Türkiye's senior women's national volleyball team defeated Italy 3–2 in the final of the 2026 CEV Women's European Championship in Istanbul on September 6, 2026, securing the European title. The match at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall started at 7:00 p.m. local time and lasted 122 minutes. According to the Turkish Volleyball Federation's official record, Italy won the opening set 25–16, Türkiye took the second 25–22, Italy regained the lead with a 25–12 third set, Türkiye forced a decider by winning the fourth 25–21, and Türkiye completed the comeback 15–10 in the fifth.
Italy controlled the opening phase and established the first advantage of the final. Türkiye answered in a more balanced second set, protecting its edge through the decisive points to level the match. Italy then produced its strongest set of the evening in the third, leaving Türkiye one set from defeat. The fourth set therefore became an elimination set for the home team. Türkiye stayed composed, won it 25–21 and extended the championship match to a short fifth set.
In the decider, Türkiye moved ahead early and maintained control until the final point. The 15–10 score completed a match in which the team had recovered from a one-set deficit twice. The sequence of the sets is important to the result: Türkiye did not lead the match until the final set was completed. Its ability to respond after Italy's first and third-set wins defined the final and turned a difficult night into a championship victory.
The gold medal was Türkiye's second in the history of the women's European championship. The national team won its first European title in 2023, and the victory in Istanbul made it two consecutive tournament championships. The federation's official announcement records the titles in 2023 and 2026. Winning the second crown in a final staged in the host city added another layer of significance for Turkish volleyball and the audience at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall.
Türkiye reached the final after recording four wins and one defeat in the group phase. In the knockout rounds, it beat Azerbaijan 3–0 in the round of 16, Germany 3–1 in the quarterfinal and Serbia 3–0 in the semifinal. The Italy match was the closest contest of the elimination stage. Türkiye had dropped only one set across the first three knockout matches, then needed all five sets to overcome Italy and finish the competition with the trophy.
Individual tournament awards also reflected Türkiye's contribution to the championship. In the federation's account of the medal ceremony, Melissa Vargas was named the tournament's most valuable player and best opposite. Gizem Örge received the best libero award, Zehra Güneş was selected as a best middle blocker, and Derya Cebecioğlu was recognized as a best outside hitter. Head coach Daniele Santarelli was named best coach. These awards accompanied the team title and recognized performances across several roles.
The final score, set results and match duration were consistent across the federation's official release and reports by TRT Spor, Dünya and Fotomaç. Those sources also agreed that the match was played on September 6 at Sinan Erdem Sports Hall, that Türkiye won 3–2 and that the victory delivered a second straight European championship. The start time and venue were cross-checked against the event schedule and broadcast information.
The championship was the final step in a campaign rather than an isolated result. Türkiye responded to different match situations from the group stage through the final, and the decisive night demanded its most difficult recovery of the tournament. After losing the first and third sets, the team extended the match and won the final two. The official outcome was settled at 15–10 in the decider: Türkiye completed the 2026 European Championship as the gold medalist.
