Day 4 brings eight more matches across all four pools, with pressure rising at both ends of the standings: Ukraine and Austria meet in a near must-win match, Croatia and Slovakia chase their first victory, Azerbaijan face their toughest test yet against Romania, while Poland, Türkiye, Serbia and France enter as clear favorites.
DAY 4 PREVIEW | 24 August 2026 | All match times below are local to the host city
Women’s EuroVolley 2026 moves into Day 4 with the early group hierarchy beginning to take shape. Sunday brought fewer surprises than the previous day, but it clarified which teams are building momentum and which are already running short of room for another mistake.
Italy remained perfect, Türkiye and Serbia handled difficult stretches, France continued their convincing start, and Azerbaijan moved to 2–0 with a straight-set win over Spain. At the other end of the standings, Ukraine, Austria, Croatia and Slovakia now enter matches where every point carries more weight.
For the broader tournament picture, see our Women’s EuroVolley 2026 tournament preview, our Format & Rules guide, and the Day 3 results roundup.
Day 4 Schedule — 24 August 2026
| Local time | Host city | Match | Pool |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:30 | Baku | Netherlands vs Portugal | Pool C |
| 16:00 | Istanbul | Poland vs Latvia | Pool A |
| 16:00 | Brno | Ukraine vs Austria | Pool B |
| 16:00 | Gothenburg | Croatia vs Slovakia | Pool D |
| 18:30 | Baku | Azerbaijan vs Romania | Pool C |
| 19:00 | Istanbul | Türkiye vs Hungary | Pool A |
| 19:00 | Brno | Serbia vs Bulgaria | Pool B |
| 19:00 | Gothenburg | Montenegro vs France | Pool D |
What makes Day 4 stand out
This is a day with a clear split between heavy favorites and pressure matches. The Netherlands, Poland, Türkiye, Serbia and France all enter fixtures they should expect to win, while Ukraine versus Austria and Croatia versus Slovakia already feel much closer to survival games than ordinary group-stage meetings.
The most revealing matchup may come in Baku. Azerbaijan have won their first two matches and looked increasingly convincing, but Romania pushed the Netherlands to five sets and showed that they are capable of troubling a higher-ranked opponent. That gives the hosts their first real test of how far this early momentum can carry them.
Netherlands vs Portugal — The Dutch Should Reassert Control
The Netherlands won their opening match, but it was much more difficult than expected. Romania forced them into five sets, twice levelled the match and made one of Pool C’s main favorites work until the tie-break.
Portugal have had a very different start. They lost 1–3 to Azerbaijan and then 0–3 to Belgium, confirming the pre-tournament expectation that they would face a difficult group stage. There have been competitive stretches, but they have not yet shown enough consistency to threaten the strongest teams in the pool.
The Netherlands remain the leading candidate to finish first in Pool C. Against Portugal, the main question is not whether they have more quality, but whether they can produce the controlled performance that was missing against Romania. Anything other than a comfortable Dutch win would be a major surprise.
Poland vs Latvia — A Major Difference in Class
Poland opened with the expected straight-set victory over Hungary. The score looked routine, although the second set offered a warning when Poland lost a large early lead and needed to escape 26–24.
Latvia also showed on Sunday that they can produce good volleyball for stretches. After losing the first two sets to Germany, they suddenly dominated the third 25–13. It was an impressive response, but Germany immediately restored control in the fourth.
That is the central problem for Latvia here. Poland have more physical quality, more attacking depth and a much greater margin for error. Latvia may be able to create a competitive stretch, but over a full match the difference in class should be too large for the contest to move away from Poland’s plan.
Ukraine vs Austria — A Near Must-Win Match
Ukraine arrive under serious pressure after losing both of their opening matches. They were beaten 0–3 by Bulgaria despite entering as favorites, then recovered from a difficult start against Greece to lead 2–1 before eventually losing in five sets.
Austria are in an even more difficult position. They have lost 0–3 to Serbia and 0–3 to Czechia and are still searching for their first set victory of the tournament. On paper, this should therefore be Ukraine’s clearest opportunity so far to collect a first win.
But the standings make this much more than a routine favorite-versus-underdog matchup. With Czechia and Serbia still ahead, Ukraine cannot afford to keep giving away points. A victory keeps the qualification race alive; another defeat would leave their path to the Round of 16 extremely narrow. This is not mathematically an elimination match, but in practical terms it is very close.
Croatia vs Slovakia — A Survival Match in Pool D
Both teams enter Day 4 without a victory. Croatia have lost in straight sets to Italy and France, while Slovakia were swept by France before producing a much stronger performance against Sweden.
That Sweden match matters. Slovakia came back from 0–2 down, won the third set 25–14 and the fourth 25–22, and only lost control again in the tie-break. They left without a win, but with one standings point and evidence that they can change the rhythm of a match.
Croatia have not yet won a set, but they have enough attacking quality to make this a very different contest from their first two. We give the Croatian side a slight edge, though the gap looks small. A first victory could become decisive in the race for fourth place, while the loser will enter the final part of the pool stage under enormous pressure.
Azerbaijan vs Romania — The Hosts Face Their First Real Test
Azerbaijan have been one of the most encouraging stories of the opening days. They beat Portugal 3–1, then followed it with an even more convincing 3–0 win over Spain, starting every set better and controlling the score from there.
