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Finland could hardly have asked for a better start to their home EuroVolley 2026 campaign: in front of 6,583 spectators at the Nokia Arena in Tampere, the hosts defeated Denmark 3-0 (25:22, 25:17, 25:20) in the opening match of Pool C, immediately sending a clear message to the rest of the group.
For Finnish volleyball, it was a particularly special night, because the country is hosting the European Championship for the fourth time, after previous editions in 1977, 1993 and 2021, while the 2026 tournament marks the first time that top-level volleyball has been played at Tampere’s spectacular Nokia Arena.
The opening set was a tight affair in its early stages, with Luka Marttila and Denmark’s Oskar Madsen emerging as the main attacking references. Finland gradually began to impose its rhythm after 9-6, with the Marttila brothers, Luka and Nooa, playing a key role in pushing the hosts ahead.
Both finished the set with four points as Finland opened up a 14-8 advantage.
Denmark refused to surrender, and Madsen, who had already collected five points by the end of the set, led the charge while two consecutive aces from Ulrik Dahl helped the visitors launch a late comeback, cutting the gap from 23-21 to just two points. Finland, however, kept its composure, and Joonas Jokela delivered the decisive attack to seal the opening set 25-22.
The second set was more one-sided, with Finland who quickly moved 12-6 ahead, with Luka Marttila and Jokela finding success both in attack and at the net. Denmark’s head coach Kristian Knudsen tried to stop the momentum by bringing captain and setter Axel Jacobsen back into the action. But Jacobsen, the oldest player at this year’s EuroVolley, was unable to turn the tide.
Finland’s blocking continued to cause problems for Denmark, with the hosts producing three blocks in the set. One of the night’s most spectacular sequences came at 17-10, when Luka Marttila needed three attempts to finally put the ball away, much to the delight of the home crowd. Denmark again found a few points late in the set, particularly through Ulrik Dahl, but Finland’s advantage was simply too large. The hosts closed it 25-17.
There was no change of script in the third set, with Finland who took control from the very beginning and never allowed Denmark to seriously threaten its lead, moving from 10-6 to 17-12 before closing out the match 25-20.
Joonas Jokela and Luka Marttila shared the honours as Finland’s leading scorers, both finishing with 13 points. Finland’s attacking performance was particularly impressive in the final set, when the hosts reached 68% efficiency, underlining the control they had established over the match.
For Finland, it was not only a convincing opening victory but also the perfect way to begin their campaign in front of a home crowd that remained fully behind the team from the first point to the last.
“It’s always great to have the fans with you, the gave us a lot of support since we hear them cheering for us for the whole match. It was really amazing,” said Joonas Jokela.
For Denmark, the disappointment was clear after a match in which Finland consistently had the upper hand.
“There was a great atmosphere in the arena today. Of course we are disappointed with the result and with the way we lost today. We faced a better team that outperformed us in almost every aspect of the game,” said Tobias Kjaer, outside hitter of Denmark.
The victory also continues a fascinating 2026 rivalry between the two teams: interestingly, Finland had already beaten Denmark 3-1 in the European League semi-finals in July.
Finland will now turn their attention to their next Pool C challenge, with Belgium waiting on September 12, while Denmark will face the Netherlands the same day.
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🏐| CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 | Thursday, September 10, 2026
POOL A📍Arena Piazza del Plebiscito Naples
• 21.05 (Local Time) | Italy – Sweden 3-0 (25:22, 25:21, 25:17)
🏐| POOL A STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Italy 3
2. Slovakia 0
3. Greece 0
4. Slovenia 0
5. Czech Republic 0
6. Sweden 0
POOL B📍Arena 8888 Sofia
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Poland – Portugal 3-0 (25:12, 25:18, 25:20)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Israel – Ukraine 1-3 (22:25, 19:25, 25:22, 19:25)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
🏐| POOL B STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Bulgaria 3
2. Poland 3
3. Ukraine 3
4. Israel 0
5. Portugal 0
6. North Macedonia 0
👉🏼POOL C📍Nokia Arena Tampere
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Finland – Denmark 3-0 (25:22, 25:17, 25:20)
🏐| POOL C STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Finland 3
2. Serbia 0
3. Belgium 0
4. Netherlands 0
5. Estonia 0
6. Denmark 0
POOL D📍 BT Arena Cluj-Napoca
• 17.00 (Local Time) | France – Switzerland 3-0 (25:23, 31:29, 25:21)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Germany 1-3 (25:23, 22:25, 21:25, 19:25)
🏐| POOL D STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. France 3
2. Germany 3
3. Latvia 3
4. Romania 0
5. Türkiye 0
6. Switzerland 0
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NEXT GAMES: Friday, September 11, 2026
POOL A📍PalaPanini Modena
16.00 (Local Time) | Czech Republic – Greece
21.00 (Local Time) | Slovakia – Slovenia
POOL B📍Arena 8888 Sofia
16.00 (Local Time) | Ukraine – North Macedonia
19.00 (Local Time) | Portugal – Bulgaria
POOL C📍Nokia Arena Tampere
17.00 (Local Time) | The Netherlands – Belgium
20.00 (Local Time) | Serbia – Estonia
POOL D📍 BT Arena Cluj Napoca
17.00 (Local Time) | Germany – Latvia
20.00 (Local Time) | Switzerland – Romania
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👀|QUICK LINKS
• EuroVolley 2026 – Calendar
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