Five powerhouse European teams are set to compete for the 2025 FIVB Women`s Volleyball Nations League title. The final round kicks off on Wednesday, July 23rd, at the iconic Atlas Arena in Łódź, Poland.
Italy, the reigning champions, stand as the sole undefeated team, aiming for their third VNL title. This would put them on par with the United States, who claimed gold in 2018, 2019, and 2021.
Among the eight quarter-finalists, Italy boasts a perfect record, having lost only seven sets across 12 matches. Their pursuit of the championship begins with a highly anticipated clash against the United States, who finished the preliminary round with seven wins and five losses.
In their previous encounter this season, Italy convincingly swept the USA in straight sets: 25-13, 25-13, 30-28.
Demonstrating exceptional versatility and depth, Italy has seen standout performances from Paola Egonu (171 points), Sarah Fahr (116 points), and Ekaterina Antropova (109 points). This talented generation of reigning Olympic champions is eager to add another trophy to their collection.
Poland, the host nation and bronze medalists in both 2023 and 2024, will seek to create more history on home soil and secure another podium finish. They concluded the preliminary round in fourth place with a 9-3 record, with two recent losses against Brazil and Japan.
Poland`s quarter-final opponent is the People`s Republic of China, whom they previously defeated 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 25-21) in China during Week 1.
Reigning 2023 champions Türkiye, finishing sixth in the preliminary round, aim to reclaim their top spot. The return of Melissa Vargas in the final weeks of the preliminary round provides a significant boost to Daniele Santarelli’s squad.
Türkiye will face 2024 runners-up Japan in the quarter-finals; these two teams did not meet during the preliminary phase.
Germany is the final European team to qualify for the quarter-finals, marking their second appearance at this stage after finishing eighth in 2023. Their strong preliminary round finish, highlighted by victories over Canada (3-2), Thailand (3-0), and the Dominican Republic (3-1), secured them a top-eight spot with a 7-5 record.
However, Germany faces a formidable challenge against Brazil, who have dominated the preliminary round with 11 wins from 12 matches. In their prior preliminary round match, Brazil narrowly defeated Germany 3-2, overcoming a 2-1 set deficit to win the final two sets 25-20 and 15-8.
The quarter-final matchups of Italy vs. USA and Poland vs. China are set for July 23rd, followed by the remaining two quarter-finals on July 24th. The semi-finals will be held on July 26th, with the medal matches concluding the tournament on July 27th.
