Bulgaria vs. Poland tops attendance charts as fans turn #EuroVolleyM into global celebration

All six matches played in Sofia by the host nation landed in the Top 10 for overall attendance, with the Bulgarian capital hosting seven of the tournament’s 15 most-attended fixtures. 

As the curtain falls on CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men after 76 thrilling matches co-hosted across Bulgaria, Italy, Finland, and Romania, official CEV figures highlight an unprecedented wave of passion from European Volleyball enthusiasts - with Sofia emerging as a central hub of energy and attendance throughout the competition.

Taking the top spot as the most-attended match of the entire tournament was the exhilarating Pool B clash between Bulgaria and eventual European champions Poland on September 16, which drew a capacity crowd of 13,186 spectators to Arena 8888 Sofia. Demonstrating the immense appetite for top-tier international Volleyball in the Bulgarian capital, three fixtures held in Sofia generated higher live turnouts than the Grand Finale in Milan - with the Bulgaria vs. Poland, Germany (12,198), and Ukraine (11,689) matches all ranking ahead of the Gold Medal Match between Poland and France (11,118 viewers, sitting in fifth place).

Volleyball fans packed the stands across all six of Bulgaria's home matches, placing every single one inside the overall Top 10. Elsewhere across the co-hosting nations, Finland vs. Belgium in Tampere captured second place with 12,338 fans, while Sofia’s Round of 16 battle against Germany and Pool B tie against Ukraine locked in third and fourth places, respectively.

The remaining home matches in Sofia completed the top-tier rankings: Bulgaria vs. Portugal ranked seventh (10,678 spectators), Bulgaria vs. Israel placed eighth (9,865), and the opening tie against North Macedonia entered at  tenth (8,892). Demonstrating the broader appeal of the competition, neutral spectators and travelling supporters also turned out in force for the quarter-final between Poland and Germany, which ranked eleventh with 7,147 fans - bringing Sofia’s total to seven matches in the Top 15.

CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men: Top 15 Attendance

(Across all 76 matches hosted in Bulgaria, Italy, Finland, and Romania)