Andorra Volleyball Kicks Off 2026 Training with Christmas Camp

The Andorran Volleyball Federation kicked off its 2026 training cycle with a week-long Christmas camp at the Ordino Sports Training Centre, uniting national beach and indoor volleyball teams across youth and senior levels.

Participants included under-17, under-19, and senior beach volleyball squads, alongside the under-19 men's and women's indoor teams and the senior women's indoor team. The sessions launched preparations for the new season, building on a youth development initiative started last year. Supported by the European Volleyball Confederation, the effort targets stronger showings in international events, especially among Small European States.

Key 2026 highlights include hosting the under-19 beach volleyball European Championship in Encamp for both men's and women's categories. Indoor teams are gearing up for senior Small States competitions, with the women's event set for the Principat.

Beach volleyball head coach Abel Bernal highlighted the camp's importance in advancing prior work, particularly at youth levels where Andorra holds the strongest competitive edge in Europe. He pointed to recent achievements that earned direct qualifications for continental tournaments, including the under-18 women's European event. "What we are seeking is to continue a project we started last year and focus on the base, where we have the most options to compete," Bernal said.

Despite the holiday timing and suboptimal winter beach conditions, athletes responded positively, enabling coaches to adapt and deliver the full programme. The federation sees this as a foundation for a cohesive, progression-focused project with international ambitions, marking 2026 as a landmark year for Andorran volleyball.