Victories for France, Italy and Sweden – new Swedish attendance record set in Göteborg
CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 | Women
The first day in Pool D of the CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women was marked by straight-set victories for France against Slovakia, Italy against Croatia and Sweden against Montenegro. The day also saw a new Swedish record for attendance at a women’s volleyball match, with 5,261 spectators in the Scandinavium arena in Göteborg.
Pool D: France vs Slovakia 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-13)
France recorded a convincing 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-13) victory over Slovakia in the opening match of Pool D at the CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women in Göteborg. Coach César Hernández’s side executed their game plan effectively to overcome the underdog Slovakia after just 75 minutes of play.
The French team was missing their captain and star player, Héléna Cazaute, but you couldn't tell from their performance in the opening set, which ended 25-13. A major contributor was Cyrielle Depié, who finished the set as France's top scorer with eight points. The margin could have been even wider if not for Slovakia's libero, Ema Magdinová, who pulled off an impressive pancake save midway through the first set.
Midway through the second set, Slovakia made a series of substitutions that shifted the momentum of the game. However, it was not enough to stop France from taking the set 25-21.
The third set played out much like the first, with France again prevailing 25-13.
César Hernández“We knew we had to be good in block and defense. We were successful there, getting a lot of good touches on the ball.”
Head Coach of France
Cyrielle Depié“We are good at handling pressure, and that is why we won this match.”
French opposite player
Karolína Fričová“The biggest problem was that we couldn’t finish on transition balls. It was tough because they pushed us from the start, and in every set, they created a huge gap between us.”
Slovak captain
Pool D – Italy vs Croatia 3-0 (25-9, 25-22, 25-23)
Point queen Ekaterina Antropova helped Italy secure their first win in Pool D of the CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women, contributing 21 points, including two blocks, with a 55% success rate in attack, as Italy claimed a 3-0 (25-9, 25-22, 25-23) victory.
Going into the match, Italy were the clear favourites. The last six times the two teams had met at EuroVolley, Italy had come out victorious. However, despite being the favourites, Italy knew that Croatia were not going to go down without a fight.
Italy took firm control of the match from the start, particularly in attack, while Croatia showed great determination in defence in the opening set. Izabela Štimac, in particular, produced several remarkable saves. However, it was not enough to stop Italy, who comfortably claimed the first set, 25-9.
Italy maintained their strong offensive play in the second set, but Croatia responded well and forced Italy into a timeout at 10-7. Mika Grbavica played an important role in Croatia’s fightback, delivering a series of powerful serves, including two aces. After a much more evenly contested set, Italy eventually prevailed 25-22.
The third set was a closely contested battle, with the teams going back and forth through strong serves and powerful attacks. Croatia came close to forcing a fourth set, leading 23-22, but Italy managed to turn the score around in the closing moments and seal the match with a 25-23 victory.
The undisputed point queen of the match was Italy’s Ekaterina Antropova, who finished with 21 points, including two blocks, while recording a 55% success rate in attack.
Sarah Luisa Fahr“It was a good fight, of course. The first set was really good for us, and Croatia didn’t quite play at their usual level. From the second set onwards, they started playing better and better. We had some problems with our blocking, as their hitters were very patient before attacking. I think, in general, we need to adapt more to our new system, keep practising and improve day by day.”
Italian Middle Blocker
Mika Grbavica“We were just trying to push one another to do better, to do more and to fight for every ball and every point. We wanted to show ourselves, and everybody else, that we can score points.”
Croatian Receiver
Pool D – Sweden vs Montenegro 3–0 (25–13, 25–18, 25–23)
Sweden won their opening match at the CEV EuroVolley 2026 Women’s tournament. Debutants Montenegro were defeated 3–0 as the group stage got underway in Göteborg on Friday (25–13, 25–18, 25–23). The result puts Sweden in a joint-leading position in Pool D.
The Swedes secured the victory in front of a record-breaking crowd of 5,261 spectators. In the opening set, the debutants kept pace with the hosts until the score stood at 8-7. After that, Sweden dominated the set with strong blocks and powerful attacks. Sweden’s Haak sisters both showcased their skills, with Anna scoring four points and Isabelle adding six, as Sweden took the set 25–13.
The second set started much like the first, with Montenegro staying level with Sweden until 8–8. A key driving force behind Montenegro’s strong start was their star player, Nikoleta Perović, who put on a show for the Swedish crowd with her high energy on the court and impressive spikes, finishing the set with six points.
Having shown their potential in the earlier sets, Montenegro put everything together in the final set, leading 12–7. They pushed Sweden all the way to the end, eventually falling just two points short at 25–23.
Nikoleta Perović“I am happy that we played much better in the third set. In the end, we were just two points away from winning it. It was a really great atmosphere. Big compliments to the crowd and the organisers.”
Opposite in Montenegro Team
Anna Haak“It was incredible to win in front of this crowd. Even though it was close in the third set, we managed to fight our way back. We will carry this energy into the next match, and we hope for an even better performance next time.”
Swedish Captain