Poland's coach Nikola Grbic will begin preparations for the European Championship with the same 15 volleyball players who, just days ago, won the Nations League title in the Chinese city of Ningbo. Although the extended squad for EuroVolley 2026 includes 25 players, preparations in Zakopane will start with the champions from Ningbo, while the remaining volleyball players from the extended list remain on standby and can be called up if needed. This is common practice for national teams before major championships.
Poland's squad for the start of preparations:
Setters:Marcin Komenda, Jan Firlej.
Opposites:Kevin Sasak, Bartłomiej Bołądź.
Middle Blockers:Bartłomiej Lemański, Szymon Jakubiszak, Jakub Nowak, Jakub Majchrzak.
Outside Hitters:Tomasz Fornal, Kamil Semeniuk, Wilfredo León, Aleksander Śliwka, Artur Szalpuk.
Liberos:Jakub Popiwczak, Maksymilian Granieczny.
The only change in the schedule is related to the start of the training camp. Instead of gathering for lunch on August 10, as originally planned, the Polish national team members will arrive in Zakopane only in the evening, and their first training session will be held on August 11. This was revealed by the press officer of the Polish national team, Mariusz Szyszko, to Fakt.
The reason for the change is the unusual situation upon the team's return from China. After their triumph in Ningbo, the Poles departed on August 3 on the Ningbo – Beijing – Warsaw route, but due to a delay in the first flight, they missed their connecting flight to the Polish capital and were forced to stay one night in Beijing.
The next day, the national team members returned to Poland in several groups. Some of the players flew via Frankfurt, others via Stockholm, and the rest waited for the next direct flight to Warsaw. Among the last group were Tomasz Fornal, named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the final tournament, and Kamil Semeniuk.
Despite the unpleasant situation, the team's mood remained excellent. Semeniuk, with a smile, admitted to Fakt that the extra day was used to celebrate the won title, mysteriously adding: "What happened in Ningbo, stays in Ningbo."
Tomasz Fornal also shared interesting details about their stay in the Chinese capital. According to him, part of the team used the unexpected delay to have dinner together and take a walk in the center of Beijing before heading back to the airport.
According to the press officer of the Polish national team, Mariusz Szyszko, it was precisely because of the one-day delay that Nikola Grbic decided to postpone the start of the camp by half a day.
Szyszko also praised the team's behavior during the unexpected situation in China. According to him, all players remained calm, and all new logistics were organized in about six hours, even though this was happening on the other side of the world and without connection to Poland, as it was night in the country at that time. In the next two weeks, the Polish national team will prepare in Zakopane, after which they will participate in the traditional Hubert Jerzy Wagner Memorial, which, in addition to the hosts, will feature the teams of France, Slovenia, and the USA. This will also be Poland's final test before the start of EuroVolley 2026.
photo:sport.fakt.pl
