Turkish women’s volleyball marked 2026 with a year of triumphs

Turkish women’s volleyball turned 2026 into a year of major trophies. The national team won the European Championship in Istanbul, three years after claiming its first title by defeating Serbia 3-2 in the 2023 final.

The victory lifted Turkey’s European Championship medal tally to two golds, two silvers and three bronzes. It also marked the team’s fifth consecutive medal in the competition. Turkey became the first host nation in 15 years to win the European title, ending a run that began after Serbia won on home soil in 2011.

The success extended beyond the national team. VakıfBank won the Champions League, while Galatasaray claimed the CEV Cup. The national team also finished first in the Nations League and the Mediterranean Games, putting Turkish women’s volleyball at the top of the major competitions it entered in 2026.

Captain Eda Erdem collected her sixth European Championship medal. She won bronze in 2011, 2017 and 2021, silver in 2019, and gold in 2023 and 2026. Erdem appeared in six of Turkey’s seven medals in the competition.

Melissa Vargas was named the tournament’s most valuable player for the second consecutive European Championship. Her other 2026 MVP awards came in the Nations League, Turkish league, Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup, taking her career total to 10. Turkey also secured a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics from Europe, while VakıfBank and Eczacıbaşı are set to compete at the World Club Championship from December 8 to 13.