Coach Athanasopoulos and Czechia ready for a special home EuroVolley

Since taking charge of the Czechia women’s national team in 2019, Giannis Athanasopoulos has witnessed - and helped drive - a remarkable transformation. Under his guidance, the team have enjoyed success in the European Golden League, made their historic VNL debut in 2025 and established themselves among the world’s elite teams. Now, Athanasopoulos and his players are preparing for another special chapter: CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women on home soil, with Brno hosting the European Championship for the first time since 1997.

For the Czech team and their head coach, the excitement surrounding the tournament has been building ever since the hosting opportunity was announced. "We are very, very excited. From the moment it was announced that we were going to host the EuroVolley, all the girls, the staff members and everybody at the federation have been extremely excited about it. We are hoping for great games, and we want to invite all Volleyball fans to take this opportunity to come and see great volleyball in Brno."

Czechia have hosted the women’s European Championship on four previous occasions, and every time the tournament ended with a medal. Silver followed in 1949, 1958 and 1993 - when the country competed as Czechoslovakia - before the team claimed bronze in 1997. That medal, won in Brno, remains Czechia’s most recent EuroVolley podium finish. Almost three decades later, the team will have the chance to write a new chapter in the same city. Yet Athanasopoulos is not allowing history to become a burden.

"For sure, there is extra motivation, but 1997 was many years ago and this is a completely different team. Nobody was part of that team. We have to take it day by day, match by match", he said. "Right now, we focus on the next practice, and then our only goal is Greece. We cannot think about what will happen in five days or in two weeks. For sure, we want to do great, but our experience in the VNL over the last few years was very important for us. It showed us that we have to go day by day, and that the most important moment is the next minute, the next point, the next game."

That mindset has been shaped by Czechia’s rapid rise on the international stage. In 2024, the team qualified for the VNL and made their debut among the world’s elite the following year. They immediately showed they belonged, producing a number of impressive performances and recording spectacular victories over established powerhouses such as the USA and Türkiye. Now, with two seasons of VNL experience behind them, Czechia return to the European stage with greater confidence and a much clearer understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest level.

"First of all, after these two seasons in the VNL, we believe more in ourselves. After many victories, when we beat some big teams, we saw what we are capable of. We also learned how to play against teams that are much more physical than us and how to control our emotions. The VNL gives you a lot of difficult moments. After these moments, teams either become stronger and move forward or they collapse. I believe our team had some good moments and also many difficult moments, but in the next game we were always there to compete and play."

Giannis Athanasopoulos has been at the helm throughout this transformation, making his partnership with the Czech Federation a story of long-term development rather than overnight success. Six years into the cooperation, he believes the progress has been built on a shared vision and a willingness to improve step by step.

"I think, year by year, we improve. But the most important reason is that together with the people in the federation - president Mr. Marek Pakosta, also Mr. Gerza and Mr. Javourek, and others - we have the same vision about Volleyball and how we have to move forward. Every year we try to improve something. We don't want to do everything at once. I think we are going in the right direction. The Volleyball school that we established three years ago will also bring more young and new talents, and I hope there is still more to come. Participating in the VNL is great. I believe we all speak the same Volleyball language. And whenever there have been failures, when we haven't succeeded - like at last year's World Championship - these experiences have made our relationship even stronger. It's like a family. We are a family. I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen now at the European Championship. I hope we are going to have good results, show a great Volleyball attitude on court and give the spectators something to enjoy."

The opening match will add another layer of emotion for Athanasopoulos. Czechia will begin their EuroVolley campaign against Greece - the coach’s native country. It is a familiar storyline for him: Czechia also faced Greece at EuroVolley in 2021 and 2023, winning both encounters. Hearing the Greek national anthem before a match remains an emotional experience, but years on the Czech bench have helped him learn how to separate those feelings from the task at hand.

"It's not easy for me when the national anthem is playing, but right now I'm much more experienced. My first year was very difficult, but I believe I have also become more mature and grown as a person. For sure, there are my friends on the other side of the court, but when the game starts, it's the game. I even want to beat my mother when we play some games, so there is always a competitive spirit! Greece is like any other opponent for us. But when the national anthem is playing, I am very emotional. After that, I focus on the game."

The road ahead will not be easy. Czechia will compete in Pool B alongside Serbia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Greece and Austria, with Athanasopoulos expecting a demanding battle from the very first day. "We have a very difficult pool, one of the most difficult again. Serbia are a great team, same as the others - Ukraine, Bulgaria, Greece and Austria should also not be underestimated. Like I said, we have to focus game by game. We must not put a target on ourselves, but for sure, we want to win all the games."

And if there is one characteristic Giannis Athanasopoulos believes best defines his team, it is not an individual star, but the collective. 

Czechia have already shown they can compete with the world’s best. Now, on home soil and in front of a passionate Brno crowd, they will have the chance to turn that growing belief and experience into another memorable EuroVolley campaign.