Israel’s men’s volleyball team secured a historic double achievement on Saturday night, advancing to the European League Final Four for the second straight year and clinching a formal place at EuroVolley 2028. The result means Israel will appear in three consecutive continental tournaments, after the event it hosted in 2023, and it reached the 2026 and 2028 championships through qualification rounds.
Needing a win against Kosovo to book the ticket, Israel started poorly and dropped the opening set, but Itamar Stein’s squad recovered and completed a 3-1 comeback, 24-26, 25-18, 25-21, 25-16. It was Israel’s sixth straight win this season. Shay Liberman starred with 36 points, while Ilay Hever and Mark Rura added 11 each.
Stein said after the match, “We are in the Final 4, for the second time in a row,” and added that the team has now secured Euro 2028. He said the players were exhausted, but praised their ability to respond under pressure, noting, “We are very proud of the players, very proud of the team, proud of the staff.” He said the squad will rest and prepare for the Dutch team next, hoping to produce another upset.
Salva Batskela said Kosovo made the match difficult, but Israel knew it had to win to advance. He said the team has “a lot of work” and “a lot of room for improvement,” but was happy it secured Euro 2028 and effectively qualified for two European Championships within one year. Earlier, Israel’s women’s team ended its European League campaign with a 3-0 loss to Switzerland, 25-15, 25-21, 25-17. Despite the defeat, Valerie Gemanovich led Israel with 13 points and Shiral Janach added 11, as the team closed its run with valuable international experience.
