From 0-2 to the Throne: Turkey Writes History at EuroVolley 2026

Istanbul, the night of the CEV EuroVolley 2026 final. More than 17,000 spectators inside the arena were holding their breath as Turkey faced Italy – the team holding both Olympic and world champion titles. The score was 0-2, and everything seemed over for the home team. But volleyball, as I have witnessed over 36 years, is never over until the ball touches the floor for the last time. This was not just a final. This was the story of a team defending its European throne in the presence of a sporting empire. Italy entered the match as reigning Olympic and world champions – a squad built over generations of talent. Turkey, in contrast, was proving that the 2026 EuroVolley title was not an accident. The first set ended 16-25 in Italy's favor. The second set, 22-25. Italy played with the confidence of champions, while Turkey seemed to be feeling the pressure of playing at home. But I have followed too many matches to know that the moment a team seems to have fallen is often when they are strongest. In the third set, Turkey returned with a 25-12 scoreline. A dramatic shift in spirit and tactics. The fourth set, 25-21. The match was leveled. The decisive fifth set – 15-10 for Turkey. A perfect comeback against a higher-rated opponent. But what I want to talk about here is not just the score. I want to talk about what is not reflected in the scoreboard. In a tournament where all four semifinalists – Turkey, Italy, Serbia and Poland – secured qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup, we are witnessing a structural shift in European women's volleyball. The forgotten contract often tells more truth than the celebrated one. When I look at this final, I remember what I wrote after the 2026 World Cup final at Luzhniki – 78,000 people did not cheer. They breathed together, and I understood what sacred means. Today, 17,000 fans in Istanbul created a similar atmosphere, but more importantly, they were witnessing a historic moment. The truth about this match lies in the tactical depth that raw numbers cannot fully capture. When Italy led 2-0, they played with a nearly perfect defensive system. But Turkey adjusted – not by changing personnel, but by changing approach. They began serving harder into Italy's weak zones, creating constant pressure on their opponents' setting line. This is where I want to offer a contrarian view: the commercial value of this match may be overshadowing its true competitive value. When we talk about four European teams qualifying for the 2027 World Cup, we are talking about European dominance in women's volleyball. But we are also talking about a system where only a handful of nations have the resources to compete at the highest level. I have witnessed too many World Cups and Olympics to know that moments like this do not happen by accident. They are built from years of investment in youth development systems, in facilities, in paying female athletes fair wages. When I interviewed Jun Endo in 2026 and discovered she was earning only 300,000 yen per month – not enough to live on in Tokyo – I understood that women's football, and women's volleyball too, face deep structural challenges. But tonight in Istanbul, I saw something different. I saw a team that overcame adversity to defend its title. I saw a crowd of more than 17,000 people – a number many men's volleyball tournaments dream of – cheering for their team with unfeigned passion. Serbia took bronze after beating Poland in the third-place match earlier the same day. These four teams will represent Europe at the 2027 World Cup. But the question I want to raise here is not who will win next. The question is: what will we do to ensure that moments like this are not exceptions, but the standard? Looking back on my 36-year career, from my early days at Belgrade Television to now, I realize that women's volleyball has come a long way. But the road ahead is longer. Today, Turkey proved they deserve the European throne. The question is: do we have the courage to build a future where finals like this are no longer unusual? In a world where men's tournaments dominate the headlines, this final is a powerful reminder of the strength of women's volleyball. When I saw 17,000 fans in Istanbul, I did not just see a match. I saw a future – where female athletes are paid fairly, invested in properly, and respected as they deserve. Turkey wrote a new page in history at EuroVolley 2026. But more importantly, they proved that European women's volleyball is at an entirely new level. And that, perhaps, is the biggest news of the night.