First verdicts in European League 2026 – Pool stage almost completed & Denmark seal semi-final spot and EuroVolley 2028 ticket!

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On Saturday, Denmark secured their progression to the semifinals of the men’s CEV Volleyball European League 2026 with a sixth straight win in as many matches, and with this result they have also become the first team, apart from co-hosts Montenegro, to claim their ticket in the CEV EuroVolley 2028 Men!

Denmark was the only team with a perfect record from Round 1 and 2 and completed their duties today with a clean 3-0 (25:19, 25:17, 25:15) sweep over Romania in another dominant game led by duo Mads Kyed Jensen and Oskar Kjerstein Madsen, who scored 14 points each.
Denmark did not drop a single set in their two matches contested in Tirana, as yesterday they had destroyed hosts Albania in three sets as well. With this, they finish the League Round on maximum six wins and 17 points – with 18 sets won and only three lost!
However The Netherlands could still overtake them at the top of the standings as for now they celebrated a fifth straight 3-0 (25:17, 25:19, 25:23) win also against Croatia in the tournament being held in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with 15 points from Silvester Meijs (62% in attack, 1 ace and 1 block) and 11 from Siebe Korenblek (55% in attack, 4 blocks and 1 ace too).
Last year’s Golden League winners Finland may do the same on Sunday as they have collected five wins in a row as well following their victory over Slovakia, 3-1 (25:18, 23:25, 25:17, 25:20), with as many as 15 winning blocks today!
However, the race for a top-four finish remains open though, as Israel sit in third place with five wins in as many matches, including the one recorded today against North Macedonia, 3-0 (25:19, 25:19, 25:14), led again by a today almost unstoppable Mark Rura (20 points through 86% in attack and 2 of the winners’ 10 winning blocks) and Shay Liberman, who added 16 (Photogallery of the match here), Sweden have completed their task with five wins and one loss, winning at tie break today 2-3 (17:25, 25:22, 18:25, 25:16, 10:15) against Estonia with 25 points from Jacob Link, but Greece, the same Estonia and Czech Republic could still edge past them if they are to win their last matches on Sunday or to take at least one point from their respective duels!
Czech Republic, who tomorrow in Tbilisi will face hosts Georgia, today celebrated a 3-1 (25:19, 25:20, 22:25, 25:22) win over Spain with 15 points from Lukas Vašina, 13 from Jiri Benda and 11 from Patrick Indra.
Greece, on the other hand, after beating Austria today by 3-1 (25:16, 23:25, 25:22, 25:18) after more than 2 hours of play with 22 points from Angelos Markou (57% in attack and 1 ace) will face modest Luxembourg, while Estonia will face Montenegro.

In other games played today, Hungary down Portugal in just three sets (18:25, 23:25, 22:25) led by Kristóf Horváth’s 16 points (65% in attack and 1 block) while, in Norway, Switzerland defeated Latvia at tie break, 3-2 (17:25, 25:20, 25:18, 21:25, 15:12) with 22 points from Lars Migge.

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🏐| CEV Volleyball European League 2026 | LEAGUE ROUND MATCHES | WEEK 3

👉🏼 Saturday June 20, 2026
📍 New Sports Palace Tbilisi – Small Hall (GEO)
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Czech Republic – Spain 3-1 (25:19, 25:20, 22:25, 25:22)
📍 Sportska Dvorana “Mirsad Hurić” Goražde (BIH)
• 17.00 (Local Time) | The Netherlands – Croatia 3-0 (25:17, 25:19, 25:23)
📍 Volda Campus Sparebank1 Arena (NOR)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Switzerland – Latvia 3-2 (17:25, 25:20, 25:18, 21:25, 15:12)
📍 A.Y.S. Sport Hall Baku (AZE)
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Portugal – Hungary 0-3 (18:25, 23:25, 22:25)
📍 Nikoljac Bieljo Polje (MNE)
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Estonia – Sweden 2-3 (17:25, 25:22, 18:25, 25:16, 10:15)
📍 d’Coque Gymnase Luxembourg (LUX)
• 18.30 (Local Time) | Greece – Austria 3-1 (25:16, 23:25, 25:22, 25:18)
📍 Digranes Kopavogur (ISL)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Finland – Slovakia 3-1 (25:18, 23:25, 25:17, 25:20)
📍 Tirana Olimpik Park Feti Borova Hall (ALB)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Romania – Denmark 0-3 (19:25, 17:25, 15:25)
📍 Pallati i Rinise Prishtine (KOS)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Israel – North Macedonia 3-0 (25:19, 25:19, 25:14)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Denmark 17
2. The Netherlands 15
3. Finland 15
4. Israel 14
5. Sweden 13
6. Greece 13
7. Estonia 13
8. Czech Republic 13
9. Spain 13
10. Hungary 12
11. Switzerland 11
12. Latvia 10
13. Portugal 9
14. Slovakia 9
15. Croatia 9
16. North Macedonia 9
17. Romania 8
18. Austria 6
19. Montenegro 6
20. Norway 1
21. Luxembourg 0
22. Azerbaijan 0
23. Georgia 0
24. Bosnia&Herzegovina 0
25. Iceland 0
26. Albania 0
27. Kosovo 0
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🏐| NEXT GAMES

| Sunday June 21, 2026
📍 New Sports Palace Tbilisi – Small Hall (GEO)
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Georgia – Czech Republic
📍 Volda Campus Sparebank1 Arena (NOR)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Norway – Switzerland
📍 Sportska Dvorana “Mirsad Hurić” Goražde (BIH)
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Bosnia&Herzegovina – The Netherlands
📍 A.Y.S. Sport Hall Baku (AZE)
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Azerbaijan – Portugal
📍 d’Coque Gymnase Luxembourg (LUX)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Luxembourg – Greece
📍 Digranes Kopavogur (ISL)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Iceland – Finland
📍 Tirana Olimpik Park Feti Borova Hall (ALB)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Albania – Romania
📍 Pallati i Rinise Prishtine (KOS)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Kosovo – Israel
📍 Nikoljac Bieljo Polje (MNE)
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Montenegro – Estonia

…already played:

| Friday June 19, 2026
📍 New Sports Palace Tbilisi – Small Hall (GEO)
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Spain – Georgia 3-0 (25:18, 25:14, 28:8)
📍 Sportska Dvorana “Mirsad Hurić” Goražde (BIH)
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Croatia – Bosnia&Herzegovina 3-0 (25:16, 25:23, 25:20)
📍 A.Y.S. Sport Hall Baku (AZE)
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Hungary – Azerbaijan 3-1 (25:19, 22:25, 29:27, 25:16)
📍 Nikoljac Bieljo Polje (MNE)
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Sweden – Montenegro 3-1 (22:25, 25:20, 25:19, 25:14)
📍 Digranes Kopavogur (ISL)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Slovakia – Iceland 3-0 (25:10, 25:12, 25:15)
📍 Tirana Olimpik Park Feti Borova Hall (ALB)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Denmark – Albania 3-0 (25:17, 25:18, 25:21)
📍 Volda Campus Sparebank1 Arena (NOR)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Latvia – Norway 3-1 (21:25, 29:27, 25:18, 25:21)
📍 d’Coque Gymnase Luxembourg (LUX)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Austria – Luxembourg 3-0 (25:14, 25:12, 25:15)
📍 Pallati i Rinise Prishtine (KOS)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | North Macedonia – Kosovo 3-0 (25:12, 25:19, 27:25)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

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