Dominican Republic Set for Another VNL Challenge

March 31, 2026.- Dominican Republic heads into another Volleyball Nations League season in 2026 determined to remain among the tournament’s strongest teams. The Caribbean side have built a programme that consistently challenges leading nations on the international stage.

That resilience was again on display during the 2025 VNL season. Dominican Republic finished 12th overall with five wins and seven losses, collecting 13 points across the tournament. Their campaign included two demanding five-set victories against Serbia and the Netherlands, while straight-set wins over Thailand and Belgium showed the team’s ability to control matches against different styles of opposition.

They also pushed some of the tournament’s strongest sides deep into matches. One of the standout encounters came against China, when Dominican Republic forced a deciding set before narrowly losing 3-2 in a match highlighted by a 33-point performance from Brayelin Martinez.

The team carried that competitive edge into the 2025 FIVB Women’s World Championship in Thailand. Dominican Republic finished second in their pool with victories over Colombia and Mexico to advance to the Round of 16. There they faced Brazil, taking the opening set before eventually falling 3-1 in an intense contest that brought their tournament run to a close among the top teams.

Behind that sustained presence at the highest level stands one of the most stable programmes in international volleyball. The FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme has played a significant role in supporting the Dominican Republic by providing targeted support for more than USD 1,260,000 in funding since 2021 through the federation’s Coach Support project.

That investment has helped retain head coach Marcos Kwiek, who has led the national team since 2008. His long tenure has allowed Dominican Republic to maintain a clear playing identity built around powerful attacking, aggressive serving and disciplined defensive organisation.

In addition to that, FIVB has provide the women’s national team with equipment support with a total amount of USD 66,500.

The programme has also supported the gradual integration of younger players into the national team environment. At the same time, experienced leaders remain central to the squad.

The 2026 VNL will once again feature 18 teams competing across three weeks of preliminary play before the Finals take place in Macao, China from 22 to 26 July.

Dominican Republic will open their campaign in Week 1 in Brasilia in Brazil from 3-7 June, before travelling for Week 2 from 17-21 June and concluding the preliminary phase in Hong Kong, China during Week 3 from 8-12 July. 

In Brasilia, they are in the same pool as Brazil, Italy, Türkiye, the Netherlands and Bulgaria. The second week places them in a pool with Japan, Serbia, Italy, the United States and Czechia, before the preliminary phase concludes in Hong Kong where the pool includes China, Canada, Italy, Ukraine and Belgium.