Romania secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the U18 Women’s EuroBasket Championship by defeating Portugal 62-46 in an electrifying atmosphere at the newly opened Danubius Arena in Tulcea.
This match also marked a milestone for Danubius Arena, which was inaugurated specifically for this tournament. For the first time since its opening, the arena reached full capacity with all 4,670 seats occupied.
With the encouragement of an enthusiastic crowd, the Romanian team achieved one of the most significant performances of the tournament. Daria Ilieș led the scoring with 24 points, while Alexia Babadac contributed 16 points.
Historic Win and Full House at Danubius Arena
“FULL HOUSE IN TULCEA! WE MADE HISTORY! Romania is in the quarterfinals! What a night in Tulcea! What an atmosphere! What a team! The girls defeated Portugal 62-46 to qualify for the FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket 2026, Division B! This victory came in a completely packed Danubius Arena. 4,670 people filled the venue to the last seat and propelled Romania to victory. 4,670 voices united as one. A win. A qualification. ROMANIA! Thank you for every cheer and every moment you stood by the girls. The story continues. See you tomorrow at Danubius Arena for the match against the Netherlands! We need you again. Together we move forward! GO, ROMANIA!” stated the Romanian Basketball Federation on social media.
The arena in Tulcea is the fifth largest multi-purpose venue in Romania, following BT Arena in Cluj (10,000 seats), Sala Polivalentă in Bucharest (5,300), Sala Polivalentă in Oradea (5,300), and Pitești Arena (4,900). Construction of the impressive arena, nicknamed the “UFO” of Tulcea due to its shape, began in 2022 and opened its doors at the end of July for this tournament.
