Iconic Bari to provide perfect setting for the Drawing of Lots for the CEV EuroVolley 2026 Men
Preview
The anticipation is quickly building for the CEV EuroVolley 2026 Men’s Draw, set to take place this Saturday at the iconic Castello Normanno-Svevo in Bari, Italy, starting at 20:45 CEST.
This event will finalize the pool stages for what promises to be one of the most competitive editions of the CEV EuroVolley Men, unfolding across four countries: Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania.
Italy will lead the charge as the hosts, with matches scheduled in Naples, Turin, Modena, and the final round in Milan’s iconic Arena Santa Giulia. Naples will mark its EuroVolley debut with a spectacular open-air opener at Piazza del Plebiscito on 10 September 2026, delivering a unique and festive start to the continental volleyball showcase.
The other co-hosts, Bulgaria (Varna), Finland (Tampere), and Romania (Cluj-Napoca), each bring their own storied tradition, promising electric atmospheres throughout the pool phase and beyond.
The four 8th and two quarterfinal matches to be played in Italy (the remaining such fixtures will be contested in Varna, Bulgaria) will be taking place at another iconic venue – Palavela in Turin. This very same venue already welcomed the CEV EuroVolley Men back in 2015.
Moreover, EuroVolley returns to Turin only three years after the women’s competition was organised there – albeit at a different venue. The matches in Turin will be especially important since those teams progressing from this stage of the tournament will remain in contention for the medals.
Besides the four hosts, the participants include defending champions Poland as well as volleyball powerhouses like Slovenia, France, and Serbia, along with the Netherlands, Ukraine, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Czechia, Türkiye, Greece, Israel, Switzerland, Estonia, Slovakia, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, and North Macedonia.
The Drawing of Lots on Saturday is expected to be a highlight event, which will be livestreamed on the European Volleyball YouTube channel, with star players, federation officials, and fans keenly awaiting how the pools will take shape. The four hosts will headline their respective groups, and, in accordance with tournament regulations, have already selected one team to join their pools, further adding to the intrigue.