Revamped European League to provide pathway to qualify for EuroVolley 2028

The CEV Volleyball European League will be taking on a new significance in 2026 as a pathway whereby national teams not involved in the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) can secure their qualification to EuroVolley 2028. This move endorsed by the CEV Board of Administration reflects the CEV President’s vision and desire to streamline the competition calendar, with valuable competition opportunities provided to National Federations combined with a much higher commercial and overall appeal for the European League. 

The registration will close on December 1 and by then the participating teams will become known. Subsequently, the CEV Volleyball Department will work on a detailed competition calendar according to the principle that each team will be hosting one three-day tournament and play another two such rounds away from home. The top six from the final standings of the League Round will advance to the final stage of the competition where as many as four slots will be available to qualify for EuroVolley 2028. 

The competition will then follow the same principles and format in 2027 as well – where another four spots will be at stake to make it to the flagship competition for national teams scheduled for 2028. 

The new concept significantly raises the profile of the CEV Volleyball European League – there is a lot more at stake than before – while pursuing an ambitious restructuring of the international calendar in line with the policies already adopted by the FIVB. 

Teams competing in the VNL and not eligible to register for the European League will be able to secure their spot at EuroVolley 2028 as the defending champion of 2026, by representing the four host countries of the event and according to the European ranking made available after completion of the VNL and European League in the late summer of 2027. 

This major change reflects one of the pillars outlined by CEV President Roko Sikirić in his manifesto ahead of the 2024 elections. The plans were already announced late last week at the XLVI CEV General Assembly 2025 held in Paris following approval of the whole concept by the CEV Board of Administration a day earlier.  

The race towards EuroVolley 2028 will therefore begin in the early summer of 2026 and it is going to be a truly exciting and momentous journey for more established as well as for up-and-coming national teams as they try to make a name for themselves on the international stage. Stay tuned since the CEV Volleyball European League 2026 will usher in a new era for European Volleyball as a whole! 

Further details are available in the Official Communication that you can retrieve here.