Ukraine and Italy off to the CEV Beach Nations Cup Final

The semi-final stage of the 2026 CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Finals in Budapest concluded with two distinct matchups, determining the nations that will compete for the trophy on Sunday.

Ukraine defeat Slovenia to advance

Ukraine secured the first spot in the final with a clinical 2-0 overall series victory against Slovenia, winning both matches in straight sets.

Match 1: Valentyna Davidova and Anhelina Khmil opened the tie against Tjasa Kotnik/Tajda Lovšin. The Ukrainian duo controlled the tempo from the start, securing a 21-13, 21-11 victory.

Match 2: Yeva Serdiuk/Daria Romaniuk sealed the qualification for Ukraine. Facing Maja Marolt/Ziva Javornik, they maintained the team's momentum to close out the second match 21-11, 21-14.

Italy and Netherlands forced to decisive Golden Set

The second semi-final between Italy and the Netherlands proved to be a closely contested tie, requiring a tie-breaking Golden Set to determine the winner.

In the opening match, Brecht Piersma/Wies Bekhuis put the Netherlands ahead with a strong performance against Italy's Claudia Scampoli and Giada Bianchi, securing a vital opening win (22-20, 21-16) for the Dutch delegation.

With Italy trailing 1-0 in the series, Reka Orsi Toth/Valentina Gottardi stepped up in the second match. The Italian duo delivered a composed performance under pressure, defeating their Dutch opponents Nigella Negenman/Floor Hogenhout in straight sets (2-0) to level the overall tie at 1-1 and force the decisive Golden Set. In the Golden Set, the duo Gottardi/Scampoli prevailed and punched a ticket to the Final.

Follow the action on Sunday on www.eurovolley.tv