A dramatic five-set win could not secure qualification for Ukraine’s U18 boys, and both junior squads now face a period of reflection and rebuilding.
The Ukrainian national volleyball teams in the U18 category will not reach the Euro 2026 finals after the qualification ends. In their last decisive qualifying match, the U18 boys defeated Latvia 3:2 (24:26, 24:26, 25:22, 29:27, 15:7), but in the group standings they finished third and fell behind the Netherlands and Belgium.
The Ukrainian women’s national team also failed to reach the top three among the other five qualifying groups: they finished second in Pool D and, on tiebreakers, did not qualify for the top three.
The Euro 2026 finals for juniors will be held in Italy from July 7 to 18, while the women’s championship will take place in Latvia and Lithuania from July 1 to 12.
The Ukrainian national volleyball teams will continue preparations for upcoming competitions, and details of regional competitions will be announced in official federation announcements.
A Look to the Future
At the same time, the coaching staffs note that each team will draw conclusions from the qualification and work on strengthening key aspects ahead of the next tournaments.