Andorran Volleyball Federation Launches 2026 Training Cycle at Christmas Camp

The Andorran Volleyball Federation launched its 2026 training cycle with a week-long Christmas camp at the Ordino Sports Training Centre, bringing together national beach and indoor teams from youth and senior categories.

The event featured under-17, under-19, and senior beach volleyball squads in both men's and women's divisions, along with under-19 men's and women's indoor teams and the senior women's indoor team. This initiative builds on a youth development project begun last season, aiming to boost Andorra's performance in international competitions, particularly among Small European States, with backing from the European Volleyball Confederation.

Looking ahead to 2026, Encamp will host the under-19 beach volleyball European Championship for both genders. Indoor teams are preparing for senior Small States events, including the women's competition in the Principat. Last summer, Andorra hosted the under-17 Small States European Championship, with the under-19 edition set for Encamp this year.

Beach volleyball head coach Abel Bernal emphasised the camp's role in sustaining momentum from the previous year, with a strong emphasis on youth levels where Andorra shows its best European competitiveness. Recent successes have secured direct entries to continental events, such as the under-18 women's European Championship. "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. He noted prior organisation of an under-17 event, followed by under-19 this year.

Even with holiday timing and challenging winter conditions for beach sessions, players showed strong commitment, allowing coaches to complete the planned programme through adaptations. The federation views the camp as a key step toward a structured, cross-category effort with global aspirations, positioning 2026 as a pivotal year for Andorran volleyball.