Sofia set for four high-stakes EuroVolley 2026 clashes as hosts Bulgaria face Germany!
3 min read
If you wish to publish an Italian translation of this article, any of our other articles, or ANY PART OF THEM, please cite the original source. PLAGIARISM IS ILLEGAL!
First part of Round of 16 line-up at CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men is now complete, setting up four decisive encounters in Sofia on September 19 and 20. With the group stage concluded, the Bulgarian capital will host the next phase of the competition, where eight teams will fight for four places in the quarterfinals.
Hosts Bulgaria will face Germany on Saturday evening in the headline encounter of the opening day. Gianlorenzo Blenginiâs team finished third in Pool B with 11 points after four victories and one defeat, ending behind Poland (13 points) and Ukraine (12). Germany, meanwhile, secured second place in Pool D with 11 points, also recording four wins and one loss.
Their only setback came against France, who topped the group.
The clash between Bulgaria and Germany will take place at 19:00 local time on September 19 at Arena 8888 Sofia.
With the hosts backed by a passionate home crowd, the match promises to be one of the most anticipated fixtures of the first knockout round.
The winner will remain in Sofia for the quarterfinals, while the losing team will see its EuroVolley campaign come to an end.
Earlier that afternoon, at 16:00, Poland will begin their knockout-stage journey against Latvia.
The reigning EuroVolley and VNL champions topped Pool B with 13 points, despite suffering their first defeat of the tournament against Bulgaria in a dramatic five-set battle on the final day.
Latvia, meanwhile, secured fourth place in Pool D after their victory over TĂźrkiye on September 16.
The second day of action in Sofia will feature two further encounters.
At 16:00 on September 20, Ukraine will take on Romania in a meeting between the second-placed team from Pool B and the third-placed side from Pool D. Ukraine collected 12 points in the group stage, while Romania finished behind France and Germany in a competitive pool.
The final Round of 16 match in Sofia will see France face Portugal at 19:00.
France completed the Pool D phase at the top of the standings after remaining unbeaten, while Portugal claimed the fourth and final qualification place from Pool B.
The Portuguese team secured their progression following the final results in Sofia, where North Macedonia defeated Israel in straight sets.
The knockout stage brings a different level of pressure: every match is decisive, and there is no opportunity to recover from a difficult start across several pool matches.
For the four winners in Sofia, the reward will be a place in the quarterfinals, also scheduled to take place in the Bulgarian capital.
Round of 16 schedule â Sofia
Saturday, September 19
⢠16:00 (Local Time) | Poland vs Latvia
⢠19:00 (Local Time) | Germany vs Bulgaria
Sunday, September 20
⢠16:00 (Local Time) | Ukraine vs Romania
⢠19:00 (Local Time) | France vs Portugal
With the group stage now behind them, eight teams remain in Sofia.
Four will continue their journey towards the EuroVolley title, while the other four will leave the competition after a single decisive match.
__________________
đ|QUICK LINKS
⢠EuroVolley 2026 – Calendar
⢠EuroVolley 2026 – All News
⢠All International news đď¸
⢠Multimedia
⢠Facebook
⢠Instagram
__________________
