The Women’s Volleyball Nations League 2026 resumes on Wednesday with three host cities: Pasig City, Bangkok and Ankara set to stage the second week of preliminary-round action.
A total of 36 matches will be played across the Philippines, Thailand and Türkiye as teams continue their battle for a place in the Finals, which will be held in China.
Heavyweights Head to Pasig City
Some of the tournament’s biggest contenders will meet in Pasig City, including Japan, Italy and the United States.
Japan remain unbeaten after the opening week and will begin their campaign in the Philippines against Serbia. Italy, the reigning VNL champions, return to action looking to bounce back after Brazil ended their remarkable 39-match winning streak.
The United States, meanwhile, face the Dominican Republic in their opening match.
Attention will quickly turn to two blockbuster clashes later in the week, with Italy taking on the USA on Saturday before meeting Japan in a highly anticipated showdown on Sunday.
Thailand Looks for Home Success
Bangkok hosts a pool featuring Poland, Bulgaria, Canada, the Netherlands, Ukraine and Thailand.
The home side is still searching for its first victory of the season and will hope home support can spark a turnaround when it faces Ukraine on Wednesday.
Poland, one of the strongest teams in the competition, enter the week aiming to strengthen their position near the top of the standings.
Brazil Leads the Way in Ankara
Unbeaten Brazil arrive in Ankara as the tournament leaders after a perfect 4-0 start.
The Brazilians open their week against France, while hosts Türkiye face Belgium as they look to improve on a mixed start to the campaign.
China, who will host this year’s Finals, also feature in Ankara and begin their week against Germany.
One of the standout matches of the week sees Brazil take on China on Saturday, while Türkiye and China will close out the action on Sunday.
With only one preliminary week remaining after this round, every match carries added importance as the race for qualification heats up.