VNL 2026

Men's VNL action continues in China, Canada and Brazil

Poland and Cuba set to serve the new season off in Linyi on Wednesday

Published 06:53, 09 Jun 2026

Cuba (CUB) vs. Poland (POL) men - Pool 7 - Preliminary Phase #51983480

Poland against Cuba during their VNL 2025 encounter in Gdansk

After an opening week of exciting women’s Volleyball Nations League 2026 action, it is now the men’s teams’ turn to get in the spotlight as they hit the VNL courts for their first competition week of the season. Serving off on Wednesday, June 10, the first three pools will be held in Linyi, China, in Ottawa, Canada and in Brasilia, Brazil.

Watch the Volleyball Nations League 2026 on VBTV

Just like last year, this year’s VNL Preliminary Phase will feature three competition weeks, with each team playing a total of 12 matches (four per week). Each week, the 18 participating teams are divided into three pools of six, playing at three different venues. Each pool’s match schedule features three games on Wednesday, two each on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and another three on Sunday. The seven best placed national teams in the Preliminary Phase will qualify for the Finals, joining the host team.

Linyi welcomes the season opener

During the first competition week, Linyi hosts the teams of China, Cuba, Japan, Poland, Slovenia and Ukraine.

Just like in the women’s competition last week, Poland will have the privilege to play in the men’s VNL 2026 opener. The number one team in the FIVB Volleyball World Ranking, defending VNL champions, silver medalists of the last Olympic Games and bronze medalists of the last FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship Poland will take on Cuba in the first match of the season, serving off at 13:00 local time (05:00 UTC) on Wednesday. The first competition day will also offer encounters between hosts China and the semifinalists of the previous two seasons Slovenia at 16:30 (08:30), and between last year’s VNL rookies Ukraine and the strong team of Japan at 20:00 (12:00).

One of the most anticipated fixtures in Linyi this week is the Asian classic between China and Japan, which always stirs a lot of excitement among the fans. It will be played on Saturday at 16:30 (08:30).

Of course, the three top-level matches between top-10 teams from the World Ranking – Poland, Japan and Slovenia – will also draw a lot of attention. These games will close the competition days in Linyi on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, always at 20:00 (12:00).

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Clash between the Olympic and the world champs to highlight VNL action in Ottawa

The pool in Ottawa, featuring Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Turkiye and USA, will be the second one to get going on Wednesday.

In the first match, serving off at 11:00 local time (15:00 UTC), four-time VNL medalists and bronze medalists of the last Olympics in Paris – the United States – will face a challenge from the trending men’s team of Turkiye.

Wednesday’s program in the Canadian capital will be highlighted by a high-caliber clash between reigning back-to-back Olympic champions France and reigning back-to-back world champions Italy at 16:00 (20:00), and a match between the home team and Germany at 19:30 (23:30).

A North American derby between Canada and USA is also eagerly anticipated by the fans in Ottawa. It will serve off at 16:00 (20:00) on Saturday. To close the VNL week in Canada, the Americans, number five in the World Ranking, will take on the world’s number two Italy on Sunday at 18:00 (22:00).

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Brasilia braces for more high-caliber VNL action

The Brazilian capital hosted a women’s pool last week and will now keep the volleyball fever burning with one of the men’s pools this week. Brasilia welcomes the teams of Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Iran, Serbia and, of course, the home team – the world’s number three Brazil, VNL bronze medalists in 2025.

VNL rookies Belgium will play their historic first match in the competition on Wednesday at 13:00 local time (16:00 UTC) and it will be against the silver medalists of last year’s World Championship Bulgaria. The first day in Brasilia will also feature Serbia against Argentina at 16:30 (19:30), and Brazil against Iran at 20:00 (23:00).

No matter what, the local fans will be eager to see their favorites take on neighbors Argentina in a new edition of this classic South American derby, set to close the week on Sunday at 18:00 (21:00), preceded by a big Balkan clash between southern European rivals Bulgaria and Serbia at 14:30 (17:30).