VNL 2025: all results of second week – Brazil to the top followed by Poland and Italy

Second week of 2025 Volleyball Nations League has been completed on Sunday.
To the top Brazil with 20 points who, in Pool 5 in Chicago, USA, completed their almost perfect campaign with a 3-0 (25:22, 25:16, 25:23) win over China, a tie break win against now third-placed Italy, 3-2 (25:22, 21:25, 33:31, 17:25, 15:13), and a 3-1 (25:21, 25:21, 21:25, 28:26) win over No.2 Poland.
Brazil opened their campaign at the NOW Arena with a confident 3-0 win over Canada (25:22, 25:17, 25:17), with Alan Souza who led the scoring with 15 points, and Henrique Honorato who added 11.
“It’s the start of a new week, and I’m proud of how we played,” he said. “We were patient and stuck to the plan.”
On the same Pool, Italy defeated Poland in a closely contested five-set match (25:17, 23:25, 21:25, 25:20, 15:11), and this was Poland’s first loss in the tournament. Italy’s Alessandro Michieletto scored 18 points, and Gianluca Galassi added 15 in a balanced team effort.
In the evening match, hosts USA came from behind to beat China 3-2 (25:22, 21:25, 19:25, 25:16, 15:11), with Jordan Ewert who led the winners with 18 points, while Kyle Ensing contributed 12.
USA continued their campaign with a thrilling 3-0 (25:23, 25:22, 30:28) win over Canada in Chicago.
Though the match ended in straight sets, it was a true battle, but the difference was composure and fewer errors, as Canada made 30 unforced mistakes to the winners’ 23.
Gabi Garcia Shines Bright
Gabriel “Gabi” Garcia was great, scoring a match-high 19 points with three aces and a powerful 68% attack success rate, while Young outside hitter Cooper Robinson added 13 points, proving he’s ready for the spotlight. Meanwhile, Canada’s captain Fynnian McCarthy led his team with 13 points but couldn’t turn the tide.
World champions Italy bounced back in style in the competition, sweeping the United States 3-0 (25:21, 25:22, 25:18) to finish the week on a high note and reclaim third place in the standings.
After a loss to Brazil the day before, the Italians returned with focus and composure, with Kamil Rychlicki who led the charge with 17 points, while teammates Alessandro Michieletto and Luca Porro added 12 and 10 points. Italy dominated in serving, blocking, and forced errors, showing clear control from the first whistle.
“It was a strong week overall,” said Rychlicki. “We’ve got a great mix of young energy and experience—we’re building something good here.”
With this win, Italy moves to six wins and two losses, with 17 points and trailing only Brazil and Poland. Usa, despite solid efforts from Cooper Robinson (11 points) and Gabi Garcia (10), couldn’t hold off the European powerhouse, and they now sit 13th in the standings.
“We’re learning and improving every match,” Garcia shared. “The journey’s just beginning.”
Earlier in the day in Chicago, Canada swept China 3-0 (25:23, 25:20, 25:23), while Brazil secured a 3-1 victory over Poland (25:21, 25:21, 21;25, 28:26).

