Israel return to EuroVolley after 50 years — and they want more than just a place in the tournament

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For Israel, simply being at EuroVolley 2026 is already a remarkable achievement.

Fifty years after their last qualification achieved on the court, the Israeli men’s national team are back on Europe’s biggest stage. Their previous appearance as hosts in 2023 was a different story; this time, Israel had to earn their ticket, and they did it the hard way, securing qualification after a dramatic victory over Estonia.

But qualifying is no longer enough.

Head coach Itamar Stein has set a clear objective for his team in Sofia: finish in the top four of Pool B and reach the Round of 16.

“Qualifying in itself is already a great achievement…But there is no loss of hunger on this team,” he told CEV. “Our goal in this upcoming Championship is to advance.”

Israel face a demanding group.
Poland, the defending European champions, and hosts Bulgaria are the headline names in Pool B, while Ukraine, Portugal and North Macedonia represent the battles Israel believe could decide their tournament.
And Stein already knows where the biggest opportunities may lie.
The matches against Portugal and North Macedonia have been identified as particularly important, while Ukraine will provide another major test.
The Israelis, however, are not planning to approach Poland or Bulgaria simply hoping to survive.

Quite the opposite.

“We don’t feel inferior to anyone,” Stein said, while stressing that respect for every opponent remains essential.

That confidence is not coming from nowhere. Israel have spent the last few seasons gradually building a more competitive national team, and their qualification for EuroVolley is part of a wider upward trend.
North Macedonia will be a particularly familiar opponent.
Israel faced them recently and Itamar Stein believes his side have progressed enough to approach the matchup with confidence, while still expecting a physical and open battle.
The team also arrives in Sofia after a positive European League campaign. Israel won six matches in as many games in the main phase, collected 17 points and reached the semifinals, results that also secured their place at EuroVolley 2028.

For head coach, that progression is important because EuroVolley is not supposed to be the destination.
It is another step.
Stein has previously spoken about the ambition of taking Israel towards another major milestone: World Championship qualification. For now, though, the immediate challenge is considerably more straightforward.

Get through Pool B.

And the schedule leaves little room for waiting. Israel open their EuroVolley campaign against Ukraine on September 10 at 19:00 local time at Arena 8888 Sofia. They will then face Poland, Portugal, Bulgaria and North Macedonia, with the latter three matches potentially carrying enormous importance in the battle for the knockout stage.
There is also a human element to this team that Stein believes can make a difference.
Outside hitter Shay Liberman described the squad as a “second family”, highlighting the bond that has developed during a summer in which Israel fought its way back to the European Championship.
That sense of togetherness will be tested immediately.

Israel are not one of the favourites for the title. They do not need to be.
Their tournament will be measured by something much more immediate: whether they can turn the historic achievement of qualification into a place in the Round of 16.
After waiting half a century to earn their way back to EuroVolley, Israel are not coming to Sofia simply to admire the view.

They want to leave a mark.

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