The Türkiye women's national volleyball team () is governed by the Turkish Volleyball Federation (TVF) and represents Türkiye in international volleyball competitions.
The Türkiye women’s national volleyball team won consecutive CEV European Championship titles in 2023 and 2026, its first two European titles. It has also won the FIVB Volleyball Nations League twice, in 2023 and 2026. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, the team reached the semi-finals for the first time and finished fourth, while at the 2025 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship, it reached the final for the first time and won the silver medal.
The team has been nicknamed “Filenin Sultanları” (English: Sultans of the Net) since the 2003 Women’s European Volleyball Championship, which was hosted in Ankara, Türkiye. As of 2 October 2026, Türkiye is ranked third in the FIVB World Rankings. Daniele Santarelli is the head coach of the team.
History
Early history Volleyball was introduced to Türkiye in the 1910s. Sabiha Gürayman was among the first Turkish women to play volleyball and later founded and played for the Fenerbahçe women’s volleyball team, having previously played for the club’s men’s team.
The Türkiye women’s national team played its first international match in 1957 at the International Istanbul Tournament against Romania. Its first international victory came on 22 July 1961, when it defeated West Germany 3–2. Türkiye made its European Championship debut in 1963 in Romania, finishing 10th. In 1967, Türkiye hosted the European Championship for the first time and finished 12th.
2000s The 2003 European Championship, hosted in Ankara, was the team’s first appearance in a European Championship final. Türkiye won the silver medal, finishing as runners-up to Poland. It was the team’s first major international success.
2010s During the 2010s, Türkiye achieved several podium finishes in major international competitions, while Turkish clubs also became increasingly successful in European competitions.
Türkiye won bronze at the 2011 European Championship. In 2012, the team qualified for the Olympic Games for the first time and finished ninth in London. Türkiye won another bronze medal at the 2017 European Championship and reached the final of the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League in 2018, winning silver. In 2019, Türkiye reached the European Championship final for the second time and won silver, finishing as runners-up to Serbia.
2020s Türkiye made its second Olympic appearance at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, reaching the quarter-finals and finishing fifth. In 2021, the team won bronze at the European Championship.
In 2023, Türkiye won its first FIVB Volleyball Nations League title and its first CEV European Championship title. The team also qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics during the 2023 season. Between 29 June and 24 September, Türkiye won 22 consecutive matches across the Volleyball Nations League, the European Championship and the Olympic qualification tournament.
At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Türkiye reached the semi-finals for the first time and finished fourth.
In 2025, Türkiye reached the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship final for the first time and won the silver medal, its first World Championship medal.
In 2026, Türkiye won its second FIVB Volleyball Nations League title and retained the European Championship title. In the European Championship final in Istanbul, Türkiye defeated Italy 3–2. The title also secured direct qualification for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Türkiye will make its fourth Olympic appearance in 2028, following its participation in 2012, 2020 and 2024.
Achievements
Summer Olympics Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
