Netherlands, Finland, and Israel progress to #EuroLeagueM semis, punch EuroVolley 2028 tickets

The Netherlands, Finland, and Israel delivered another show of strength on Sunday when the League Round of the men’s CEV Volleyball European League 2026 reached its conclusion – thereby joining Denmark not only in the semis of the competition but also in starting composing the provisional line-up for the CEV EuroVolley 2028. 

Click here to retrieve the final standing. 

The Netherlands are the sole team – together with Slovenia in the women’s competition – to have completed a clean sweep of their six matches without conceding a single set to their opposition. They claimed a sixth consecutive 3-0 win on Sunday when they beat hosts Bosnia and Herzegovina 25-16, 25-18, 25-19 in Goražde. Finland got the job done with a comprehensive 3-0 win over outsiders Iceland to claim second place in the final standing – with six wins and 18 points, one more than third-placed Denmark, and three sets conceded in the process. This way, Finland remain in contention for another continental triumph – as last year they emerged victorious from the European Golden League. 

Having entered the match unbeaten, Finland once again demonstrated its quality with a commanding performance built on strong serving, efficient attacking and solid play at the net. Iceland stayed in touch during the early stages of the opening set, but Finland gradually took control through sustained pressure from the service line. The visitors created separation midway through the set and comfortably secured a 25-14 victory. The second set followed a similar pattern. Finland continued to dictate play, limiting Iceland’s scoring opportunities while maintaining a high level of attacking efficiency. Despite several positive stretches from the home side, Finland extended their lead with a 25-15 set win. Finland remained firmly in control throughout the third set. Strong reception and quick offensive execution allowed the visitors to build an early advantage, and they never looked back, closing the match with a 25-12 victory.
Niko Suihkonen led all scorers with 14 points for Finland, while Viktor Viljamaa added 13 and Severi Savonsalmi contributed 10. Finland finished the match with an outstanding 68% attack success rate and recorded 29 break points. For Iceland, Kristján Valdimarsson and Hreinn Kári Erluson scored five points apiece. 

Israel, bronze medal winners of the Golden League in 2025, complete the top four. They finished on six wins and 17 points – the same as Denmark, but with a lower set ratio. Still, this achievement confirms the steady and impressive progress of the Israeli team under head coach Itamar Stein (click here for further info). 

As per the final standing of the League Round, the Israelis will first host the Netherlands on neutral ground and subsequently play the return semi-final game in Holland – whereas Denmark will welcome their neighbours from Finland before travelling to the EuroVolley 2026 co-hosts for the away semi-final game. 

All in all, even though these four teams were the only ones to complete the League Round with a perfect record of six wins, the competition was highly intriguing and dramatic from start to end – with the stakes incredibly high since for the first time in history the European League provided a direct pathway to qualify for the CEV EuroVolley in two years’ time!