The 2026 Volleyball Nations League is reaching its climax, with the Finals set to be staged at the Macau East Asian Games Dome from 22 to 26 July.
The final preliminary week saw the men's competition spread across three cities, with Osaka, Belgrade and Chicago hosting the concluding matches. A highlight was the meeting between France and Poland in Chicago, a rematch of the Paris 2024 Olympic final that carried plenty of significance for both sides.
The United States enjoyed the best campaign of the 18 men's teams in the Preliminary Phase and enter the Finals as the top seed, a strong platform as they chase the title. Back-to-back defending champions Italy are also through, and will open their Finals campaign against the Netherlands in the first quarterfinal.
In the women's competition, China were the first team to secure their Finals berth, with the seven best sides from the Preliminary Phase joining them in the knockout rounds.
With four quarterfinals, two semifinals, a bronze-medal match and the final packed into five days, the Macau showpiece promises intense, high-stakes volleyball.
_Reporting compiled from Volleyball World and the FIVB._