Two Balkan countries – Montenegro and Bulgaria will host the 1st Zonal Round of Qualifications for the CEV U18 European Championships in the both categories (born in 2009 and younger).
U18M tournament will be held in Podgorica, while the U18W event will take place in Sofia. Only the winners of each tournament will secure direct qualification for the U18 European Championship, while four teamsfrom each competition will advance to the Second Round of Qualifications, scheduled for March 26–29, 2026.
U18M First Zonal Round of Qualifications 2026 will take place from January 3 to 7, in Podgorica, Montenegro.
A total of seven national teams will compete, divided into two groups:
- Pool A: Montenegro, Romania, Türkiye, and Kosovo
- Pool B: Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia
Only the tournament winner will earn direct qualification for the Final Round, while the four best-ranked teams will advance to the Second Round of Qualifications (March 26–29, 2026).
U18M European Championship 2026 will be held from July 7 to 18, in Porto San Giorgio and San Benedetto del Tronto (Italy).
The final tournament will feature 16 teams divided into two pools, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the semifinals.
Direct qualification for the European Championship will be earned by the winners of the five zonal associations (BVA, EEVZA, MEVZA, NEVZA, and WEVZA), while 10 additional teams will qualify through the Second Round.
A total of seven national teams will compete, divided into two pools:
- Pool A: Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, and Kosovo
- Pool B: Serbia, Türkiye, and Romania
Only the tournament winner will qualify directly for the U18 European Championship, while four teamswill proceed to the Second Round of Qualifications (March 26–29, 2026).
U18M European Championship will be held from July 1 to 12, 2026, in Riga (Latvia) and Vilnius (Lithuania).
The final tournament will feature 16 teams divided into two pools, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the semifinals.
Direct qualification for the European Championship will go to the winners of the five zonal associations (BVA, EEVZA, MEVZA, NEVZA, and WEVZA), while nine additional teams will earn their spots through the Second Round.