About the others, in Pool 4 in Burgas, Bulgaria, Slovenia destroyed Turkiye to rise in VNL Rankings, kicking off their second week in the competition with a commanding 3-0 (25:16, 25:22, 25:18) success.
Led by opposite Toncek Stern with 14 points and two aces, they were dominant across the board, with outside hitters Rok Mozic and 21-year-old Rok Bracko who added 12 points each, and the second one boasted an excellent 65% attack success rate.
Despite the absence of some top players, Slovenia’s chemistry and execution were near flawless. “We are happy to play the kind of volleyball we love,” he said, highlighting their coach-driven strategy.
Defending champions France made quick work of Ukraine with a straight-set victory (25:23, 25:21, 25:17), marking a strong start to Week 2. Theo Faure topped the charts with 18 points, including four aces and two blocks, while Trevor Clevenot contributed 16 with consistent all-around play.
“We had to push hard in the first set, and from there our serve and block made the difference,” said Antoine Pothron, who also contributed with 11 points.
Meanwhile, in front of a fired-up home crowd in Burgas, the hosts pulled off a major surprise, sweeping Japan in straight sets (27:25, 25:23, 25:19).
The energy at Arena Burgas was electric, and the home team fed off it, with Aleksandar Nikolov leading the charge with 17 points, backed by Aleks Grozdanov’s 12 and Venislav Antov’s 11.
“It was an incredible night,” said Nikolov. “The fans really lifted us, and we’re going to keep fighting.”
Japan, last year’s silver medalists, couldn’t find their rhythm, with Masato Kai who scored 13 points, but it wasn’t enough to stop Bulgaria’s momentum.
Pool 4 continued with Ukraine who continued to impress in their VNL debut, sweeping Türkiye 3-0 (25:11, 25:22, 25:21), with Dmytro Yanchuk and Vasyl Tupchii powered the win with a combined 35 points.
“This win was huge for us,” said middle blocker Oleksandr Koval. “We’re focused on reaching the Finals.”
Japan also bounced back from a loss with a thrilling 3-2 win (25:22, 19:25, 22:25, 25:20, 15:11) over reigning Olympic champs France with an amazing performance from Kento Miyaura, finishing with 23 points, including the match-winning ace.
However, capping off the day, VNL newcomers Ukraine stunned Japan in a wild five-sets battle 3-2 (24:26, 25:17, 25:18, 22:25, 15:13). Illia Kovalov powered the historic win with 21 points.
The home crowd roared again as Bulgaria came from behind to upset world No.4 Slovenia 3-1 (18:25, 25:23, 25:21, 25:22).
Japan wrapped up Week 2 of the Volleyball Nations League in style, sweeping Slovenia 3-0 (27:25, 25:15, 25:16), with Kento Miyaura who led the charge with 17 points, while Tatsunori Otsuka and Shoma Tomita added 15 and 13, respectively. After a tight first set, Japan controlled the match, closing with confidence and precision.
Nik Mujanovic was Slovenia lone standout with 16 points.
Japan’s Larry Ik Evbade-Dan praised the supportive crowd, saying, “It felt great to play in such a kind environment. We’re thankful for the fans.”
Slovenia’s Dejan Vincic vowed to regroup: “We’ll go home, learn, and fight for a spot in the Finals.”
France cruised past Turkiye in straight sets (25:20, 25:18, 25:19). Theo Faure led with 16 points. “We’re building every day,” he noted after the match.
Ukraine pulled off one of the week’s surprises, coming from behind to beat Bulgaria 3-1. After dropping the first set, they rallied with confidence, turning the match leaving the home crowd stunned.
In other matches, Japan cruised past Slovenia in straight sets, showing off all their efficiency, while France comfortably defeated Türkiye, underlining their consistency in the tournament.

In Pool 6 in Belgrade, Serbia, after enduring travel delays and minimal rest, Cuba powered through to secure a 3-1 (19:25, 25:18, 25:22, 25:21) win over Germany. Jose Gutierrez led the charge with 20 points, including a great match-ending ace and 68% attack efficiency. Fellow scorers Jose Masso, Javier Concepcion, and Marlon Yant all reached a double digits.
“Despite being tired, we stayed positive and fought hard,” said Javier Concepcion, praising the team’s resilience.
On the same Pool, Iran secured a 3-1 victory over Serbia (25:21, 25:19, 23:25, 25:23), with absolute top scorer Amin Esmaeilnezhad who scored as many as 31 points, guiding them to a strong start to their second week of play.
Germany shook off a slow start to beat the Netherlands 3-1 (24:26, 25:22, 25:21, 26:24), with Filip John who led the charge with 20 points, while Cuba took control after the first set to defeat hosts Serbia 3-1 (22:25, 25:22, 25:16, 25:16), keeping their Finals hopes alive with a strong all-around performance.
Cuba dazzled for a third-straight day, pulling off yet another comeback—this time against the Netherlands. After losing the first set, they stormed back 3-1 (21:25, 25:18, 25:21, 30:28), led by Marlon Yant, who once again led the charge with 21 points.
Earlier in the Serbian capital, Iran overpowered Argentina 3-1 (25:21, 22:25, 25:22, 25:22), with Morteza Sharifi and Ali Haghparast lighting up the court.
Iran clinched a gripping 3-2 victory over the Netherlands, with Amin Esmaeilnezhad and 20-year-old Poriya Hossein Khanzadeh Firouzjah delivering standout performances. The comeback win lifts Iran to eighth in the VNL standings, boosting their Finals hopes.
Amin and Dutch counterpart Michiel Ahyi each scored 22 points, while Poriya added 21, helping Iran overcome a strong Dutch block. Despite being outblocked 13-7, the winners capitalized on errors to seal the win. “We played better today and must keep improving,” Amin said.
After opening the 2025 Volleyball Nations League with a win against Turkey, Serbian team has now suffered seven consecutive defeats, and the latest coming on Sunday night against a great and disciplined Germany.
The 1-3 loss (20:25, 21:25, 25:23, 17:25) was another blow in front of home fans, with Serbia briefly sparked hope by taking the third set, but Germany’s control and composure crushed any comeback dreams in the decisive fourth one.
Despite support at home, Serbia couldn’t find answers. Now sitting at the bottom of the standings, their place in the elite division is under threat.
In contrast, Argentina wrapped their week with a big five-set win over Cuba, climbing into the top seven. Germany, too, enjoyed their time in Belgrade, collecting three wins and rising fast. Cuba, despite falling to Argentina in a hard-fought 3-2 match, impressed with earlier wins over Serbia (3-1) and Netherlands (3-2). José Masso and Miguel Ángel López kept Cuba in the playoff zone. Earlier in the day Iran clinched a gripping 3-2 victory over the Netherlands.
Up next for Serbia: four final matches in Ljubljana, against Italy, Ukraine, Canada, and Slovenia, and It’s their last shot to avoid relegation.

