Israel bring three setters to EuroVolley – tomorrow debut with Ukraine

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Israel head coach Itamar Stein has made an unusual choice in selecting his final 14-man squad for EuroVolley 2026.
The Israeli team will arrive in Sofia with no fewer than three setters: Yuval Chanski, Itamar Peleg and Noam Ariel.
All three are listed as setters in the official CEV database, meaning that Stein has devoted three of his 14 roster spots to the same position.
It is certainly one of the more curious features of the Israeli squad and could prove particularly interesting as the tournament develops.

Israel’s final EuroVolley 2026 roster is as follows:
Setters: Yuval Chanski, Itamar Peleg, Noam Ariel
Middle blockers: Vyacheslav Bachkala, Nikita Maron, Lior Vili Kopilevich, Dovydas Gribauskas
Outside hitters/Opposites: Ilya Goldrin, Omri Alon, Ilay Haver, Shay Mayo Liberman, Mark Rura
Liberos: Omri Roitman, Eran Halachmi

There is an important detail concerning Mark Rura.
The CEV database lists the 20-year-old as an outside hitter, while his new club, the Tokyo Great Bears, officially describe him as a player capable of operating both as an outside hitter and as an opposite. Israel, therefore, should certainly not be regarded as a team without a nominal opposite in its squad!
Either way he is arguably one of the most intriguing names in the Israeli roster. Standing 207 centimetres tall, the young player has signed for the Tokyo Great Bears for the 2026/27 season after spending the previous two campaigns with German club Helios Grizzlys Giesen.
The move has been officially confirmed by the Japanese side and represents another significant step in his rapidly developing career.
In Tokyo, he will find himself surrounded by some extremely experienced and internationally recognised players. The Great Bears’ roster includes Polish legend Bartosz Kurek, Slovenian international Jan Kozamernik, Argentina international Luciano Vicentin and former Japan international Masahiro Yanagida.
Rura already has experience at the highest level of European club volleyball. During the 2024/25 season, he represented Giesen in the CEV Champions League, with the CEV listing him among the German club’s players for their matches against Olympiacos and Fenerbahçe. In Istanbul, he even served an ace during Giesen’s historic first-ever group-stage victory in the Champions League.

Another young Israeli talent taking an important step into the European club scene is Shay Liberman. The 20-year-old outside hitter is part of the French club Chaumont VB 52 Haute-Marne after a great season in Nice.

Israel will arrive in Sofia with confidence as well as ambition, having achieved something significant just to make it to this tournament.
The national team qualified for the European Championship through the court for the first time in 50 years.
Israel did appear at EuroVolley 2023, but on that occasion it was one of the tournament’s hosts. This time, however, the ticket was earned on sporting merit after a dramatic qualification battle with Estonia.
Stein has already set a clear objective for his team: finish among the top four in Pool B and advance to the round of 16. The Israeli coach has identified the matches against Portugal and North Macedonia as particularly important, while he also sees opportunities against Ukraine.
The games against Poland and hosts Bulgaria, meanwhile, require little additional motivation. Facing some of the world’s strongest volleyball players is motivation enough.

“We don’t feel inferior to anyone, but, of course, we have enormous respect for every opponent at this level,” Stein said ahead of the tournament.

Israel will open its EuroVolley campaign on September 10 at 19:00 local time against Ukraine at Arena 8888 Sofia.
Four days later, on September 14 at 19:00, Israel will face hosts Bulgaria at the same venue.
Behind Stein’s unusual decision to take three setters, therefore, lies a squad that offers much more than an interesting tactical curiosity.

For Israel, EuroVolley 2026 is not only about surviving in a demanding group. It is also an opportunity to show that a new generation of Israeli players is beginning to establish itself beyond the country’s borders.

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