)  Georgia (37)  Kosovo (NR)

Pool standing procedure

  1. Number of matches won
  2. Match points
  3. Sets ratio
  4. Points ratio
  5. If the tie continues as per the point ratio between two teams, the priority will be given to the team which won the last match between them. When the tie in points ratio is between three or more teams, a new classification of these teams in the terms of points 1, 2 and 3 will be made taking into consideration only the matches in which they were opposed to each other.

Match won 3–0 or 3–1: 3 match points for the winner, 0 match points for the loser
Match won 3–2: 2 match points for the winner, 1 match point for the loser

Results

  • The winners in each pool and the top five of the second-ranked teams will qualify for the 2026 European Championship.

Pool A

Pos Team Pld W L Pts SW SL SR SPW SPL SPR Qualification
1  Denmark 2 2 0 6 6 0 MAX 152 122 1.246 2026 European Championship
2  Turkey 2 1 1 3 3 3 1.000 146 115 1.270 2026 European Championship if one of five best second-ranked team
3  Hungary 2 0 2 0 0 6 0.000 89 150 0.593
Source: CEV
Date Time Score Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Total Report
17 Aug 2024 18:30 Hungary  0–3  Denmark 13–25 20–25 18–25     51–75 Report
25 Aug 2024 16:00 Denmark  3–0  Turkey 25–23 25–23 27–25     77–71 Report
29 Aug 2024 18:00 Turkey  3–0  Hungary 25–11 25–10 25–17     75–38 Report
    Hungary   Turkey              
    Denmark   Hungary              
    Turkey   Denmark              

Pool B

Pos Team Pld W L Pts SW SL SR SPW SPL SPR Qualification
1  Belgium 2 2 0 6 6 0 MAX 150 102 1.471 2026 European Championship
2  Austria 2 1 1 3 3 3 1.000 129 128 1.008 2026 European Championship if one of five best second-ranked team
3  Azerbaijan 2 0 2 0 0 6 0.000 101 150 0.673
Source: CEV
Date Time Score Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Total Report
17 Aug 2024 20:30 Austria  3–0  Azerbaijan 25–16 25–23 25–14     75–53 Report
24 Aug 2024 16:00 Azerbaijan  0–3  Belgium 17–25 12–25 19–25     48–75 Report
28 Aug 2024 18:00 Belgium  3–0  Austria 25–19 25–14 25–21     75–54 Report
    Austria   Belgium              
    Azerbaijan   Austria              
    Belgium   Azerbaijan              

Pool C

Pos Team Pld W L Pts SW SL SR SPW SPL SPR Qualification
1  Czech Republic 2 2 0 6 6 1 6.000 170 137 1.241 2026 European Championship
2  Norway 2 1 1 3 3 3 1.000 129 140 0.921 2026 European Championship if one of five best second-ranked team
3  Montenegro 2 0 2 0 1 6 0.167 151 173 0.873
Source: CEV
Date Time Score Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Total Report
18 Aug 2024 14:30 Norway  3–0  Montenegro 25–19 28–26 25–20     78–65 Report
24 Aug 2024 18:00 Montenegro  1–3  Czech Republic 25–20 18–25 22–25 21–25   86–95 Report
29 Aug 2024 17:00 Czech Republic  3–0  Norway 25–17 25–14 25–20     75–51 Report
    Norway   Czech Republic              
    Montenegro   Norway              
    Czech Republic   Montenegro              

Pool D

Pos Team Pld W L Pts SW SL SR SPW SPL SPR Qualification
1  Estonia 2 2 0 6 6 1 6.000 170 146 1.164 2026 European Championship
2  Israel 2 1 1 3 4 4 1.000 187 187 1.000 2026 European Championship if one of five best second-ranked team
3  Croatia 2 0 2 0 1 6 0.167 149 173 0.861
Source: CEV
Date Time Score Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Total Report
17 Aug 2024 19:00 Estonia  3–1  Israel 26–24 25–22 19–25 25–18   95–89 Report
21 Aug 2024 18:00 Croatia  1–3  Israel 22–25 25–23 22–25 23–25   92–98 Report
24 Aug 2024 16:00 Estonia  3–0  Croatia 25–16 25–19 25–22     75–57 Report
    Israel   Estonia              
    Israel   Croatia              
    Croatia   Estonia              

