France W vs Greece W

Greece’s dominance in the first set set the tone. France had not lost a set in three of their five pool matches, and conceding the opener 25-16 removed any margin for error. Greece’s early command at the net — both in blocking and in transition offence — forced France into chasing the match from behind, a position they had rarely occupied in Gothenburg.

Greece’s collective defensive organisation was the standout feature. Their block-out system consistently funnelled France’s attacks into covered zones, while their serving pressure disrupted France’s ability to run a fast offence.

For France, Cyrielle Depie had been the standout scorer in the group stage (19 points vs Croatia) but found limited space against Greece’s defensive structure. The French attack, so efficient through the pool phase, converted at significantly lower rates in the knockout match.

Player of the match: Martha Anthouli (Greece W).

The provider stats show Greece holding France to just 34 points across the first two sets (16-25, 18-25). That 34-point total over two sets reflects the defensive stranglehold Greece applied. France’s attack — which had posted comfortable kill percentages against Slovakia, Croatia and Montenegro — could not find its usual efficiency against Greece’s block timing. Greece’s ability to score in transition off the French block was the decisive tactical gap.

Greece advance to the quarterfinals, where they will face Serbia — the pool-stage powerhouse that lost only one set in five group matches. The quarterfinal is scheduled for 2 September 2026 in Brno. Serbia swept Croatia 3-0 in the other Round of 16 match played on the same day in Brno.

For France, the tournament ends after a promising group stage that included four wins and a competitive showing against Italy. Their next competitive fixture will be in the next CEV international window. The loss ends what had been one of the more encouraging campaigns of the championship.

Greece executed a near-perfect knockout game plan: disciplined block, efficient transition and composure in the big moments. France never looked comfortable after the first set slipped away. The result reshapes the quarterfinal bracket — Greece, not France, will test Serbia’s status as the tournament’s most dominant team.