The Ukrainian men's national team has qualified early for the playoffs of the Euro 2026 volleyball championship. In the third round, the Ukrainians defeated Bulgaria 3:1 and remained unbeaten in the tournament. Prior to this, the team secured their second consecutive victory, defeating North Macedonia. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine.
Ukraine defeated Bulgaria and qualified for the playoffs early
The Ukrainians started well in the match against Bulgaria, winning the first two sets. The opening set ended with a score of 25:23, and in the second, the “blue and yellows” increased their lead, winning 25:22.
The Bulgarian team managed to bring intrigue back in the third set. Ukraine's opponents won it 25:21 and reduced the deficit in sets to 1:2.
However, the match did not go to a tiebreak. In the fourth set, the Ukrainians regained the initiative and won 25:21. The final score of the match was 3:1.
Euro 2026, group stage:
Ukraine – Bulgaria – 3:1 (25:23, 25:22, 21:25, 25:21).
This is the third consecutive victory for the Ukrainian national team at this Euro. After the first two matches, the team already topped group B with six points, and the success against Bulgaria guaranteed the Ukrainians a place in the next round, regardless of the results of the last two matches.
When will Ukraine play its next matches in Euro 2026
The group stage for the national team is not yet over. Now the team will fight for the highest possible position in the group, which will determine the opponent in the playoffs.
On September 14, the Ukrainians will play against Portugal, and the following day, September 15, they will face Poland. These matches will conclude the group stage of the championship for Ukraine.
For the Ukrainian team, this is the fourth consecutive qualification for the men's Euro playoffs. In the previous championship, the team also passed the group stage and reached the quarterfinals.
In 2026, the men's team has already shown high results on the international stage. During the Nations League, the Ukrainians defeated Brazil, Italy, and Canada, allowing the team to rise in the world rankings.
It should be noted that last summer, the Ukrainian national team entered the top 12 of the FIVB rankings after successful matches in the Nations League 2026.