Match Preview
Ukraine have been one of the biggest surprise packages of the Nations League 2026, causing multiple upsets and giving themselves a great chance of finishing inside the Top 7. Can they claim another valuable victory against hosts Serbia?
Serbia Coming Off Painful Loss
Serbia’s chances of reaching the Nations League 2026 final tournament have been reduced to a minimum, entering the ninth round in 11th place with a 4-5 record.
After a strong start to June, the hosts faced a difficult Week 2 schedule, losing 3-1 to undefeated Japan before beating bottom-placed Cuba 3-1. They then suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to France.
The Serbians showed decent resistance against gold medal contenders the United States but eventually lost 3-1 in late June, collecting just 55 points across the three sets they dropped.
Yesterday’s Week 3 opener in front of the home crowd was another huge disappointment, as Serbia fell 3-0 to Turkey while scoring just 60 points in total.
Ukraine Taking Multiple Big Scalps
Ukraine have enjoyed a strong Nations League 2026 campaign and need just one or two more victories to secure a Top 7 finish. They currently occupy sixth place in the standings with a 6-3 record.
The Blue and Yellows produced several impressive upsets during Week 2, recording back-to-back victories over Brazil and reigning world champions Italy while dropping just one set across those two matches.
Ukraine extended that excellent run with a 3-1 victory over Canada before finally seeing their winning streak end in a 3-1 defeat to world runners-up Bulgaria in their final June outing.
The Eastern European side opened Week 3 with a 3-1 victory over Iran yesterday, with captain Semeniuk delivering an outstanding performance.