Young volleyball players of Bulgaria and Serbia will face each other on Wednesday in a decisive match for direct qualification to the U18 European Championship, which will be held in Porto San Giorgio and San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy, from July 7 to 18, 2026.
Bulgaria secured their place in the final with a convincing 3–0 victory over host nation Montenegro in the first semifinal. In the second semifinal, Serbia overcame Türkiye, dropping only one set on their way to the final.
Romania kept their hopes of qualifying for the European Championship alive with a win over Greece, earning the right to compete in the second round of qualifications. Along with Romania, Montenegro and Türkiye had already secured their places in the next qualification stage.
The final match between Bulgaria and Serbia is scheduled for Wednesday at 7:00 PM local time. Earlier that day, at 4:00 PM, Montenegro and Türkiye will play the match for third place.
ROMANIA – GREECE 3:0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-19)
MONTENEGRO – BULGARIA 0:3 (23-25, 22-25, 20-25)
SERBIA – TÜRKIYE 3:1 (25-11, 22-25, 26-24, 25-19)
1st Round Zonal Qualifications U18 Men European Championship 2026
Serbia celebrated a dramatic victory over Bulgaria in one of the most thrilling matches of the tournament, while host nation Montenegro secured a place in the semifinals without losing a single set.
Earlier in the day, Türkiye comfortably defeated Kosovo, then anxiously awaited the outcome of the match between hosts Montenegro and Romania. For Kosovo, the defeat marked the end of their tournament campaign.
Montenegro took control early against Romania, racing to a 2–0 lead after two highly competitive and exciting sets. That advantage was enough for the hosts to clinch first place in the group, while simultaneously securing Türkiye progression to the semifinals. Even after rotating their lineup, Montenegro maintained their dominance and closed out the match in straight sets, preserving their perfect record.
The final match of the day, and undoubtedly the most captivating one, saw Serbia edge past Bulgaria in a tense encounter that kept spectators on the edge of their seats.
The tournament continues on Tuesday with the semifinal matches, as well as the playoff for fifth place.
In the first semifinal, Montenegro will face Bulgaria at 6:00 PM local time. The second semifinal, scheduled for 8:30 PM, will feature a clash between Serbia and Türkiye.
Tuesday’s program will open with the fifth-place match between Romania and Greece. That duel will also determine which of the two teams advances to the second round of the qualification process.
KOSOVO – TÜRKIYE 0:3 (8-25, 11-25, 11-25)
MONTENEGRO – ROMANIA 3:0 (25-19, 26-24, 25-20)
BULGARIA – SERBIA 2:3 (20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 22-25, 13-15)
1st Round Zonal Qualifications U18 Men European Championship 2026
The second day of competition at the first round of the U18 European Championship Zonal Qualifiers for men’s volleyball delivered plenty of excitement, particularly in the opening and closing matches of the day.
Action got underway with an entertaining clash in which Bulgaria secured an important 3–1 victory over Greece after a highly competitive encounter.
There were no surprises in the second match of the day, as Montenegro recorded a routine win over Kosovo. Kosovo offered solid resistance only in the second set, but Montenegro maintained control throughout the match to seal a comfortable victory.
The final match of the day proved to be the most thrilling. Turkey emerged victorious in a tense and dramatic battle against Romania, keeping their semifinal hopes alive. At the same time, this result pushed Montenegro into a direct fight for a place among the top four teams at the tournament.
The group stage concludes tomorrow, with decisive matches on the schedule. A major battle is expected in the clashes between Bulgaria and Serbia, as well as Montenegro and Romania, where the final semifinal spots will be decided.
GREECE – BULGARIA 1:3 (25-18, 21-25, 23-25, 17-25)
MONTENEGRO – KOSOVO 3:0 (25-6, 25-17, 25-16)
TÜRKIYE – ROMANIA 3:1 (31-29, 20-25, 25-22, 26-24)
1st Round Zonal Qualifications U18 Men European Championship 2026