Pool E

Pos Team Pld W L Pts SW SL SR SPW SPL SPR Qualification
1   Switzerland 2 2 0 4 6 4 1.500 206 199 1.035 2026 European Championship
2  Sweden 2 1 1 4 5 3 1.667 176 160 1.100 2026 European Championship if one of five best second-ranked team
3  Spain 2 0 2 1 2 6 0.333 98 106 0.925
Source: CEV
Date Time Score Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Total Report
17 Aug 2024 18:05 Sweden  2–3   Switzerland 25–15 25–20 21–25 19–25 11–15 101–100 Report
25 Aug 2024 17:00 Switzerland  3–2  Spain 25–16 25–23 19–25 22–25 15–9 106–98 Report
28 Aug 2024 20:00 Spain  0–3  Sweden 21–25 20–25 19–25     60–75 Report
    Sweden   Spain              
    Switzerland   Sweden              
    Spain    Switzerland              

Pool F

Pos Team Pld W L Pts SW SL SR SPW SPL SPR Qualification
1  Greece 2 2 0 6 6 1 6.000 165 124 1.331 2026 European Championship
2  North Macedonia 2 1 1 3 4 3 1.333 161 134 1.201 2026 European Championship if one of five best second-ranked team
3  Georgia 2 0 2 0 0 6 0.000 82 150 0.547
Source: CEV
Date Time Score Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Total Report
17 Aug 2024 16:00 Georgia  0–3  North Macedonia 12–25 14–25 18–25     44–75 Report
25 Aug 2024 20:15 North Macedonia  1–3  Greece 25–15 18–25 23–25 20–25   86–90 Report
29 Aug 2024 20:30 Greece  3–0  Georgia 25–14 25–8 25–16     75–38 Report
    Georgia   Greece              
    North Macedonia   Greece              
    Greece   North Macedonia              

Pool G

Pos Team Pld W L Pts SW SL SR SPW SPL SPR Qualification
1  Latvia 2 2 0 6 6 1 6.000 172 143 1.203 2026 European Championship
2  Slovakia 2 1 1 3 4 3 1.333 168 141 1.191 2026 European Championship if one of five best second-ranked team
3  Kosovo 2 0 2 0 0 6 0.000 94 150 0.627
Source: CEV
Date Time Score Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Set 4 Set 5 Total Report
17 Aug 2024 17:00 Kosovo  0–3  Latvia 14–25 19–25 17–25     50–75 Report
25 Aug 2024 17:15 Latvia  3–1  Slovakia 25–23 21–25 26–24 25–21   97–93 Report
28 Aug 2024 18:00 Slovakia  3–0  Kosovo 25–21 25–14 25–9     75–44 Report
    Kosovo   Slovakia              
    Latvia   Kosovo              
    Slovakia   Latvia              

Ranking of the second-placed teams

  • The top five of the second-placed teams will qualify for the 2026 European Championship.
Pos Pool Team Pld W L Pts SW SL SR SPW SPL SPR Qualification
1 E  Sweden 2 1 1 4 5 3 1.667 176 160 1.100 2026 European Championship
2 F  North Macedonia 2 1 1 3 4 3 1.333 161 134 1.201
3 G  Slovakia 2 1 1 3 4 3 1.333 168 141 1.191
4 A  Turkey 2 1 1 3 3 3 1.000 146 115 1.270
5 B  Austria 2 1 1 3 3 3 1.000 129 128 1.008
6 D  Israel 2 1 1 3 4 4 1.000 187 187 1.000
7 C  Norway 2 1 1 3 3 3 1.000 129 140 0.921
Source: [citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d CEV EuroVolley 2026 Official Communications No. 1
  2. ^ "Volleyball players against the Czech Republic and Norway for Eurovolley, volleyball players from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Latvia".