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🏐FIVB Volleyball Nations League 2025 | All results of Week 2

— Wednesday | June 25, 2025 —

| Pool 4 – Week 2 – Burgas 🇧🇬
• 12.30 (Local Time) | Ukraine – France 0-3 (23:25, 21:25, 17:25)
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Slovenia 0-3 (16:25, 22:25, 18:25)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Japan 3-0 (27:25, 25:23, 25:19)

| Pool 5 – Week 2 – Chicago 🇺🇸
• 12.30 (Local Time) | Italy – Poland 3-2 (25:17, 23:25, 21:25, 25:20, 15:11)
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Canada – Brazil 0-3 (22:25, 17:25, 17:25)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | China – USA 2-3 (22:25, 25:21, 25:19, 16:25, 11:15)

| Pool 6 – Week 2 – Belgrade 🇷🇸
• 13.00 (Local Time) | Germany – Cuba 1-3 (25:19, 18:25, 22:25, 21:25)
• 16.30 (Local Time) | The Netherlands – Argentina 0-3 (20:25, 14:25, 22:25)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Serbia – Iran 1-3 (21:25, 19:25, 25:23, 23:25)

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— Thursday | June 26, 2025 —

| Pool 4 – Week 2 – Burgas 🇧🇬
• 15.00 (Local Time) | France – Japan 2-3 (22:25, 25:19, 25:22, 20:25, 11:15)
• 18.30 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Ukraine 0-3 (11:25, 22:25, 21:25)

| Pool 5 – Week 2 – Chicago 🇺🇸
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Brazil – China 3-0 (25:22, 25:16, 25:23)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Canada – USA 0-3 (23:25, 22:25, 28:30)

| Pool 6 – Week 2 – Belgrade 🇷🇸
• 16.30 (Local Time) | The Netherlands – Germany 1-3 (26:24, 22:25, 21:25, 24:26)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Serbia – Cuba 1-3 (25:22, 22:25, 16:25, 16:25)

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— Friday | June 27, 2025 —

| Pool 4 – Week 2 – Burgas 🇧🇬
• 15.00 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Japan 3-2 (24:26, 25;17, 25:18, 22:25, 15:13)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Slovenia 3-1 (18:25, 25:23, 25:21, 25:22)

| Pool 5 – Week 2 – Chicago 🇺🇸
• 16.00 (Local Time) | China – Italy 0-3 (18:25, 15:25, 19:25)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Canada – Poland 2-3 (32:30, 25:14, 17:25, 23:25, 13:15)

| Pool 6 – Week 2 – Belgrade 🇷🇸
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Argentina – Iran 1-3 (21:25, 25:22, 22:25, 22:25)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | The Netherlands – Cuba 1-3 (25:21, 18:25, 21:25, 28:30)

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— Saturday | June 28, 2025 —

| Pool 4 – Week 2 – Burgas 🇧🇬
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Slovenia – France 0-3 (23:25, 27:29, 23:25)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Türkiye 0-3 (20:25, 20:25, 21:25)

| Pool 5 – Week 2 – Chicago 🇺🇸
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Brazil – Italy 3-2 (25:22, 21:25, 33:31, 17:25, 15:13)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | USA – Poland 0-3 (20:25, 21:25, 22:25)

| Pool 6 – Week 2 – Belgrade 🇷🇸
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Germany – Iran 3-1 (25:22, 23:25, 26:24, 25:22)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Serbia – Argentina 1-3 (25:18, 18:25, 23:25, 12:25)

