Brazil brought an end to Italy’s historic unbeaten run defeating the reigning Olympic and world champions 3-2 in a thrilling Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2026 clash in Brasília.
Backed by more than 10,600 home fans, Brazilians prevailed 25-15, 25-22, 22-25, 24-26, 15-12 against the top-ranked Italians, handing them their first defeat since June 2024.
Italy entered the match on a remarkable 39-match winning streak that included titles at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the 2025 FIVB Women’s World Championship, and consecutive VNL crowns in 2024 and 2025.
Ana Cristina Souza starred for Brazil with 22 points, Julia Bergmann added 18 points, while Diana Duarte contributed 15.
“We never gave up,” Ana Cristina said after the victory. “This means a lot for our team.”
Italy was led by Ekaterina Antropova, who scored 18 points.
The win leaves Brazil unbeaten after the opening week of the VNL season with four victories and 11 points, level at the top of the standings with Japan.
In other matches, China rallied past Poland in Nanjing, Belgium edged Serbia in a five-set thriller, and Japan maintained their perfect record with a hard-fought victory over host nation Canada.
VNL 2026 – Sunday Results
Brasília, Brazil
- Brazil def. Italy 3-2 (25-15, 25-22, 22-25, 24-26, 15-12)
- Netherlands def. Dominican Republic 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-17)
- Türkiye def. Bulgaria 3-1 (25-12, 25-9, 22-25, 25-18)
Nanjing, China
- China def. Poland 3-1 (16-25, 25-18, 25-23, 26-24)
- Belgium def. Serbia 3-2 (25-20, 25-22, 21-25, 20-25, 15-12)
- Czechia def. Thailand 3-0 (25-14, 25-19, 25-11)
Québec City, Canada
- France def. Ukraine 3-2 (18-25, 15-25, 25-20, 25-19, 15-10)
- United States def. Germany 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-12)
- Japan def. Canada 3-2 (29-27, 25-20, 23-25, 28-30, 15-12)