The U18 Small Countries Association (SCA) European Zonal Qualifiers, hosted at the Sport Ireland Campus from January 12th-14th, marked a historic moment for Irish volleyball. For the first time ever, Ireland hosted a double gender U18 SCA, welcoming Europe’s emerging talent for three days of high-level international competition.
Across both the men’s and women’s tournaments, the event delivered competitive matches, invaluable experience for young athletes, and memorable moments for players, coaches, officials, and supporters alike.
U18 Men: Silver Medals and a Statement of Progress
Ireland’s U18 Men’s team produced an outstanding performance across the three-day competition, finishing with a silver medal after a demanding round-robin format featuring five teams.
The men’s tournament saw each team face every other opponent, meaning consistency and depth were essential. Ireland rose to the challenge with strong victories over Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the Faroe Islands, including two hard-fought five-set matches that showcased the team’s resilience, composure, and growing tactical maturity.
Heading into Finals Day, Ireland and Iceland remained unbeaten, setting up a highly anticipated gold-medal showdown. While Iceland ultimately claimed the title, Ireland’s campaign concluded with a deserved silver medal, a significant achievement at this level and a clear sign of progress within the national pathway.
Beyond the podium finish, the tournament provided invaluable exposure to sustained international competition, laying strong foundations for future development and ambitions on the European stage.
This sees the U18 Men’s team go into the 2nd round of the European Qualifiers. Draw to be confirmed.
U18 Women: Growth, Resilience, and a Strong Finish
The U18 Women’s Championship featured six teams split into two groups, with semi-finals and medal matches following the group stage. The format demanded adaptability and quick learning, particularly against experienced and physically strong opposition.
Ireland’s U18 Women faced a challenging group, but continued to grow with each match. The squad showed improved cohesion, communication, and competitiveness as the tournament progressed. On Finals Day, Ireland closed out their campaign in positive fashion, defeating Liechtenstein in the 5th/6th place playoff, a performance that reflected both development and determination.
At the top of the standings, Iceland delivered a dominant tournament, dropping just one set across all matches to secure the gold medal. Faroe Islands and Scotland rounded out the podium in after competitive semi-finals and bronze medal matches.
For Ireland, the tournament represented an important step in the long-term development of this group, providing critical international experience and a platform to build toward future competitions.
A Historic Event on Home Soil
Hosting the first ever double gender U18 SCA Championship was a major milestone for Volleyball Ireland. The event showcased not only the quality of European youth volleyball, but also the growing strength of Ireland’s high-performance structures, event delivery, and community support.
Across the three days, the tournament was supported by dedicated coaches, referees, volunteers, and staff, with matches live streamed (with commentary) to a wide audience, further enhancing accessibility and visibility for the sport.
Final Standings
U18 Men
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Iceland 🥇
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Ireland 🥈
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Faroe Islands 🥉
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Scotland
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Northern Ireland
U18 Women
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Iceland 🥇
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Faroe Islands 🥈
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Scotland 🥉
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Northern Ireland
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Ireland
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Liechtenstein
Looking Ahead
The U18 SCA Championships provided a powerful reminder of the importance of meaningful international competition at youth level. For Ireland’s young athletes, the experience gained, both on and off the court , will be instrumental as they continue their journey within the national programme.
Volleyball Ireland would like to thank all participating teams, officials, volunteers, supporters, and partners who contributed to the success of the event. The standard set over these three days reflects the positive momentum within Irish volleyball and the exciting future ahead.
Éire Abú!
