Knockout brackets take shape after surprises as pool phase concludes in Budapest

The CEV Beach Volleyball Nations Cup Final in Budapest reached a boiling point on Day 2, as pristine summer weather and an enthusiastic crowd at Városliget set the stage for high-stakes, elite beach volleyball. The morning session saw the conclusion of the women's pool phase, with the respective group winners triumphantly securing direct passage to the semifinal stage, while the remaining contenders shifted focus to a grueling afternoon of crossover quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the men's side of the tournament delivered a captivating final round of pool play to officially lock in the preliminary standings and determine who marches onward into the weekend. 

Italy and Ukraine charge straight into Women's Semifinals

In Women's Pool A, Italy put on a masterful display to claim the top spot with 11 total points, comfortably locking down their direct ticket to the semifinals. They were followed closely by Latvia in second place with 10 points and Czechia in third with nine points, both safely advancing to the afternoon quarterfinals, while a winless Norway finished fourth with six points and is eliminated. Meanwhile, Women's Pool B saw Ukraine assert their dominance at the top of the leaderboard with 11 points to secure their own automatic semifinal berth. The Netherlands secured a second-place finish with nine points, while Slovenia edged past host nation Hungary on point ratio to take third after both teams finished even with eight points, leaving the local favorites at the bottom of the group.

Netherlands and Slovenia to continue ahead in the semis after exciting quarters

The women's quarterfinals delivered high-stakes drama as the Netherlands edged out Czechia in a thrilling tie-tie scenario that had to be settled by a decisive Golden Set. With a spot in the semifinals on the line, Brecht Piersma took center stage, delivering a spectacular, dominant performance under ultimate pressure to carry the Dutch side across the finish line. The hard-fought victory sets up a blockbuster semifinal clash on Saturday, where the Netherlands will face off against a formidable Italian squad tomorrow for a place in the tournament final.

The tournament witnessed its biggest shockwave yet in the quarterfinals, where Slovenia pulled off a massive upset by eliminating traditional powerhouse Latvia in spectacular fashion. The high-stakes clash culminated in a breathless, incredibly tense Golden Set defined by grueling rallies that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Despite the mounting pressure, the Slovenians maintained their composure and masterfully exposed Latvia's weak spots when it mattered most. With this historic victory in the bag, Slovenia keeps their fairy-tale run alive and advances to a highly anticipated semifinal showdown against Ukraine.

Check detailed results on the women's tournament here. 

Netherlands and Norway lock up semifinal ticket

In Pool A, defending champions Norway secured a direct ticket to the semifinals, finishing with 10 points to their names. Showcasing the tactical depth and grit that made them the team to beat coming into Budapest, the Norwegians masterfully navigated the pool phase to bypass the quarterfinal pressure cooker entirely. Behind them, the battle for survival was fierce. Traditional powerhouse Latvia and a highly resilient Portugal managed to withstand the pressure, locking down the second and third spots to punch their tickets to the crossover quarterfinals, finishing with 10 and eight points, respectively. Israel, despite pushing their opponents to the limit on the Hungarian sand, they ultimately finished at the bottom of the group (eight points) and got eliminated from the competition.

Over in Men's Pool B, the Netherlands emerged at the absolute top of the pack, securing first place with 10 points and booking a direct path straight to the semifinal stage. The battle for the remaining spots was fiercely contested, with Italy securing the second position with nine points, just ahead of host nation Hungary, who also finished on nine points but landed in third place due to point ratio. Türkiye rounded out the group in fourth place with eight points, officially bringing their tournament run in this pool to an end.

In the semi-finals, scheduled for tomorrow, Norway will face the winner of the quarterfinal between Italy and Portugal, while the Netherlands wait for the winner of the quarterfinal between Hungary and Latvia. 

Check detailed results on the men's tournament here. 

Looking ahead to Day 3 

The stakes get even higher from here as day three promises an absolute blockbuster lineup featuring the high-stakes men's quarterfinals and the massive men's and women's semifinal showdowns later in the day.

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