Czechia and Poland stun favourites to set up historic finale

The CEV U22 Volleyball European Championship 2026 delivered a semi-final matchday for the history books in Albufeira. In a stunning turn of events, reigning champions France and tournament heavyweights Israel were both brought down in spectacular fashion. Saturday’s grand finale will feature an unprecedented clash between Czechia and Poland, while the pre-tournament favourites are left to battle it out for the consolation of a bronze medal.

Czech Resilience Overcomes Israel in Five-Set Epic

Israel vs. Czechia 2-3 (25-21, 42-40, 20-25, 23-25, 9-15)

The first semi-final was nothing short of a Volleyball marathon. Israel, entering the match as favourites, initially looked on track to secure their spot in the final. Driven by an unstoppable offensive performance from Mark Rura and Shay Mayo Liberman, Israel claimed the first set 25-21. What followed in the second set will be remembered as one of the most intense duels in U22 history – a staggering, nerve-wracking deuce battle that finally ended 42-40 in Israel’s favour following a monumental block by Liberman.
Trailing 0-2, Czechia refused to surrender. Showing incredible mental fortitude and patience, the Czechs began their meticulous comeback in the third set, taking advantage of Israeli attacking errors to secure it 25-20. The fourth set was a tight, point-for-point affair, but Czech captain Matej Pastrnak stood tall in the decisive moments, sealing a 25-23 win to force a tie-break.
With momentum fully on their side, Czechia dominated the fifth set. As fatigue crept into the Israeli lines, the Czechs stayed flawless, closing the match 15-9 with a block from Antonin Klimes to complete a historic comeback.
The match featured an extraordinary statistical feat, with four players crossing the 30-point threshold. Israel’s Shay Mayo Liberman top-scored with 34 points, closely followed by Czechia’s Vaclav Seidl (32), while both Mark Rura and Matej Pastrnak chipped in with 30 points each.

Michal Nekola, Czechia head coach: “It was a very difficult and complicated game. Israel played very well, especially Mark Rura and Shay Liberman. These players are extremely strong, but we knew how to be patient, and that was our best asset. We were resilient, patient, especially after having lost two sets, and the second set was extremely long and tiring. We fought until the end, and we are happy about that. We are in the final, which was always our main goal. Now let’s see if we can still go further...” 

Noam Katz, Israel head coach: “It was a very difficult game. We started very well, we won the first two sets, but it was tough. Afterward, our players suffered from fatigue. It was difficult for us to maintain the advantage against the Czech team in every point, in all the fundamentals we wanted. That was it – we put up a good fight, but it was not enough against a very strong team. Congratulations to Czechia, and we will keep fighting, as we will do everything to win third place. We need to raise our heads and start thinking right now about tomorrow’s game for the bronze medal.”

Flawless Poland Dethrones Defending Champions France

France vs. Poland 0-3 (23-25, 17-25, 18-25)

The second semi-final was expected to be a balanced heavyweight clash, but Poland turned it into a masterclass of tactical dominance, completely dethroning the reigning U22 European Champions, France. The first set was a tightly contested affair. France held a slight upper hand early on, but Poland’s blocking system soon took total control of the net. Wojciech Gajek became a wall in high defence, scoring the crucial final points to snatch the opening set 25-23 for Poland.
From the second set onward, the French team appeared completely unrecognisable. Plagued by an uncharacteristic string of missed serves and lacking their usual joy on the court, Les Bleus fell apart under heavy Polish pressure. An ace by Blazej Bien pushed Poland to a commanding 11-6 lead, and Gajek continued to dismantle the French defence, driving Poland to a comfortable 25-17 win.
The third set followed an identical script. France struggled to row against the tide, while Poland’s confidence soared. Amid rising tensions on the court, Poland remained laser-focused, wrapping up the set 25-18 on yet another French service error to book their place in the final without dropping a single set.
Wojciech Gajek was the undisputed MVP of the match, leading Poland with 19 points, while Joévin Wa-Bala was the best scorer for a frustrated French side with just six points.

Piotr Graban, Poland head coach: “Every victory is incredible in its own way, but against France and in a semi-final, it is almost unimaginable. Reaching the final after such a difficult group stage is something incredible, really incredible. We have worked for two years to pursue this achievement, and now we are in the final. It is like dreams have been realised, but we are going forward. If we have the opportunity, we are going with everything to conquer the gold.”

Slimane Belmadi, France head coach: “What happened? We could not answer; the Poles were much more aggressive, and we lacked that aggressiveness a bit at all levels. We made a lot of mistakes, and we could never manage to get back into the game and develop our own way of playing. A word for the organisation of this European Championship, which is very good and responsive, and that is highly appreciated when we are in competition.”

The stage is set for a thrilling final day in Albufeira. France and Israel will have to quickly process their semi-final heartbreaks as they face off for the bronze medal. Immediately following, the golden spotlight will shine on Czechia and Poland as they battle for the ultimate crown of U22 European Champions.