Defending champion Türkiye will face archrival Serbia on Sept. 5 in the semifinals of the 2026 CEV Women’s European Volleyball Championship, aiming to make it to the final before a host crowd in Istanbul.
The high-stakes matchup comes after Türkiye secured its place in the final four with a 3-1 victory (25-18, 22-25, 25-18, 25-22) over Germany on Sept. 3 night. Serbia earned its spot by sweeping Greece 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-17) in Brno, Czech Republic, on Sept. 2.
Addressing reporters following the quarterfinal victory, head coach Daniele Santarelli acknowledged the intense stakes of the knockout stage.
“Quarterfinal matches are always troublesome, and we felt a bit of pressure,” Santarelli said. “Either you lose, or you keep playing for a medal. We got a bit tense in the final set, but overall it was a good performance.”
Turning to the semifinal opponent, the Italian coach praised the depth of the three-time European champion while expressing confidence in his squad’s upside on home soil.
“Serbia is a very complete team right now without any obvious weaknesses,” Santarelli said.
“However, our chance against any opponent is very high. If we continue to play our best volleyball and our fans continue to support us, we can beat anyone.”
Led by star opposite Tijana Boskovic, the Serbians are seeking their first European title since 2019.
Sept. 5’s showdown is a rematch of the 2023 EuroVolley final in Brussels, where Türkiye rallied for a 3-2 victory to capture its first continental crown.
First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Istanbul’s Sinan Erdem Dome, preceding the second semifinal between Italy and Poland. The winners will advance to Sept. 6’s final.
