Next year’s #EuroVolleyU22M Final Round goes to Albufeira, Portugal!

Portugal is rapidly cementing its role on the international Volleyball map since the Iberian country will be playing host to the Final Round of next year’s #EuroVolleyU22M. Earlier this week, it was also announced that Espinho will welcome the CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup 2025 Final. The third edition of the U22 men’s event scheduled for the summer of 2026 will feature eight teams – Portugal plus seven teams emerging from the qualifiers coming up later this year in July. The continental championship will be taking place in Albufeira, Algarve, from June 29 to July 4, 2026. 

“I would like to thank the Portuguese Volleyball Federation (FPV) and their local partners for their readiness to welcome the rising stars of European Volleyball and to provide the top eight teams from across Europe in this age group with an opportunity to further develop their skills as they continue their development and transition to the senior ranks,” says CEV President Roko Sikirić. 

“I would like to emphasise that the CEV Board of Administration was especially pleased with their plans to deliver next year’s #EuroVolleyU22M in Albufeira, the European City of Sport for 2026 – a choice that helps us raise the profile of this competition even further and to associate it with the much wider scope of such an initiative,” he continues. “This is a truly historic moment for Portuguese Volleyball and the larger European Volleyball family, since the U22 continental championship scheduled for the summer of 2026 is the first such event to take place in Portugal since the Men’s Junior European Championship held there in 1979. Therefore, I warmly welcome the FPV efforts to strengthen the role of Portugal on the international Volleyball map and we hope this event will lay the foundations for many more such competitions to take place on Portuguese soil!” 

“The awarding of the organisation of the U22 Men’s European Championship is yet another demonstration of the confidence placed in our Federation by the European Volleyball Confederation. We believe that hosting the European final in Albufeira, European City of Sport in 2026, will constitute a fair return for the support that Albufeira City Council has given us, decisively contributing to further accelerate sports growth in the Algarve region, through the visibility and prestige it gains for national sport and for our country,” says FPV President Vicente Araújo. 

“In 2024, five national teams qualified for the final phase of their respective European Championship: U18 Men, U20 Women, U22 Women, U22 Men, and Senior Men, with the Senior Women still to play the qualifying phase in 2025. The strength of Volleyball is thus evident in the young people who daily nurture the dream of being able to become like their idols from the men’s and women’s senior teams, reach the national teams, and compete in the final phases of the most important international competitions, such as the European Championship.

“Our Federation wishes a warm welcome to the teams, as well as to all those involved in the competition, certain that, in addition to being able to enjoy all the natural beauty of the region, everyone will be welcomed with the traditional hospitality of the local people and sports enthusiasts and they will return to their countries with the best memories of Portugal.” 

“The Municipality of Albufeira applauds the organisational capacity of the Portuguese Volleyball Federation and congratulates itself on the choice of Albufeira to host the U22 Men’s European Championship under the umbrella of the European Volleyball Confederation.
Albufeira has given and continues to give proof of being a model territory for sports practice and continually repeats its high performance in holding and hosting international sports events,” says Cristiano Cabrita, Vice-President of the Municipality of Albufeira and Councillor for Youth and Sport. 

“Albufeira has a mild climate, high-quality accommodation and gastronomy, street safety, health support structures, and is beautiful. It is a city with stunning landscapes, both on the coast and inland, and stands out for being a land of welcoming with heart all those who come to us. This know-how and ability to do well guaranteed us with a large margin of confidence the title of European City of Sport 2026. I guarantee, this municipality has at the root of its will to go far beyond just one continent. The dream, as the song says, commands life, so we are aware that holding this Volleyball Championship, with the presence of the eight best European teams, will be a huge motivational force for our youth, who see in their idols a role model that combines technique, effort, perseverance, and ethics.

“Volleyball is in the memory of all generations and is one of the most beloved sports among the people of Albufeira and the rest of the Algarve, regardless of age, gender, or origin. I cannot fail to mention, namely, Atlético Clube de Albufeira, which registers the largest growth in the municipality in the number of athletes, having all female and male teams in national and regional competitions, which makes us very proud. The good join the best! I am convinced that this event will be another star in our sports calendar, which, combined with others of national and international scope, will make this Municipality in the south of Portugal an admirable constellation on the world sports map. Albufeira is a name that is not forgotten, so we will do everything to ensure that athletes, technical staff, officials, and families never separate from us. Here, sport is really for everyone!” 

France are the defending European champions in this age group following their triumph last year in the Netherlands where Italy and Poland completed the podium.