Poland finishes fourth at European Championship after 1:3 bronze defeat to Serbia

Bronze medal match in Istanbul

The Polish women's volleyball team finished the European Championship without a podium finish after losing 1:3 to Serbia in the third-place match in Istanbul on 6 September 2026. Serbia seized control of the contest by taking the opening two sets, consistently scoring on counterattacks and winning long rallies. Poland countered in the third set, winning it to extend the match and creating opportunities to push the contest into a deciding tie-break. Serbia closed out the fourth set to secure the bronze medal. Polish team captain and opposite hitter Magdalena Stysiak scored 28 points, delivering an offensive performance despite limited scoring support from the rest of the lineup.

Stysiak assesses the tournament campaign

Stysiak rebounded in Istanbul after registering a lower-scoring output in Poland's semifinal loss to Italy. Speaking on Polsat Sport after the bronze medal defeat, the team captain emphasized that the squad spent the entire summer working at maximum capacity to reach the medal round. She stated that while supporters might feel disappointed with missing out on a medal, the team took pride in reaching the semifinals without losing a match.

There is great regret. We fought after those two lost sets, we were close to forcing a tie-break, but Serbia was better. It did not work out. This is a great lesson for us. We still lack a bit to these best teams in the world. I think this is a good prognosis for the future.

Stysiak pointed out that Poland lost only against the world's elite teams during the competition. She expressed confidence that the current group would continue to develop toward international success.

Europe is the strongest, we played against powerhouses. So many experienced girls who played opposite us today also showed their experience and simply won this match. We can be proud and keep our heads up. We are working, because I think this national team will achieve great things in the future.

Roster adjustments at the libero position

Poland's coaching staff had to adjust defensive duties early in the tournament when starting libero Aleksandra Szczygłowska was sidelined by health problems. Justyna Łysiak stepped into the libero position during Poland's second match and held the role through the knockout rounds. Łysiak expressed sorrow over missing a medal, noting that defensive difficulties against Serbia's transitional offense shaped the early deficit.

In the first two sets we could not stop Serbia's counterattacks, and the opponents won almost all extended rallies. It is a pity that our good play in the third set did not last longer.

Łysiak noted that stepping into the starting lineup required rapid mental preparation, describing the tournament as valuable training in emotional management and coping with high pressure under difficult circumstances.

Context and European Championship record

The fourth-place finish marks Poland's first appearance in the European Championship semifinals in seven years. The national team had not reached this stage since 2019, when Poland also finished fourth after a defeat against Italy in the bronze medal match. Stysiak is the sole player on the 2026 roster who was part of that 2019 team. Poland concludes the 2026 tournament having advanced from the group stage undefeated and winning every match prior to the semifinal round.