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The final day of Pool D at CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men delivered two very different celebrations in Cluj-Napoca. Latvia secured their place in the knockout stage with a hard-fought victory over Türkiye, while hosts Romania produced a remarkable comeback against France, turning a match that appeared to be slipping away into a five-set triumph, 2-3 (25:16, 27:25, 20:25, 33:35, 12:15).
For Latvia, the reward was a ticket to Sofia. For Romania, it was the perfect way to conclude their home campaign: a victory over the double Olympic champions after one of the most demanding weeks of the tournament.
And thus Latvia’s EuroVolley journey will continue in Sofia. With their tournament hopes on the line, Uģis Krastiņš’ team delivered under pressure, overcoming most-quoted Türkiye 1-3 (24:26, 25:23, 24:26, 16:25) to secure a place in the knockout stage.
After a challenging campaign in Cluj-Napoca, there was no longer any room for calculations or future promises. They needed a result, and they found the composure required to produce it.
The first three sets reflected the narrow margins between the two teams. Türkiye continued to challenge Latvia, and neither side was able to establish lasting control. Latvia eventually took the opening set 26–24, but Türkiye responded by claiming the second 25–23 and restoring the balance.
The decisive shift came in the fourth set. Rather than allowing the pressure of the occasion to affect their performance, Latvia raised their level and quickly took control. Their advantage continued to grow, and they closed out the set 25–16 to complete the victory and begin the celebrations.
Renārs Pauls Jansons led the winners l with 19 points. The team also produced eight blocks and five aces, but their success was built on more than statistics.
In the most important moments, Latvia managed to stay composed and execute the plays that kept their qualification hopes alive.
“This is a sensational moment for Latvian Volleyball, for the Volleyball Federation and for the whole country. It is just an amazing feeling,” said Jānis Eduards Medenis, “we achieved our main goal. Our main goal was to reach the playoffs, and we did it.”
For Medenis, the achievement also represented the culmination of months of work that had taken place away from the spotlight: “we showed our emotions, we showed everything we did during the summer, all the hard work that people didn’t see. Today we did incredible things, and that’s why we reached our main goal, the playoffs.”
Latvia’s route through Pool D was far from straightforward. They began with a victory over hosts Romania, then faced difficult challenges against Germany and Switzerland. They also became the first team in the pool to take a set from France.
Their progress was built through difficult moments, with the team repeatedly highlighting the importance of growing together and finding solutions under pressure. Against Türkiye, that development finally produced its biggest reward.
Now, the celebrations can begin—but only for a while. Sofia awaits, and the level of difficulty will rise again.
As Medenis put it with a smile: “The fun is only starting.”
Romania could hardly have imagined a more dramatic conclusion to their Pool D campaign.
Playing their fifth match in just a few days, and facing a French side featuring two-time Olympic champions, the hosts found the energy to overturn a two-set deficit and finish their week in Cluj-Napoca with an unforgettable victory.
France had already secured first place in the pool, allowing head coach Andrea Giani to give additional responsibility to players who had seen less action during the tournament.
For two sets, the decision appeared to be paying off. France established a 2–0 lead and seemed on course to complete the group stage unbeaten.
Romania, however, refused to accept that outcome and, with the support of the home crowd behind them, Sergiu Stancu’s team gradually changed the direction of the match. They increased the pressure, extended rallies and forced France into an increasingly demanding contest. What had initially looked like a controlled performance from the pool winners became a dramatic five-set battle.
Romania claimed the third set 25–20 before the fourth developed into an extraordinary struggle.
Neither team was willing to give ground, and the set continued deep into extended play. Romania eventually prevailed 35–33, levelling the match and sending it to a deciding set.
The hosts carried that momentum into the tiebreak, where they completed the comeback with a 15–12 victory.
For Stancu, the performance was particularly meaningful given the physical demands of the schedule: “I want to congratulate my guys because it’s the fifth game in a few days and they got over the tiredness and everything,” he said. “It’s not easy to win in five sets against a double Olympic champion.”
The Romanian coach also singled out 21-year-old David Emilian Taranu Runcan, who was trusted throughout the match and handled the responsibility of playing against one of the tournament’s strongest teams: “I’m so happy for Runcan because at 21 years old he played the whole game. He’s a great player, and I really think Romania has great potential and a bright future.”
For France, the result offered a different kind of lesson ahead of the knockout stage. Giani was pleased with the way the players introduced into the starting line-up performed, but acknowledged that his team had failed to take advantage of important opportunities to close out the match.
“We prepared the match well and, for me, the substitute players entered the match well. We were 2–0 in front,” Giani said. “But when the match opened, especially in the fourth set, we had the ball to close the match. This is the part we need to improve and learn.”
The French coach identified serving, reception, attack and blocking as areas that required greater consistency in decisive moments. He also stressed the importance of having an entire squad ready to take responsibility throughout a long tournament.
“The team needs to play and win regardless of whether you are a substitute player. If you use the same players every time, in the end you can have two or three injured players. The players need rhythm. These kinds of matches are needed. I give them the chance and I give them responsibility.”
The final day therefore offered two contrasting but equally significant conclusions to Pool D.
France leave Cluj-Napoca as group winners, while also receiving a reminder that the knockout stage will demand greater precision in the moments when matches can be decided.
Romania, meanwhile, finish their home campaign with qualification already secured, a young player gaining valuable experience on the international stage and a memorable five-set victory over the double Olympic champions.
Latvia will continue their journey in Sofia, having achieved the objective they set themselves before the tournament. Romania leave Cluj-Napoca with a victory that reflects their resilience, while France turn their attention to the next challenge—and the lessons that can be drawn from a match they were unable to finish.
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🏐| CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 | Wednesday, September 16, 2026
POOL A📍PalaPanini Modena
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Sweden – Slovakia 3-1 (19:25, 25:23, 25:21, 25:19)
• 21.00 (Local Time) | Czech Republic – Slovenia 1-3 (26:24, 13:25, 25:27, 23:25)
🏐| POOL A STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Italy 12
2. Slovenia 9
3. Czech Republic 8
4. Greece 6
5. Sweden 4
6. Slovakia 0
POOL B📍Arena 8888 Sofia
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Israel – North Macedonia 0-3 (21:25, 23:25, 22:25)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Poland – Bulgaria 2-3 (25:20, 29:31, 23:25, 25:19, 18:20)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
🏐| POOL B FINAL STANDINGS
1. Poland 13
2. Ukraine 12
3. Bulgaria 11
4. Portugal 4
5. North Macedonia 3
6. Israel 2
POOL C📍Nokia Arena Tampere
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Denmark – Serbia 2-3 (25:19, 25:21, 21:25, 23:25, 14:16)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | The Netherlands – Estonia 1-3 (25:27, 22:25, 25;18, 23:25)
🏐| POOL C STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Finland 10
2. Belgium 10
3. Serbia 7
4. Denmark 7
5. Estonia 3
6. Netherlands 2
👉🏼POOL D📍 BT Arena Cluj Napoca
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Latvia 1-3 (24:26, 25:23, 24:26, 16:25)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | France – Romania 2-3 (25:16, 27:25, 20:25, 33:35, 12:15)
🏐| POOL D FINAL STANDINGS
1. France 13
2. Germany 11
3. Romania 9
4. Latvia 6
5. Latvia 3
6. Switzerland 3
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NEXT GAMES: Thursday, September 17, 2026
POOL A📍PalaPanini Modena
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Slovakia – Greece
• 21.05 (Local Time) | Italy – Slovenia
POOL C📍Nokia Arena Tampere
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Serbia – Belgium
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Finland – Estonia
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