VNL 2026 pools and host cities revealed

January 28, 2026.- Official Volleyball Nations League 2026 calendar is out with detailed pool composition and 17 host cities across 12 different countries. Both the women’s and the men’s VNL Finals will be played in China – in Macao and Ningbo, respectively.

Featuring the world’s top 18 women’s teams and top 18 men’s teams, the VNL Preliminary Phase will bring volleyball fans across five continents together from June 3 to July 19, at three different VNL event locations and venues in each competition week. The women’s Finals in Macao will follow from July 22 to 26, and the men’s Finals will take place in Ningbo from July 29 to August 2.

“The VNL continues to showcase the very best of our sport, bringing together teams, fans and communities from across the globe in a shared celebration of volleyball,” Ugo Valensi, CEO of Volleyball World, said. “The VNL 2025 finals broke records that have stood for decades and outperformed some of the world’s most established sports properties, reinforcing its place as one of the most watched international sporting events of the year. Volleyball is capturing the attention and imagination of fans across the globe at an unprecedented scale, and VNL’s continued expansion is creating powerful new opportunities for partners, broadcasters and host cities worldwide.”

Women’s VNL 2026 pool hosts

VNL women’s teams will get into action first. The first competition week will serve off on June 3 and run to June 7. China will host Belgium, Czechia, last year’s bronze medalists Poland, Serbia and Thailand in Nanjing. The Brazilian capital Brasilia will welcome Bulgaria, Dominican Republic, reigning Olympic, world and VNL champions Italy, Netherlands, Türkiye and the home team, which finished with VNL silver in 2025. Meanwhile, the national team of Canada is set to entertain France, Germany, Japan, VNL rookies Ukraine and Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalists USA in Quebec City.

As the second competition week unfolds from June 17 to 21, Czechia, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Serbia and USA will all enjoy the full-hearted support of the fans in the Philippines in the absence of a home team at this tournament. Türkiye will delight its great volleyball fans by organizing a pool in its capital Ankara, where the home favorites, 2025 World Championship runners-up, will compete in the company of Belgium, Brazil, China, France and Germany. The host city of the third pool during the second week, featuring Bulgaria, Canada, Netherlands, Poland, Thailand and Ukraine is yet to be determined.

The third competition week, when the Preliminary Phase standings will be finalized and all seven teams joining hosts China in Macao will be known, is set to take place from July 8 to 12. Japan will welcome Brazil, Poland, Thailand, Türkiye and USA to Kansai. In Hong Kong, China will host Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Italy and Ukraine, while the Serbian capital Belgrade will stage an all-European pool featuring Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Germany, Netherlands and hosts Serbia.

Men’s VNL 2026 pool hosts

Traditionally, VNL men’s teams will join the action a week later than the women and the first competition week will run from June 10 to 14, taking place in the same three countries as the women’s. The Chinese city of Linyi will organize the matches in a pool featuring Cuba, Japan, defending VNL champions Poland, Slovenia, Ukraine and the host team. Last year’s bronze medalists Brazil will play host to Argentina, VNL newcomers Belgium, 2025 World Championship silver medalists Bulgaria, Iran and Serbia in Brasilia. Canada will entertain Olympic champions France, Germany, world champions Italy, Türkiye and Paris 2024 bronze medalists USA in their capital city Ottawa.

The number one team in the FIVB World Ranking, Poland, who are also silver medalists from the last Olympic Games and bronze medalists from the last World Championship, will host one of the pools in the second competition week to be held from June 24 to 28 entirely in Europe. They will be joined by Argentina, Belgium, China, Germany and Türkiye in Gliwice. Slovenia will welcome Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Italy and Ukraine to their capital Ljubljana, while in Orleans, hosts France will be in the company of Cuba, Iran, Japan, Serbia and USA.

After hosting women’s pools, Kansai and Belgrade will also organize men’s pools during the third competition week from July 15 to 19. Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Cuba and Italy will travel to Japan, while Germany, Iran, Slovenia, Türkiye and Ukraine will travel to Serbia. The remaining six teams – Brazil, Bulgaria, China, France, Poland and hosts USA – will compete in Chicago.