The French national team will start its preparation for the 2026 European Championship on August 4 with a group of 15 volleyball players. Head coach Andrea Giani retains the players with whom he concluded their participation in the Nations League in Chicago, and the experienced outside hitter Trevor Clevenot returns to them.
Clevenot suffered an ankle injury during the tournament in Orleans and was not part of the squad for the final week of the Nations League. His inclusion increases the group for the start of preparation to 15 players.
Setters: Antoine Brizard, Amir Tizi-Oualou.
Opposites: Stephen Boyer, Théo Faure.
Middle Blockers: Moussé Gueye, François Huetz, Daniel Eeckhoudt, Simon Maenen.
Outside Hitters: Trevor Clevenot, Mathis Henno, Thomas Pujol, Noah Duflo-Rossi, Antoine Pothron.
Liberos: Benjamin Diez, Luca Ramon.
France concluded its participation in the Nations League with a 3:0 victory over Bulgaria and finished in tenth place with a balance of six wins and six losses. After the match, Andrea Giani emphasized that he was pleased not only with the result but also with the way his team approached the game.
'This was a match we prepared very well for. There could have been a difference in motivation because Bulgaria could still qualify for the Final Eight, while we already knew that wasn't possible. Nevertheless, the match was important to me because Bulgaria is a team we might face at the European Championship. That's why I asked the players to take the game seriously. I am very satisfied with both the 3:0 victory and the way we played,' Giani stated.
The Italian specialist also noted as positive the return of Théo Faure, who missed the start of the tournament due to a herniated disc and started as a regular against Bulgaria.
'Overall, my assessment of the Nations League is positive. We won six matches and lost six. We could have achieved one or two more victories, but we didn't use some of our opportunities. When you don't take your chances, you stay home. Nevertheless, we progressed throughout the entire competition,' added the French head coach.
Giani emphasized that the main goal of participating in the VNL was for the young squad to build its own technical identity. According to him, this task has been accomplished, and many players have gained valuable experience in their first matches at such a level.
'The European Championship is our most important goal this season and the first step towards qualifying for the Olympic Games, as only the champion will receive a direct quota. The level will be very high, but I want the team to be ambitious. We will start on August 4 with the same group that played in the Nations League, with Trevor returning. We will have five weeks and friendly matches to continue developing collectively and individually,' Giani further stated.
The French will play at least two friendly matches on home soil – against Belgium on August 21 at 'Vendespace' and against Brazil on September 4 at 'Adidas Arena' in Paris.
Giani's words about a possible new encounter with Bulgaria are also supported by the official CEV scheme. Bulgaria is in Group B (Sofia), and France is in Group D (Cluj-Napoca, Romania), with the top four teams from both groups entering a common elimination bracket. In the Round of 16 pairings, the two teams could meet as early as the first round of direct eliminations, or with a different distribution of places, in the quarterfinals.

Photo:volleyballworld.com