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— Sunday | June 29, 2025 —

| Pool 4 – Week 2 – Burgas 🇧🇬
• 12.00 (Local Time) | Slovenia – Japan 0-3 (20:25, 21:25, 22:25)
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Türkiye – France 0-3 (20:25, 18:25, 19:25)
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Ukraine 1-3 (25:20, 19:25, 24:26, 22:25)

| Pool 5 – Week 2 – Chicago 🇺🇸
• 12.30 (Local Time) | China – Canada 0-3 (23:25, 20:25, 23:25)
• 16.00 (Local Time) | Brazil – Poland 3-1 (25:21, 25:21, 21:25, 28:26)
• 19.30 (Local Time) | USA – Italy 0-3 (21:25, 22:25, 18:25)

| Pool 6 – Week 2 – Belgrade 🇷🇸
• 13.00 (Local Time) | Iran – The Netherlands 3-2 (25:19, 22:25, 21:25, 25:19, 15:9)
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Cuba – Argentina 2-3 (25:23, 23:25, 21:25. 25:21, 11:15)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Germany – Serbia 3-1 (25:20, 25:21, 23:25, 25:17)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on Sunday, June 29 2025)
1. Brazil 20
2. Poland 18
3. Italy 17
4. Japan 15
5. France 15
6. Ukraine 15
7. Germany 15
8. Argentina 13
9. Cuba 13
10. Iran 12
11. Bulgaria 11
12. Slovenia 11
13. Canada 11
14. USA 10
15. China 7
16. Türkiye 6
17. The Netherlands 4
18. Serbia 3

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🏐| NEXT GAMES

— Wednesday | July 16, 2025 —

| Pool 7 – Week 3 – Gdansk 🇵🇱
• 13.00 (Local Time) | China – France
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Cuba
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Iran – Poland

| Pool 8 – Week 3 – Ljubljana 🇸🇮
• 13.00 (Local Time) | Ukraine – The Netherlands
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Serbia – Italy
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Canada – Slovenia

| Pool 9 – Week 3 – Chiba 🇯🇵
• 12.00 (Local Time) | Argentina – Brazil
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Türkiye – USA
• 19.20 (Local Time) | Germany – Japan

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— Thursday | July 17, 2025 —

| Pool 7 – Week 3 – Gdansk 🇵🇱
• 16.30 (Local Time) | China – Iran
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Cuba – Poland

| Pool 8 – Week 3 – Ljubljana 🇸🇮
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Italy
• 20.30 (Local Time) | The Netherlands – Slovenia

| Pool 9 – Week 3 – Chiba 🇯🇵
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Germany
• 19.20 (Local Time) | Argentina – Japan

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— Friday | July 18, 2025 —

| Pool 7 – Week 3 – Gdansk 🇵🇱
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Cuba – France
• 20.00 (Local Time) | China – Bulgaria

| Pool 8 – Week 3 – Ljubljana 🇸🇮
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Serbia
• 20.00 (Local Time) | The Netherlands – Canada

| Pool 9 – Week 3 – Chiba 🇯🇵
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Argentina – USA
• 19.20 (Local Time) | Brazil – Japan

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— Saturday | July 19, 2025 —

| Pool 7 – Week 3 – Gdansk 🇵🇱
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Poland
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Iran – France

| Pool 8 – Week 3 – Ljubljana 🇸🇮
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Serbia – Canada
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Slovenia – Italy

| Pool 9 – Week 3 – Chiba 🇯🇵
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Brazil
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Germany – USA

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— Sunday | July 20, 2025 —

| Pool 7 – Week 3 – Gdansk 🇵🇱
• 13.30 (Local Time) | China – Cuba
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Iran
• 20.30 (Local Time) | France – Poland

| Pool 8 – Week 3 – Ljubljana 🇸🇮
• 13.00 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Canada
• 16.30 (Local Time) | The Netherlands – Italy
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Serbia – Slovenia

| Pool 9 – Week 3 – Chiba 🇯🇵
• 11.00 (Local Time) | Türkiye – Argentina
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Germany – Brazil
• 19.20 (Local Time) | USA – Japan

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