Japan undefeated after two weeks of VNL 2026! 3 points for Iran and USA in last games in Orléans

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Second week of Volleyball Nations League 2026 has been completed today in Gliwice (Poland), Ljubljana (Slovenia) and here in Orléans (France) featuring last 3 games in each European city.

Cuba, defeated by Iran (who celebrated second win in the tournament) with the score of 3-1 (25:22, 25:21, 20:25, 30:28) in Orléans, suffered eighth consecutive defeat, remaining the only winless team at the end of Week 2 with a 0-8 record.
Now in serious danger of relegation, Cuba faces a daunting final week as they search for their first victory of the tournament.
Remaining Week 3 opponents: Belgium, Argentina, Canada and Italy
They still have a chance to avoid relegation, but they’ll need a strong finish in Week 3.
But today Cuba also suffered a heartbreaking moment during this match against as middle blocker Javier Concepción sustained a horrific injury after an awkward landing during the match. The injury was so severe that he had to be stretchered off the court to receive immediate medical attention.
Wishing Javier a full and speedy recovery!
Opposite Ali Hajipour led the winners with 20 points, while Cuban outside hitter Marlon Yant was the best scorer of the game with 23 points to his name.

Japan officially remains the only unbeaten team after two weeks of VNL!
In a spectacular five-set battle against their hosts and reigning Olympic champions France, Japan mounted a huge comeback from two sets down to extend their winning streak to eight consecutive matches since the start of the tournament!
More than eight thousand spectators in the packed stands in Orléans saw an amazing clash, in which star outside hitter and captain Yuki Ishikawa led Japan in an epic 3-2 (28:30, 19:25, 25:17, 35:33, 15:12) reverse.
This result kept the undefeated Asian squad to the top of the current VNL standings, on an 8-0 win-loss record and 20 points, while France are still quite far from the quarterfinal zone, in 12th place on 4-4 and 10.
Ishikawa led Japan’s offense with 27 points to his name including three kill blocks and an ace to emerge as the best scorer of the match, while is cross-court teammate Ran Takahashi contributed another 20 points, all in attack, including the match winner. Opposite Kento Miyaura added 17 points at a 52% success rate.

“This was a very important game for us, because both the French team and Japan were on a 3-0 here,” Miyaura said after the game. “Finally, we will get two days off and I am happy!”

Mathis Henno top-scored France with 24 points, while opposite Stephen Boyer added 21, and middle blocker François Huetz added 14
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“It’s tough now…We played a great game, but they never gave up. Until the end they were… Japan,” said France’s setter and captain Antoine Brizard. “I am proud that we fought the battle until the end. We needed to be more precise in some cases. We have to understand together that these games are won on details… But we had a great week and we are here, we are on the level.”

USA now occupied the second place in the table after a 3-1 (25:12, 25:23, 24:26, 25:17) victory over Serbia in last game played here in Orléans in the last match of the week’s program, led by star Matthew Anderson who scored 14 points, while Serbian outside Lazar Marinovic was the top scorer of the match with 16 points.

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

— Sunday | June 28, 2026—

| Pool 5 – Week 2 – Gliwice 🇵🇱
• 13.00 (Local Time) | China – Germany 1-3 (20:25, 20:25, 25:22, 19:25)
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Belgium – Türkiye 0-3 (24:26, 24:26, 17:25)
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Poland – Argentina 3-1 (48:50, 26:24, 25:19, 25:20)

| Pool 6 – Week 2 – Ljubljana 🇸🇮
• 13.00 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Ukraine 3-1 (25:20, 18:25, 25:23, 25:17)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Canada – Brazil 2-3 (17:25, 25:23, 26:28, 25:22, 15:17)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Slovenia – Italy 1-3 (25:23, 19:25, 18:25, 20:25)
📸| PHOTOGALLERY OF THE MATCH

👉🏼 Pool 4 – Week 2 – Orléans 🇫🇷
• 13.30 (Local Time) | Iran – Cuba 3-1 (25:22, 25:21, 20:25, 30:28)
• 17.00 (Local Time) | France – Japan 2-3 (30:28, 25:19, 17:25, 33:25, 12:15)
• 20.30 (Local Time) | Serbia – USA 1-3 (12:25, 23:25, 26:24, 17:25)

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🏐| STANDINGS (updated on this day)
1. Japan 20
2. USA 19
3. Poland 17
4. Ukraine 16
5. Italy 16
6. Slovenia 14
7. Türkiye 14
8. Bulgaria 14
9. Brazil 13
10. Germany 12
11. Serbia 12
12. France 10
13. Belgium 9
14. Iran 9
15. Canada 8
16. Argentina 7
17. China 4
18. Cuba 2

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🏐| NEXT GAMES

— Wednesday | July 15, 2026—

| Pool 9 – Week 3 – Osaka 🇯🇵
• 12.00 (Local Time) | Canada – Argentina
• 15.30 (Local Time) | Belgium – Cuba
• 19.20 (Local Time) | Japan – Italy

| Pool 7 – Week 3 – Belgrade 🇷🇸
• 13.00 (Local Time) | Germany – Slovenia
• 16.30 (Local Time) | Ukraine – Iran
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Serbia – Türkiye

| Pool 8 – Week 3 – Chicago 🇺🇸
• 12.00 (Local Time) | Bulgaria – Poland
• 16.00 (Local Time) | France – Brazil
• 20.00 (Local Time) | USA – China

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