Ukraine produced one of the biggest upsets in the men’s Volleyball Nations League 2026 so far. As the second competition week got underway in three European cities on Wednesday, last year’s newcomers handed mighty Brazil their first defeat of the season! This year’s newcomers Belgium were also close to stunning the defending champions, but Poland pulled off a reverse sweep, enjoying their return to the top of the FIVB World Ranking, while, in another one of the day’s four five-set battles, Argentina picked up their first win in VNL 2026.
VNL 2026
Ukraine stun Brazil in day’s biggest VNL upset!
Argentina celebrate first VNL 2026 win in one of the day’s four five-setters
Published 11:28, 24 Jun 2026
Oleh Plotnytskyi crowns his return to the Ukrainian national team with top scorer performance against Brazil and a shocking win
- Watch the Volleyball Nations League 2026 on VBTV
Playing in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, Ukraine produced a shocking 3-1 (29-27, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21) victory over undefeated Brazil – last year’s bronze medalists and number three in the World Ranking. It was the first loss of the season for the South American team and it cost them the first place in the current VNL standings. They dropped to third on a 4-1 win-loss record and 11 points. Brazil also descended to number four in the World Ranking after this loss. Ukraine, on the other hand, improved to 3-2 and 10 in sixth place.
Star outside hitter Oleh Plotnytskyi played his first match for Ukraine after a long absence from the national team. He led the winners with a team-high 19 points, spiking 17 at a 55% success rate and putting away one ace and one kill block. Experienced opposite Vasyl Tupchii signed off with two aces, two stuffs and 13 spike kills at a 59% success rate towards a 17-point total. Outside Illa Kovalov added 14 points, while middle blocker and captain Yurii Semeniuk also reached the double digits with 10 points, including four blocks. Brazilian opposite Darlan Souza was the most prolific scorer of the match with a total of 26 points.
“This was extremely unexpected – the first time we beat Brazil. We are so excited about it!” an elated Tupchii told VVBTV. “We are also so excited about the many Ukrainian fans that created such a great atmosphere here in the hall. We would like to thank them. We need them, because they give us so much energy!”
Meanwhile, Japan extended their undefeated record since the start of the season to 5-0 and 14 and took over the first place in the table from Brazil. In the first match on the Orleans program in France, they managed a 3-1 (25-17, 25-15, 22-25, 25-16) victory over Serbia with a match-high 22 points from star outside Ran Takahashi, including two aces and six kill blocks. His cross-court teammate and captain Yuki Ishikawa and opposite Yuji Nishida added 12 and 10 points, respectively, while opposite Veljko Masulovic led Serbia’s scorers with 16 points. On 3-2 and 9, the European team occupies eighth place in the table.
The United States were the other team that surpassed Brazil in the table, into second place on 4-1 and 12, and in the World Ranking to the number three position. In the second Orleans match on Wednesday, the Americans achieved a 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-19) shutout of Cuba leaving the opponents winless in the relegation spot at the bottom of the table on 0-5 and 1. Opposite Jake Hanes contributed a match-high 14 points. Outside Torey DeFalco contributed another 10 points, while Cuban opposite Jose Masso led his team with 11.
The other winless team after the first week, Argentina, celebrated their first victory in the competition after a five-set battle with Germany in the Polish city of Gliwice. The South Americans edged their European opponents in a rollercoaster match by 3-2 (25-21, 15-25, 25-15, 18-25, 15-13) and improved to 1-4 and 3 in the race for salvation. They are still second from the bottom, in 17th place. Down to 2-3 and 6, Germany are in 12th place. Outside Luciano Vicentin led the winners with 19 points, including three blocks and two aces. Opposite German Gomez added another 17, while middle Nicolas Zerba chipped in with four kill blocks towards a 10-point total. German outside Erik Rohrs topped the match chart with 21 points, including two blocks.
France did not allow to be overtaken by Argentina as they finished the day in Orleans with a five-set win of their own. In a nail-biting rollercoaster, the reigning Olympic champions squeezed out a 3-2 (25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 24-26, 17-15) victory over Iran. 21-year-old outside Mathis Henno led the way with a match-high 24 points, including three blocks and an ace. As many as four other French players scored in the double digits – opposite Stephen Boyer with 18 points, outside Trevor Clevenot with 16, and middle blockers Mousse Gueye with 13 and 18-year-old Daniel Iyegbekedo with 10. Another 21-year-old outside – Poriya Khanzadeh – was Iran’s most prolific scorer with 20 points. The French jumped to 13th place on 2-3 and 4, feeling a bit safer from the threat of relegation. However, Iran dropped to 15th on 1-4 and 5.
The day in Ljubljana also ended with a home team win. Slovenia produced a 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 25-23) victory over Canada with a match-high 24 points from opposite Toncek Stern, including three aces and two blocks. 21-year-old outside Nik Mujanovic added 18 points, while middle Alen Pajenk finished with 11. Outside Brodie Hofer was Canada’s leading scorer with 18 points. Slovenia climbed to fourth place on 4-1 and 9. Canada are 14th on 1-4 and 6.
Earlier in Ljubljana, in one of the two competition week openers, a remake of the 2025 FIVB World Championship final, Bulgaria took revenge from Italy, achieved their first-ever VNL win over this opponent and took them down from the number one spot in the FIVB World Ranking, returning Poland on top of the chart.
Defending champions Poland were a set away from giving it back to Italy at the end of the day, but managed to please the home crowd of almost 10 thousand in Gliwice with a 3-2 (21-25, 23-25, 25-19, 28-26, 15-13) reverse sweep of their game against rookies Belgium, avoiding another shocker on this opening day of the second competition week. Opposite Bartlomiej Boladz crowned his season debut with team top scorer honors, contributing 24 points to the victory. Outside Artur Szalpuk and 21-year-old middle blocker Jakub Nowak raised four kill blocks each to finish with 17 and 14 points, respectively. The latter also impressed with three aces. Outside and captain Aleksander Sliwka put away another 12 points. Belgium’s 22-year-old opposite Ferre Reggers pulled off a match-high 34 points.
In the opening game in Gliwice, Turkiye hammered out a 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-21) shutout of China and improved to 3-2 and 8 in ninth place, leaving the hosts of the Finals on 1-4 and 4 in 16th. Opposite Adis Lagumdzija was the top scorer of the match with 18 points, including three aces and a block for the winners, while his counterpart Wen Zihua scored eight points for China. 21-year-old outside Gokcen Yuksel and his cross-court teammate Efe Bayram contributed 14 and 11 points, respectively, to Turkiye’s success.
Thursday’s VNL program opens at 16:30 local time (14:30 UTC) and offers two matches at each of the three venues. In Gliwice, China will meet Belgium and Poland will entertain Turkiye. In Ljubljana, Ukraine will challenge Italy and Slovenia will take on Bulgaria, and in Orleans, Iran will face USA and France will lock horns with Cuba.
