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Türkiye's women's national volleyball team rounded off a trophy-filled 2026 by retaining its European Championship crown in Istanbul, while Turkish clubs and national sides also picked up several of the sport's leading international titles during the year.
Türkiye beat Serbia 3-2 in Belgium in 2023 to secure its first European title before successfully defending the crown on home soil three years later.
The latest victory lifted Türkiye's European Championship record to seven medals, including two golds, while the national team also finished on the podium for a fifth consecutive edition.
Türkiye's success in 2026 stretched beyond the European Championship as both clubs and national teams collected major trophies.
VakifBank lifted the CEV Champions League after two Turkish clubs met in the final, while Galatasaray won the CEV Cup, giving Türkiye both of Europe's leading club volleyball trophies.
At national team level, Türkiye won the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), Mediterranean Games and European Championship, with the VNL triumph marking the country's second title in the competition.
Türkiye also secured Europe's qualification spot for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The country's club season will continue internationally in December, when VakifBank and Eczacibasi are scheduled to compete at the FIVB Women's Club World Championship from Dec. 8 to 13.
The European Championship victory also made Türkiye the first host nation in 15 years to lift the trophy on home soil.
Serbia had been the last host to win the competition, doing so in 2011. Subsequent editions hosted by Germany, the Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Serbia and Italy all ended without the home nation taking the title.
Türkiye's 2026 triumph therefore brought that run to an end in Istanbul.
Captain Eda Erdem collected the sixth European Championship medal of her career with Türkiye's latest victory and has now been involved in six of the country's seven medals in the competition.
Her record includes bronze medals from 2011, 2017 and 2021, silver in 2019 and back-to-back gold medals in 2023 and 2026.
Melissa Vargas was named the European Championship's most valuable player for a second consecutive edition after also receiving the award following Türkiye's 2023 title.
Her MVP honors across the European Championship, Volleyball Nations League, Turkish league, Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup have now brought her career total to 10.
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