Summer Olympics recordYearRoundPositionSquad 1964did not qualify 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 Preliminary round 9th place 5 2 3 9 11 Squad 2016did not qualify 2020 Quarterfinals 5th place 6 3 3 14 11 Squad 2024 Semifinals Fourth place 6 3 3 10 14 Squad 2028 qualified 2032 future eventTotal0 Titles4/1817893336
World Championship Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
World Championship record YearRoundPositionSquad 2006 9th–12th places 10th Place 11 5 6 17 22 Squad 2010 5th–8th places 6th Place 11 6 5 23 22 Squad 2014 Second round 9th Place 9 5 4 21 15 Squad 2018 Second round 10th Place 9 5 4 15 15 Squad 2022 Quarterfinals 8th place 10 6 4 21 16 Squad 2025 Final Runners-up 7 6 1 20 5 Squad 2027 qualified 2029 future eventTotal0 Titles7/2257332411795
FIVB World Cup Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
YearPositionWL 2003 7th56 2023Champions70Total1 Titles
World Grand Prix Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
YearPositionWL 2008 7th 4 5 2012 Third place10 4 2013 8th 6 3 2014 Fourth place8 6 2015 11th 2 7 2016 10th 3 6 2017 11th 2 7Total7/253538
Nations League Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
YearRoundPositionSquad 2018 Final Runners-up 15 10 5 35 23 Squad 2019 Semifinals Fourth place 1913 6 4325Squad 2021Semifinals Third place1712 54024Squad 2022Semifinals Fourth place 158 7 3125Squad 2023FinalChampions151234013 Squad 2024Quarterfinals 6th 13 8 5 31 21 Squad 2025Quarterfinals 6th 13 8 5 30 20 Squad 2026Final Champions 15 12 3 39 21 Squad 2027 qualified Total2 Titles9/91228339289172
European Championship Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
YearRoundPosition 1963Round Robin10th633910 1967Round Robin12th8351619 1981 Final Round12th808123 1989 Final Round11th725817 1995 Preliminary Round12th505215 2003FinalRunners-up752176 2005 Final Round6th7341112 2007 Playoff Round10th624620 2009 Playoff Round5th642148 2011 SemifinalsThird place7521711 2013Quarter Final7th53298 2015 SemifinalsFourth place642128 2017 SemifinalsThird place7431512 2019 FinalRunners-up9722412 2021 SemifinalsThird place981255 2023 Final Champions9 9 0 27 6 2026 FinalChampions981248 2028qualifiedTotal2 Titles18/351217051237200
European Games Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
YearPositionWL 201571Total1/171
European League Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
YearPositionWL 2009113 2010105 2011113 20128th57 20136th66 2014 11 3 2015 11 3 Total7/126530
Montreux Volley Masters Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
YearPositionWL 20076th 2 3 20154 1 2016 3 2 2018 4 1 20195th 3 1Total5/3416 8
Mediterranean Games Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
YearPosition 1975 1979 4th 1983 5th 1987 1991 1993 1997 2001 2005 2009 2013 2018 2022 2026 Total14/14
Islamic Solidarity Games Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place
YearPositionWL 201732 202140 202550Total3/3 12 2
Team Current squad Roster for the 2026 Women's European Volleyball Championship. Head coach: Daniele Santarelli Asst. coach: Andrea Zotta
No. Player Birth date and age Height(cm) Block(cm) Spike(cm)1Gizem Örge1732632703Cansu Özbay1792942994Melissa Vargas194315325 6 Saliha Şahin 186 294 3047Hande Baladın1873043108Sinead Jack Kısal195304310 10 Eylül Yatgın 170 270 28511 Derya Cebecioğlu 181 303 30812 Elif Şahin18430230614 Eda Erdem (C) 188302 31515 Deniz Uyanık 195 310 31518 Zehra Güneş198 312 318 20 Yaprak Erkek182 295 300 22 İlkin Aydın183 298 299
Current squad (B) Roster for the 2026 Mediterranean Games.
Head coach: Gökhan Durmaz Asst. coach: Hakan Can Turan
No. Player Birth date and age Height(cm) Block(cm) Spike(cm)1Simay Kurt1732602854Tuğba İvegin1842602655Merve Atlıer1913053108Defne Başyolcu19330431610İdil Naz Başcan18529030012Arelya Karasoy Koçaş (C)18128329113Dilay Özdemir18928830414Liza Safronova19328329116Berka Buse Özden18731031526Begüm Kaçmaz18827029634Beren Yeşilırmak18626829077 Aylin Uysalcan196305320
Notable squads
Olympic Games squads
