Turkish women top European volleyball
Turkish national women’s volleyball team secured its place in sports history on Sept. 6, capturing its second consecutive European Championship with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Italy at a packed Sinan Erdem Sports Hall.
The “Sultans of the Net” triumphed 16-25, 25-22, 12-25, 25-21, 15-10 in a grueling 122-minute final, playing before more than 16,000 roaring fans.
The victory not only crowns Türkiye as back-to-back continental champion but also punches the team’s ticket to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, making Türkiye the first European nation to secure a women’s volleyball quota for the Games.
Coached by Daniele Santarelli, Türkiye finished the 2026 CEV European Championship with an 8-1 record across nine matches, claiming the program’s latest major international title under his leadership.
