Ukraine start EuroVolley preparation after a historic 7th place in 2026 VNL

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Following Ukraine’s historic Volleyball Nations League campaign, the national team will have only a brief break before beginning preparations for the 2026 CEV European Championship.

Opposite hitter Vasyl Tupchii revealed that the players will have around ten days off before reuniting in Tallinn, where the coaching staff will begin selecting the squad for the continental tournament.

“We have just under two weeks to rest—around ten days. Then we’ll return to Tallinn and start preparing for the European Championship. About 18 to 20 players will be in training camp, and the coaching staff will decide on the final roster.”

Ukraine’s VNL journey came to an end with a 3-1 defeat to Poland in the quarterfinals, but Tupchii felt the match was far more balanced than the scoreline suggested.

“I wouldn’t say Poland were on a completely different level. It was a very even match, and in the end it came down to a few key moments.”

The opposite hitter highlighted the opening set as a turning point. After erasing a sizeable deficit, Ukraine had the chance to level the score at 24-24 but failed to convert a counterattack.

“If we had finished that play, I think we could have won the first set.”

He also pointed to a handful of unforced errors in the third set that proved decisive.

“We failed to put one attack away, then sent another ball out. Those small mistakes allowed them to pull ahead. By the fourth set, we weren’t able to get back into the match.”

Despite the disappointment of elimination, Tupchii believes Poland remains one of the strongest contenders for the Volleyball Nations League title.

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