2012 Summer Olympics – 9th place Gülden Kayalar, Gizem Güreşen, Polen Uslupehlivan, Bahar Toksoy, Özge Kırdar, Gözde Kırdar, Naz Aydemir, Esra Gümüş, Neriman Özsoy, Eda Erdem, Neslihan Demir Darnel, Büşra Cansu Head coach: Marco Aurelio Motta 2020 Summer Olympics – 5th place Simge Aköz, Cansu Özbay, Tuğba Şenoğlu, Şeyma Ercan, Kübra Akman, Hande Baladın, Meliha İsmailoğlu, Naz Aydemir, Meryem Boz, Eda Erdem Dündar, Zehra Güneş, Ebrar Karakurt Head coach: Giovanni Guidetti 2024 Summer Olympics – 4th place Gizem Örge, Cansu Özbay, Melissa Vargas, Hande Baladın, Meliha Diken, Derya Cebecioğlu, Elif Şahin, Eda Erdem Dündar, Zehra Güneş, Aslı Kalaç, İlkin Aydın, Ebrar Karakurt Head coach: Daniele Santarelli
World Championship squads
2025 FIVB World Championship – Silver Medal Gizem Örge, Cansu Özbay, Melissa Vargas, Hande Baladın, Sinead Jack Kısal, Derya Cebecioğlu, Elif Şahin, Eda Erdem Dündar, Zehra Güneş, Aslı Kalaç, Yaprak Erkek, İlkin Aydın, Eylül Akarçeşme, Ebrar Karakurt Head coach: Daniele Santarelli
World Cup squads
2023 FIVB Olympic Qualification Tournaments / World Cup – Gold Medal Gizem Örge, Simge Şebnem Aköz, Cansu Özbay, Melissa Vargas, Ayça Aykaç, Kübra Akman, Hande Baladın, Derya Cebecioğlu, Elif Şahin, Eda Erdem, Zehra Güneş, Aslı Kalaç, İlkin Aydın, Ebrar Karakurt Head coach: Daniele Santarelli
World Grand Prix squads
2012 FIVB World Grand Prix – Bronze Medal Gülden Kayalar Kuzubaşıoğlu, Gözde Kırdar Sonsırma, Gizem Güreşen, Ergül Avcı, Bahar Toksoy, Güldeniz Önal, Naz Aydemir, Esra Gümüş, Neriman Özsoy, Eda Erdem, Neslihan Darnel and Nilay Özdemir Head coach: Marco Aurelio Motta
Nations League squads
2023 FIVB Nations League – Gold Medal Gizem Örge, Simge Şebnem Aköz, Cansu Özbay, Melissa Vargas, Ayça Aykaç, Kübra Akman, Hande Baladın, Derya Cebecioğlu, Elif Şahin, Eda Erdem (C), Saliha Şahin, Zehra Güneş, Aslı Kalaç, İlkin Aydın, Ebrar Karakurt Head coach: Daniele Santarelli 2026 FIVB Nations League – Gold Medal Gizem Örge, Cansu Özbay, Melissa Vargas, Saliha Şahin, Hande Baladın, Sinead Jack Kısal, Eylül Yatgın, Elif Şahin, Deniz Uyanık, Berka Buse Özden, Zehra Güneş, Yaprak Erkek, İlkin Aydın, Defne Başyolcu Head coach: Daniele Santarelli 2018 FIVB Nations League – Silver Medal Gizem Örge, Simge Şebnem Aköz, Kübra Akman, Beyza Arıcı, Şeyma Ercan, Hande Baladın, Buse Ünal, Meliha İsmailoğlu, Fulden Ural, Aslıhan Kılıç, Cansu Özbay, Meryem Boz, Eda Erdem, Zehra Güneş, Gamze Alikaya, Ceren Kapucu, Aylin Sarıoğlu, Yağmur Mislina Kılıç, Ebrar Karakurt, Saliha Şahin, Yasemin Güveli Head coach: Giovanni Guidetti 2021 FIVB Nations League – Bronze Medal Simge Şebnem Aköz, Cansu Özbay, Tuğba Şenoğlu, Şeyma Ercan, Kübra Akman, Hande Baladın, Yasemin Güveli, Meliha İsmailoğlu, Ayça Aykaç, Naz Aydemir, Meryem Boz, Eda Erdem, Zehra Güneş, Aslı Kalaç, Ebrar Karakurt Head coach: Giovanni Guidetti
European Championship squads
2023 European Championship – Gold Medal Gizem Örge, Simge Şebnem Aköz, Cansu Özbay, Melissa Vargas, Ayça Aykaç, Kübra Akman, Hande Baladın, Derya Cebecioğlu, Elif Şahin, Eda Erdem (C), Zehra Güneş, Aslı Kalaç, İlkin Aydın, Ebrar Karakurt Head coach: Daniele Santarelli 2026 European Championship – Gold Medal Gizem Örge, Cansu Özbay, Melissa Vargas, Saliha Şahin, Hande Baladın, Sinead Jack Kısal, Eylül Yatgın, Derya Cebecioğlu, Elif Şahin, Eda Erdem, Deniz Uyanık, Zehra Güneş, Yaprak Erkek, İlkin Aydın Head coach: Daniele Santarelli 2003 European Championship – Silver Medal Bahar Mert, Esra Gümüş, Sinem Akap, Özlem Özçelik, Aysun Özbek, Natalia Hanikoğlu, Mesude Kuyan, Pelin Çelik, Çiğdem Can, Gülden Kayalar, Seda Tokatlıoğlu and Neslihan Darnel Head coach: Reşat Yazıcıoğulları 2019 European Championship – Silver Medal Simge Şebnem Aköz, Cansu Özbay, Şeyma Ercan, Kübra Akman, Hande Baladın, Meliha İsmailoğlu, Naz Aydemir, Gözde Yılmaz, Meryem Boz, Eda Erdem, Zehra Güneş, Aylin Sarıoğlu, Fatma Yıldırım, Ebrar Karakurt Head coach: Giovanni Guidetti 2011 European Championship – Bronze Medal