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.
U18W Zonal First Round of Qualifications 2026 will be held from January 13 to 17, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
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.
The men’s club volleyball season officially got underway across Europe this week, and for the most part, the continent’s #CLVolleyM powerhouses delivered as expected. From Italy to Poland, the elite teams began their domestic campaigns with convincing wins, while in Turkey, Ziraat lifted the season’s first trophy. The only real shock came from Germany, where the reigning champions BR Volleys suffered a rare straight-sets defeat in their opener.
In Türkiye, the spotlight was on the Turkish Super Cup Final, where reigning Efeler League champions Ziraat Bankası Ankara faced last year’s Turkish Cup winners Fenerbahçe Istanbul. Fenerbahçe started stronger, taking the opening set, but Ziraat quickly imposed their rhythm and controlled the remainder of the match to claim a 3-1 victory (19-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-17). It marked Ziraat’s fourth Super Cup title in the past five years, further confirming their domestic dominance. Dutch opposite Nimir Abdel-Aziz was the undisputed star of the night, scoring an incredible 34 points, including four aces and one block, earning the MVP award. Outside hitter Tomasz Fornal added 12 points in support, while Adis Lagumdzija’s 12 points were not enough to keep Fenerbahçe in contention.
In Poland, the country’s CEV Champions League Volley representatives made ideal starts to their PlusLiga campaigns. PGE Projekt Warszawa handled CHKS Chełm in straight sets (3-0: 25-23, 25-22, 25-23), while Asseco Resovia Rzeszów recovered from a slow start to defeat Ślepsk Suwałki 3-1 (17-25, 25-16, 25-17, 25-18). Both sides showed the balance and efficiency expected from title contenders.
The story was similar in Italy, where the league’s #CLVolleyM giants made smooth starts. Defending European champions Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia, national champions Itas Trentino, and perennial contenders Cucine Lube Civitanova each earned commanding three-point wins to open their SuperLega seasons, reaffirming their reputation in the national aspect.
The biggest surprise of the week came in Germany, where Berlin Recycling Volleys, winners of the last nine Bundesliga titles, fell unexpectedly to VfB Friedrichshafen in straight sets (0-3: 18-25, 21-25, 32-34). Despite a close third set, Berlin never fully found their rhythm. Friedrichshafen’s Simon Kohn delivered an exceptional performance, earning MVP honors for leading his side to victory. Meanwhile, fellow #CLVolleyM participant SVG Lüneburg showed grit and resilience, rallying from two sets down to defeat Barock Volleys MTV Ludwigsburg 3-2 (23-25, 17-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-12) behind a strong showing from Nyherowo Omene.
With most #CLVolleyM teams opening their seasons with victories, the first week set the tone for what promises to be another thrilling year of European men’s volleyball — a season where familiar giants will again look to defend their supremacy, and new challengers may rise to test them.
The BVA Cup in the men’s competition will be held from October 24th to 26th in Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This year, the tournament will feature four teams: the host club OK Kakanj (Bosnia and Herzegovina), SC Ankara (Türkiye), OFI Crete (Greece), and Steaua Bucuresti (Romania).
On the first day of the competition, October 24th, Steaua Bucuresti will face SC Ankara at 17.30, followed by the match between OFI Crete and OK Kakanj (20h). On October 25th, OFI Crete will play against Steaua Bucuresti at 17:30, while OK Kakanj will take on SC Ankara later that evening at 20h. The final day, October 26th, will see SC Ankara play OFI Crete at 17.30h, and the tournament will conclude with a match between OK Kakanj and Steaua Bucuresti at 20h.
The winner of the BVA Cup will qualify for the CEV Challenge Cup.