Romania defeats world number 10 Ukraine in straight sets to reach EuroVolley 2026 quarter-finals
Romania defeated 10th-ranked Ukraine 3-0 in Sofia on Sunday to secure a quarter-final berth at the 2026 Men's European Volleyball Championship, setting up a clash with France or Portugal.
Straight-set victory in Sofia
The Romanian men's national volleyball team secured a 3-0 victory against Ukraine in the round of 16 at the 2026 European Volleyball Championship on Sunday, 20 September 2026. Playing at Arena 8888 in Sofia, Bulgaria, the Romanian squad recorded set scores of 25-22, 25-21, and 30-28 after nearly two hours of play. Ranked 25th in the world prior to the match, Romania defeated a Ukrainian side ranked 10th globally to reach the quarter-finals for the second consecutive tournament.
Alexandru Rață led Romania in scoring with 16 points, while Daniel Chițigoi contributed 11 points and Marian Bala added seven. For Ukraine, Oleh Plotnytskyi scored 15 points, followed by Dmytro Yanchuk with 10 points. Following the win, Romanian head coach Sergiu Stancu assessed his team's performance against a higher-ranked opponent.
We showed that we can fight on equal terms with the best teams in the world. It is a proud moment for the entire team.
Turning points in the second and third sets
Romania took the opening set 25-22 behind Rață's attacks. In the second set, Ukraine opened a 12-9 advantage before Romania equalised at 15-15. The Romanian team then broke away from an 18-18 tie to take the set 25-21, relying on tactical serving and defensive organisation.
The third set remained tight with several lead changes. After an initial Romanian lead, Ukraine moved ahead and earned two set points. Romania adjusted tactics by focusing attacks through middle blockers Bela Bartha and Ștefan Lupu, eventually saving the set points and generating four match points. Romania converted on their final opportunity to secure the set 30-28.
We fought for every point, and that made the difference. It is an incredible victory for all of us.
- Alexandru Rață
- 16 points
- Oleh Plotnytskyi
- 15 points
- Daniel Chițigoi
- 11 points
- Dmytro Yanchuk
- 10 points
- Marian Bala
- 7 points
Group stage paths and records
Romania reached the knockout phase by placing third in Group D, which was hosted in Cluj-Napoca. During group play, Romania recorded three victories and two defeats: losing 1-3 to Latvia and 2-3 to Germany, while defeating Switzerland 3-1, Turkey 3-1, and Olympic champions France 3-2 after recovering from two sets down.
Ukraine entered the round of 16 after finishing second in Group B with four victories and one defeat. Ukraine defeated Israel, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Portugal, with their only group-stage loss coming against world number one Poland.
Tournament schedule and bracket
EuroVolley 2026 is co-hosted by Romania, Bulgaria, Finland, and Italy. Defending champions Poland, who beat Latvia 3-0, and Germany, who defeated Bulgaria 3-2, have also reached the quarter-finals. Romania will play their quarter-final match in Sofia on Tuesday, 22 September at 16:00 against the winner of the round-of-16 match between France and Portugal.
- Romania defeats Ukraine 3-0 in round of 16 in Sofia
- Round of 16 concludes with Belgium vs Czechia and Slovenia vs Serbia
- Romania plays quarter-final fixture in Sofia
- Quarter-finals take place across Sofia and Turin
- Semi-finals and finals take place in Milan
Other round-of-16 fixtures in the bracket include Finland against Greece, Italy against Denmark, Belgium against Czechia, and Slovenia against Serbia. The quarter-final round takes place on 22 and 23 September across Sofia and Turin, with the semi-finals and finals scheduled for 25 and 26 September in Milan. Romania placed seventh at the previous European Championship and holds five tournament medals: gold in 1963, silver in 1955 and 1958, and bronze in 1971 and 1977.
