MEVZA U18 European qualifiers underway in Maribor and Zadar

MEVZA qualifiers for this year’s #EuroVolleyU18 are taking place this week in Maribor, Slovenia, and in Zadar, Croatia for young girls and boys from across the Zonal Association, respectively. The women’s event started on Wednesday with each team contesting two matches on a very busy day, followed by the last pool phase matches and semi-finals on Thursday. Slovenia and Croatia were the only teams to record two wins in as many matches. 

The event in Slovenia’s second largest city features seven national teams: Austria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Slovakia, and Slovenia. These teams are divided into two pools; Pool I includes the national teams of Slovenia, Hungary, and Czechia, while Pool II features Slovakia, Croatia, Israel, and Austria.

Almost simultaneously, from January 11 to 13, Zadar in Croatia is hosting the U18 men’s qualifier with participation of the national teams of Austria, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Hungary, Israel, and Slovenia. The men’s teams are also split into two pools: Pool I features the national teams of Croatia, Austria, and Israel, and Pool II includes Czechia, Slovenia, Hungary, and Cyprus.

Only the respective eventual winners of the MEVZA U18 Championships will secure their participation in the Final Rounds of the continental competitions scheduled for later this summer. All teams ranked from second to sixth place in each gender will continue their journey in the second round of qualifications scheduled for April of this year.