Nine European sides enter the fray in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League

Nine European sides, including the last two champions, Italy and Türkiye, will line up at the start of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League, which will throw off on Wednesday, 4 June, in Ottawa, Canada, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Beijing, People’s Republic of China.

Poland are already qualified for the final round, which they will host in the Atlas Arena in Łódź, the venue which also hosted the Final Four of the CEV Champions League Men, with seven other sides trying to secure their tickets, as the participating European sides will aim to secure the fourth title for the continent in seven editions, after the United States of America clinched the title in 2018, 2019 and 2021, while Italy won in 2022 and 2024 and Türkiye in 2023.

Powerhouses like Italy, Türkiye, Poland, Serbia or the Netherlands will take part for the seventh consecutive edition in the FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League, with Germany also featuring for the seventh time in the competition.

Bulgaria are also joining for the fifth edition, while Belgium make their comeback after a three-year hiatus, returning for the fifth time in the competition. France are also at the start, for the second time in a row, while Czechia are due to make their debut, as the winners of the 2024 FIVB Women's Volleyball Challenger Cup.

Undoubtedly, Italy, which will be trying to secure their third title and tie the USA in the all-time standings as the most decorated teams in the competition, and Türkiye, the reigning European champions, will be one of the favourites to win, but Poland and Serbia, which have sealed the bronze in the previous three editions, are also dark horses.

Four Asian sides – Japan, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and Thailand – are also at the start, with the table completed by one South American team, Brazil, and three North American sides in Canada, the United States of America and the Dominican Republic.

The first three pools will take place between 4 and 8 June in May, while the second week sees the 16 teams play between 4 and 9 June in Ottawa, Canada, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Beijing, People’s Republic of China.

The next three pools are scheduled between 18 and 22 June in Istanbul, Türkiye, Hong Kong and Belgrade, Serbia, while the last week sees matches played in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, Arlington, USA and Chiba, Japan, between 9 and 13 July.

With Poland already qualified for the final stage, seven spots are still open to be clinched, as the winners will be decided on 27 July, in Łódź, with the quarter-finals scheduled for 23 and 24 July and the semi-finals for 26 July.

Photo credit: FIVB