Poland Defends Its European Title After Defeating France

Poland is once again the European volleyball champion. Nikola Grbic’s team defended its title after defeating Olympic champion France 3-1 (31-29, 25-19, 20-25, 25-16) in the EuroVolley 2026 final.

The first set was an intense battle in which neither team managed to pull away significantly. The Poles held the advantage thanks to Wilfredo Leon’s powerful serve, but France stayed in the match. Toward the end, the “Roosters” even had a chance to win the set, but after a video review, the point was overturned. Poland showed stronger nerves and closed out the set 31–29.

The victory gave the champions a major boost, and they started the second set very strongly. Leon made it difficult for the French to receive, while Bartłomiej Bolaj and Bartłomiej Lemanski capitalized on their opportunities in attack. Poland took a 17–7 lead and, despite a comeback attempt, won 25–19.

France didn’t give up and mounted a strong response in the third set. Andrea Gianni’s team took an early lead and gradually extended it to 11–5. Mathis Henno became a key player for the “Roosters,” who controlled the game and cut the deficit to 25–20.

In the fourth set, however, Poland regained the initiative. The champions took a 10–7 lead, and after a series of errors by the French, they extended their lead to 15–9. The Poles did not allow another slip-up and confidently closed out the set 25–16, ending the final.

Thus, Poland defended its European title following its triumph in 2023 and once again stood atop the Old Continent. | BGNES