VNL 2026: Five games ended at tie break closed first week’s last day! Victory for Poland (in Linyi), Belgium, Brazil, Turkiye and Italy. Serbia and Germany ok

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After three games played in Linyi, China, first week of 2026 Volleyball Nations League has been closed today with last three games with other three games in Brazil and Canada, four of them ended at tie break.

With about eight thousand in the stands in Brasilia to enjoy the South American classic between Brazil and Argentina, the hosts delighted the crowd with an amazing comeback from two sets down to finish the week undefeated and to the top of the current standings with a 4-0 win-loss record and 11 points, ahead of Japan on point ratios.
On the other hand, Argentina gained their first point of the season and, on 0-4 and 1, unstuck themselves from the very bottom of the table, overtaking Cuba to the 17th place on set ratios. Brazilian setter Fernando Kreling (Cachopa) led five of his teammates to the double digits in scoring on the way to a 3-2 (18:25, 26:24, 25:19, 25:23, 15:9) victory, with middle blocker Judson Nunes who led the charge with 15 points to his name. Outside hitters Henrique Honorato and Adriano Cavalcante, middle Matheus Pinta and opposite Darlan Souza put away 13, 12, 12 and 11 points, respectively, while Argentina’s Luciano Vicentin was the absolute top scorer of the match with 24 points, including four blocks.
The competition day in Brasilia started with a five-set duel between VNL rookies Belgium and Iran. 22-year-old opposite Ferre Reggers led the Europeans to a 3-2 (25:23, 25:22, 23:25, 17:25, 15:12) victory with 24 points to his name, while 22-year-old outside Pierre Perin excelled from the serving line with five aces to record a total of 20 points. His 21-year-old Iranian counterpart Ali Haghparast emerged as the best scorer of the match with 27 points, including two aces and two blocks.
In the Balkan classic, Serbia delivered a 3-0 (30:28, 25:22, 25:23) upset of World Championship silver medalists Bulgaria, with outside hitter Lazar Marinovic (two aces and two blocks) and opposite Veljko Masulovic who led the winners with 14 and 13 points, respectively, while Bulgaria’s 22-year-old bomber Aleksandar Nikolov once again emerged as the match top scorer, with 21 points, all in attack.

In Ottawa, Canada, in another rollercoaster match, reigning world champions Italy – celebrated a 3-2 (25:18, 15:25, 25:19, 18:25, 15:10) win over the United States. The two teams ended the week as neighbors in the standings on 3-1 and 9 each. Spiking at a 60% success rate, 22-year-old outside hitter Luca Porro contributed a team-high 23 points to Italy’s success, including three aces and two blocks, while captain Mattia Bottolo, who entered the match as a substitution during the second set, produced another 14 points, and 19-year-old middle blocker Pardo Mati and opposite Kamil Rychlicki tallied 10 points each. American opposite Jake Hanes impressed with five aces and two kill blocks towards a match-high 25 points.
On the same Pool, Türkiye achieved their second win in an exciting five-setter against hosts Canada to close the week in 11th place on 2-2 and 5 points and hand the rivals their third tie-breaker defeat, leaving them in 13th place on 1-3 and 6. Middle blocker Ahmet Tumer (including two ace and two blocks) and outside hitter Efe Bayram (one ace and one block) contributed a team-high 14 points each towards their team 3-2 (25:21, 17:25, 25:23, 14:25, 15:8) victory. The team’s other middle blocker Bedirhan Bulbul also reached the double digits with 10 points, while Canada’s outside hitter Jackson Young was the top scorer of the match with 18 points to his name including two aces and a block.
Close the picture a great Germany, who inflicted Olympic champions France another defeat this week in Ottawa. After an epic first set in the Canadian capital, the two European neighbors went to four sets, with the Germans celebrating a well-deserved 3-1 (40:38, 19:25, 25:20, 25:22) win. l
The two opposites – Germany’s Filip John (two aces and one block) and France’s Stephen Boyer shared the match top scorer honors with 19 points each, while German outside hitter Moritz Reichert shined with four aces towards a 12-point total, and middle blockers Simon Torwie and Tobias Krick tallied 14 and 12 points, respectively.

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🏐| FIVB Volleyball Nations League 2026 | Games of the day

— Sunday | June 14, 2026 —

Pool 3 – Week 1 – Linyi 🇨🇳
• 13.00 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Poland 2-3 (25:19, 25:18, 22:25, 21:25, 11:15)
• 16.30 (Local Time) | China – Cuba 3-0 (25:21, 25:19, 25:23)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Slovenia – Japan 1-3 (27:25, 16:25, 22:25, 22:25)

| Pool 2 – Week 1 – Brasilia 🇧🇷
• 11.00 (Local Time) | Belgium – Iran 3-2 (25:23, 25:22, 23:25, 17:25, 15:12)
• 14.30 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Serbia 0-3 (28:30, 22:25, 23:25)
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Brazil – Argentina 3-2 (18:25, 24:26, 25:19, 25:23, 15:9)

| Pool 1 – Week 1 – Ottawa 🇨🇦
• 11.00 (Local Time) | Germany – France 3-1 (40:38, 19:25, 25:20, 25:22)
• 14.30 (Local Time) | Canada – Türkiye 2-3 (21:25, 25:17, 23:25, 25:14, 8:15)
• 18.00 (Local Time) | USA – Italy 2-3 (18:25, 25:15, 19:25, 25:18, 10:15)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Brazil 11
2. Japan 11
3. Italy 9
4. USA 9
5. Serbia 9
6. Poland 7
7. Ukraine 7
8. Slovenia 6
9. Bulgaria 6
10. Canada 6
11. Belgium 5
12. Türkiye 5
13. Germany 5
14. China 4
15. Iran 4
16. France 2
17. Cuba 1
18. Argentina 0

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🏐| NEXT GAMES

— Wednesday | June 24, 2026—

| Pool 5 – Week 2 – Gliwice 🇵🇱
• 13.00 (Local Time) | China – Türkiye
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Argentina – Germany
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Poland – Belgium

| Pool 6 – Week 2 – Ljubljana 🇸🇮
• 13.00 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Italy
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Brazil
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Slovenia – Canada

| Pool 4 – Week 2 – Orléans 🇫🇷
• 13.30 (Local Time) | Serbia – Japan
• 17.00 (Local Time) | Cuba – USA
• 20.30 (Local Time) | France – Iran

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