USA, Brazil and Italy Secure Places in VNL 2026 Finals
Sports correspondent: Imran Sohail
The United States, Brazil, and Italy have officially qualified for the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2026 Finals after recording important victories during the third and final week of the preliminary phase.
The three teams will join host nation China in the VNL Finals, which are scheduled to take place in Macao from July 22 to July 26, 2026.
USA Clinch Qualification After Five-Set Victory
The United States secured its place in the Finals with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Türkiye.
After a closely contested match, the Americans prevailed with set scores of 22-25, 25-23, 27-29, 25-21, 15-8.
Avery Skinner and Logan Eggleston led the USA with 19 points each, while Jordan Thompson added 17 points to help her team earn a ninth tournament victory.
The result guarantees the United States a place among the top qualifying teams regardless of the remaining preliminary matches.
Brazil Books Finals Spot
Brazil also confirmed its qualification by defeating Poland 3-1 in another important preliminary-round contest.
The Brazilian side won with set scores of 25-20, 23-25, 25-23, 28-26.
Ana Cristina Souza delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 26 points to lead Brazil to victory and help the team maintain its strong position in the tournament standings.
Italy Advances with Straight-Sets Win
Defending VNL champions Italy also secured qualification after a convincing 3-0 victory over Belgium.
The reigning Olympic and world champions controlled the match from start to finish, winning 25-20, 25-16, 25-19 to book their place in the Finals.
Four Qualification Spots Still Available
While the United States, Brazil, Italy, and host nation China have already secured their places, four qualification spots remain available as the preliminary phase enters its final matches.
Several teams, including Türkiye and Poland, remain in contention as they battle for the remaining berths in the VNL 2026 Finals.
The final standings will be determined after the conclusion of the preliminary round, with the top-performing teams advancing to the championship event in Macao later this month.