Romania, however, offer a different level of resistance. They lost their opener to the Netherlands, but only after five sets. Romania won the second and fourth, stayed competitive for long stretches and showed that they should not be dismissed simply because they entered the group below the main favorites.
Home support and current momentum make Azerbaijan slight favorites, but this should be much more difficult than their first two matches. If the hosts win again, their start can no longer be explained only by a favorable schedule. This feels like one of the matches most likely to become a long, tense four- or five-set battle.
Türkiye vs Hungary — The Favorites Should Stay on Schedule
Türkiye have started their title defense exactly as expected. They swept Latvia, then responded well after Slovenia took the second set on Sunday. Once the hosts raised their level, the final two sets became increasingly one-sided.
Hungary showed against Poland that they can punish a favorite that loses concentration. They recovered from 5–13 down in the second set, moved ahead late and then stayed level until 20–20 in the third.
But sustaining that level for three winning sets against Türkiye in Istanbul is a completely different task. If the Turkish side maintain a normal level, this should be one of Day 4’s most straightforward matches and another opportunity to strengthen their position at the top of Pool A.
Serbia vs Bulgaria — Can the Young Bulgarians Create Another Shock?
Serbia have opened with two victories and look increasingly well positioned to challenge for first place in Pool B. They swept Austria and then passed a much more demanding test against Czechia, responding well whenever the hosts threatened to turn the match.
Bulgaria have already shown why their young squad deserves attention. Their 3–0 victory over Ukraine was one of the biggest surprises of Day 1. The 1–3 loss to Greece, however, showed the other side of a developing team: good stretches, but not enough stability to control the match when the momentum changed.
Serbia have more experience, more depth and one of the tournament’s elite scoring options in Tijana Bošković. Bulgaria may be able to make individual sets uncomfortable, but a full upset would be a major surprise. Their more realistic opportunities to collect points are still ahead.
Montenegro vs France — France Can Build a Perfect Start
France have been one of the most convincing teams of the opening days. They started with a comfortable 3–0 win over Slovakia and followed it with another straight-set victory against Croatia.
What has stood out is not only the results, but the stability. France have not needed dramatic recoveries or late escapes, and even when Croatia pushed them harder in the third set, they stayed composed enough to finish the match in three.
Montenegro have lost in straight sets to Sweden and Italy and enter as the lower-ranked side on paper. They have shown some competitive periods, but not the consistency required to seriously threaten one of Pool D’s stronger teams.
France should therefore be expected to move to 3–0. The more important part comes after this match: their final two pool fixtures are against Italy and Sweden, and those games are far more likely to determine exactly where France finish in the group.
Day 4 matches to watch
| Angle | Match | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure match | Ukraine vs Austria | Ukraine need a first win to keep a realistic qualification path open |
| Most revealing matchup | Azerbaijan vs Romania | Unbeaten hosts face the strongest test of their start so far |
| Survival match | Croatia vs Slovakia | Both teams are still searching for their first victory |
| Favorite response | Netherlands vs Portugal | The Dutch need a cleaner performance after the Romania scare |
| Heavy favorite | Poland vs Latvia | Latvia showed flashes against Germany, but the class gap is large |
| Pool leader test | Serbia vs Bulgaria | Serbia can tighten their grip on Pool B against a dangerous young side |
| France momentum | Montenegro vs France | France can reach 3–0 before the decisive final two pool matches |
What Day 4 could change
Pool B may see the biggest immediate consequences. Ukraine versus Austria gives one struggling team its first victory, and for Ukraine the difference between winning and losing is especially large with Czechia and Serbia still ahead. Serbia can also strengthen their position at the top if they handle Bulgaria as expected.
Pool D has its own survival game. Croatia and Slovakia are both searching for a first win, and the result could have a major influence on the eventual fight for fourth place. France, meanwhile, have the chance to reach 3–0 before the two matches that should decide their final position in the pool.
Pool C is where the most interesting upward movement may happen. The Netherlands should recover against Portugal, but Azerbaijan versus Romania is a genuine test. Another home victory would turn Azerbaijan from an encouraging early story into a serious contender for one of the top positions in the group.
Pool A looks more predictable on Monday. Poland and Türkiye are both clear favorites, and anything other than victories for the two leading powers would immediately become the headline result of the day.
Final Outlook
Day 4 looks straightforward at the top and much more dangerous at the bottom. The Netherlands, Poland, Türkiye, Serbia and France all have matches in which they should control the outcome if they play close to their normal level.
The tension lies in Ukraine versus Austria, Croatia versus Slovakia and Azerbaijan versus Romania. The first two can shape the qualification race among teams already under pressure, while the third may tell us whether Azerbaijan’s perfect start is simply promising or genuinely significant.
If one match best captures the tone of the day, it is Azerbaijan versus Romania: unbeaten hosts growing in confidence against a team that has already shown it can push a major favorite. Day 4 may not produce many upsets, but it should tell us much more about which early stories are built to last.
Editorial Note
This article is a pre-match snapshot for 24 August 2026. Match times are official local times from CEV. Context on earlier results reflects the standings and match outcomes available after the completion of Day 3. Assessments of favorites, momentum and likely match difficulty are VolleyCommunity editorial analysis.
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