VNL Council meets ahead of landmark 2026 season

February 28, 2026.- The Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Council convened online this week to review the incredible success of VNL 2025 and prepare for the upcoming 2026 edition, with the women’s tournament starting on 3 June and the men’s on 10 June.

During the Council meeting, members reflected on what was a remarkable VNL 2025, which broke records for the sport worldwide. Globally, the VNL attracted 1.72 billion cumulative viewers across 80 territories. VBTV recorded 22.7 million views and 819 million minutes of content watched, while social media engagement included 2,987 posts. Host cities benefited from USD 158 million in TV advertising equivalent value, and total attendance across all venues reached 883,000 – an 8% increase per match compared to 2024.

Records were broken in specific markets too. In Brazil, more than 665 hours of dedicated coverage aired in 2025, a 24% increase from the previous year. On pay TV, the VNL dominated the sports charts, securing all of the top 10 live sports broadcasts in 2025. With a weekly average cumulative audience of 1.6 million, volleyball outperformed other major live sports properties, including Formula 1, Wimbledon, and the NBA.

Poland also saw a surge in interest, with just over 1,046 hours of coverage, a 42% increase from 2024. The Men’s Final between Poland and Italy drew a combined audience of 3.8 million across Polsat Sport 1 and free-to-air television, marking the largest sports audience on Polsat Sport in 25 years. In Türkiye, coverage expanded by 63%, reaching nearly 400 hours.

In his opening remarks, FIVB President Fabio Azevedo highlighted the Council’s key role in helping to grow the VNL and continue its success, as well as supporting on the delivery the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032. He stated:

“VNL 2025 was incredible – memories that will stay with me, and I am sure with all of you, forever. We visited so many countries, bringing our fantastic sport to lots of existing and new fans and the activities around the field of play were brilliant too. We all know the positive impact volleyball can have on people’s lives, and it was a real privilege to see this first-hand. The goal for 2026 is to continue delivering this – to empower and inspire everyone in our Global Volleyball Movement and to provide the best possible experiences for all involved in the VNL. Thank you for your help in making this happen”.