(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Brazil and Japan Stay Undefeated After Opening Week of Men’s Volleyball Nations League 2026
Brazil and Japan emerged as the only unbeaten teams after the first week of the Men’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2026, while several top-ranked sides faced unexpected results across the opening round of matches.
Both teams finished the week with four wins from four matches, collecting 11 points each and leading the early standings, separated only by point ratio.
Brazil Impress at Home in Brasília
Playing in front of home fans in Brasília, Brazil secured victories over Iran, Belgium and Serbia before completing the week with a hard-fought reverse sweep against regional rivals Argentina.
Argentina struggled throughout the opening week, finishing without a win and earning only a single point from the match against Brazil.
Belgium, one of the new entrants in the competition, produced a strong start with an upset win over Bulgaria and added another victory against Iran, placing them among the top teams in the standings after week one.
Serbia recorded three wins from four matches, while Iran managed one victory over Argentina.
Japan Continue Strong Form in Linyi
In the Linyi pool, Japan opened their campaign with a straight-sets win over Ukraine before producing a major upset against Poland in a five-set thriller.
Japan went on to secure additional wins against China and Slovenia, maintaining a perfect record for the week.
Slovenia, who had started strongly with three tie-break victories, suffered their first defeat against Japan but still remain among the leading teams in the standings.
Poland experienced a mixed week, playing several five-set matches and finishing with two wins from four games.
China claimed their first victory of the tournament on the final day with a straight-sets win over Cuba.
USA and Italy Lead Ottawa Pool
In Ottawa, reigning world champions Italy and the United States finished among the top performers in their group.
Italy began with a five-set loss to Olympic champions France but recovered strongly with three consecutive wins, including a tight victory over the USA.
The United States also finished the week with three wins from four matches, holding a slight edge over Italy in the standings based on points ratio.
France, despite their strong start, suffered multiple defeats after their opening win and slipped down the standings.
Early Ranking Changes After Week One
The opening week also brought changes in the FIVB world rankings. Poland lost their top position, which was taken by Italy after consistent performances across the opening matches.
Japan moved up in the rankings following their unbeaten run, while France dropped several positions after a difficult week.
Other teams also saw movement in the standings, reflecting the highly competitive nature of the tournament.
