Volleyball.it Daily Roundup - August 21, 2026

Questa versione è già nettamente migliore: non la definirei “questionable English”. È corretta, leggibile e adatta a una rassegna internazionale. Rimangono però alcuni punti un po’ rigidi o da traduzione letterale, oltre all’alternanza tra inglese britannico e americano.

Ho reso l’apertura più giornalistica, uniformato il testo all’inglese britannico e chiarito il passaggio tra Under 20 e gruppo Under 19.

Italy began the 2026 Mediterranean Games with two victories, while the men’s Under-20 team finished runners-up in the WEVZA qualifying tournament. The latest news from Volleyball.it also covers the start of the Women’s European Championship, the expansion of the US professional league, the Wagner Memorial in Krakow, a new Serie A1 signing and the penultimate stop of the Italian Beach Volleyball Championship.

Women’s EuroVolley

The CEV Trendyol Women’s EuroVolley 2026 begins on Friday, August 21, with 24 teams competing in Turkey, the Czech Republic, Azerbaijan and Sweden. The tournament will run until September 6.

Olympic and world champions Italy will play their Pool D matches at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg. The Azzurre open their campaign against Croatia at 16:00 before facing Montenegro, Sweden, Slovakia and France.

Head coach Julio Velasco stressed that Italy will need to be fully focused from the opening match as they make the transition from training sessions and friendlies to competitive action. The Azzurre must first impose their own game in both side-out and transition, while remaining prepared for the different challenges Croatia can present.

The top four teams from each six-team pool will advance to the round of 16. The semifinals and medal matches will be played in Istanbul on September 5 and 6, with the European champions also securing direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Mediterranean Games

Both Italian teams opened their Mediterranean Games campaigns with victories.

In Brindisi, the men’s team coached by Vincenzo Fanizza defeated Portugal 3-1 (25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 25-15). Diego Frascio led the scoring with 21 points and a 60% attacking efficiency, while Tim Held added 17. Andrea Truocchio finished with 15 points, an 83% success rate in attack and three blocks.

Italy will next face Tunisia in Taranto on August 22 at 20:00.

In Lecce, Carlo Parisi’s women’s team beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-17). Italy, defending the title won in 2022, were led by Valeria Battista and Linda Manfredini, who scored 11 points apiece.

Their next Pool A match will be against Egypt in Taranto on August 24 at 17:00.

The 23rd Hubert Jerzy Wagner Memorial will bring together Poland, France, Slovenia and the United States in Krakow from August 28 to 30.

The four national teams will play a six-match round-robin tournament at the TAURON Arena, using the event as one of their final high-level tests before the Men’s European Championship. The opening day will feature United States-France and Poland-Slovenia.

Youth International

Italy missed out on direct qualification for the 2027 Men’s Under-20 European Championship after losing the WEVZA final to France 3-1 (25-15, 15-25, 25-15, 28-26) in Frankfurt.

Mario Di Pietro’s Under-19 squad, competing in the Under-20 qualifying tournament, had dropped only two sets before the final.

France secured the WEVZA qualification place for the European Championship final round in Croatia and Montenegro. Italy will have another opportunity to qualify through the second round, scheduled for January 2027.

International

Major League Volleyball will expand to 12 franchises and introduce Eastern and Western Conferences in 2027.

Each team will play 26 matches in a 156-game regular season, beginning in the first full week of January and concluding with the MLV Finals on the first weekend of May.

New franchises representing Los Angeles, Minnesota, Northern California and Washington, DC will join the league, while Las Vegas will return through the relaunched Vegas Thrill.

Italian Transfer News

Valsabbina Millenium Brescia have signed Ukrainian outside hitter Oleksandra Bytsenko following the serious injury suffered by Giorgia Amoruso, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament and damaged her meniscus during the Under-22 European Championship final on July 11.

Born in 1995, Bytsenko has played in Ukraine, Russia, France and Turkey. She had been with Nilüfer since 2021.

The Ukrainian joins Brescia ahead of the club’s return to Serie A1, with the new season scheduled to begin on October 4.

Beach Volleyball

The eighth stop of the 2026 Italian Beach Volleyball Championship will take place in Vasto from August 21 to 23.

It is the penultimate tournament of the season before the national finals in Caorle, scheduled for September 4 to 6. Prize money of €6,000 per gender will be available.

Chiara They and Sara Breidenbach are the top seeds in the women’s competition, while Giacomo Spadoni and Marco Ulisse lead the men’s draw.

Sunday’s bronze-medal matches and finals will be streamed live on the Italian Volleyball Federation’s YouTube channel.