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Serbia secured the bronze medal at the 2026 CEV Women's European Volleyball Championship on Sunday, defeating Poland 3-1 (25-21, 25-19, 15-25, 25-18) in Istanbul.

That result extends Serbia's remarkable streak to six consecutive European Championship podium finishes, as Volleyball World reported.

Opposite Tijana Bošković was the decisive force on the court. She finished with 29 points, edging Polish counterpart Magdalena Stysiak by a single point.

Stysiak's 28-point effort was not enough to keep Poland alive in the fourth set, where Serbia's efficiency in attack and at the net proved the difference.

Aleksandra Uzelac contributed 15 points as an outside hitter for Serbia, while middle blockers Hena Kurtagić and Branka Tica added 12 apiece, according to WorldofVolley.

Serbia Controls Two Sets, Poland Fights Back

Serbia dominated the opening two sets with disciplined serving and consistent attacking. Then the match shifted.

WorldofVolley reported that Serbian head coach Zoran Terzić left the court temporarily because of health problems, and Poland capitalized, winning the set 25-15 to stay in contention. Serbia reasserted control in the fourth, closing out the match firmly.

Poland had reached the semifinals by beating the Netherlands in the quarterfinals before falling 3-1 to Italy on Saturday. The loss in the bronze-medal match extended Poland's wait for a European Championship medal to 17 years.

Their last podium finish came in 2009, when they defeated Germany to claim bronze, as TVP World noted.

World Cup Berths on the Line

The bronze-medal match carried implications beyond Istanbul. semifinal result had already locked in qualifying spots, and Volleyball World confirmed that all four EuroVolley semifinalists earned berths in the 2027 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup, to be held in Canada and the United States.

Serbia, Poland and Türkiye each secured one of the three available European slots by reaching the final four. Italy already held a spot as the 2025 World Championship holder.

Gold Goes to Türkiye in Five Sets

In the evening's gold-medal match, Türkiye defeated Italy 3-2 (16-25, 25-22, 12-25, 25-21, 15-10) before more than 17,000 fans at Sinan Erdem Arena, defending the European title they first claimed in 2023. Both teams' star opposites finished level at 28 points apiece.

Türkiye's Melissa Vargas scored 26 of her points in attack and two on blocks, while Italy's Paola Egonu contributed two aces and four kill blocks. Istanbul was Türkiye's night. The win also booked their place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Italy now holds three golds, three silvers and three bronze medals in European Championship history. Serbia's bronze gives them an identical complete collection across all three colors.