Canada Prevails Over Netherlands in Crucial Relegation Battle

The Netherlands` prospects of remaining in the Volleyball Nations League for the 2026 season took a significant hit on Friday. In Ljubljana, during the third week of the tournament`s Preliminary Phase, the Dutch suffered their third consecutive defeat.

In a crucial relegation-threatened match against Canada at Arena Stožice, the Dutch showed initial resistance in the first set but were ultimately overwhelmed by the North Americans, who secured a dominant 3-0 victory (25-22, 25-20, 25-15).

(Video Highlights: Netherlands vs. Canada – Men`s VNL 2025)

Having slipped to 18th place in the standings earlier on Friday, the Netherlands are now in a precarious position regarding relegation. With only one win and five points from their first 11 VNL matches, they must defeat world champions Italy in their final match on Sunday to retain any hope of remaining in the VNL for 2026.

Beyond securing a victory against Italy, the Dutch also require favorable outcomes from other matches. They need either 16th-placed China (two wins, seven points, one match remaining) or 17th-placed Serbia (two wins, six points, two matches remaining) to avoid further victories this week.

“We came up short today, and I don’t really know what else I can say,” a speechless team captain Wessel Keekink reflected. “We were competitive for one set, but then not anymore. We fought the entire time, but fighting isn’t always enough, and that was the case today. We have a free day tomorrow, so we have to reset and give it all one more time. Hopefully, we’ll get a different result.”

(Instagram Post from the event)

Xander Ketrzynski, the Canadian opposite, spearheaded their victory with 16 points (15 kills, one block). Outside hitter Isaac Heslinga added 12 points (11 kills, one block), and team captain Fynn McCarthy, a middle blocker, contributed ten points, comprising seven kills, two aces, and one block.

“It was a good match for us,” McCarthy said. “Having the rest day on Thursday definitely helped, but we came out and played our best ball, which is important in matches like this. We worked really hard for this, and I’m proud of everyone who contributed to our win tonight.”

For the Dutch, opposite Michiel Ahyi was the sole player to reach double-digit scoring, achieving 14 points, all from kills.

Earlier on Friday in Ljubljana, Serbia secured a vital 3-0 victory (25-22, 25-19, 25-17) over Ukraine, boosting their own relegation survival hopes. Two additional matches are scheduled for Saturday in the Slovenian capital: Serbia vs. Canada at 16:30 local time (14:30 GMT), followed by the home team against Italy at 20:30 (18:30 GMT).

Bulgaria Dominates China in Gdańsk

China, also contending to avoid relegation, missed an opportunity to secure their VNL spot on Friday, suffering a 3-0 defeat (25-23, 25-16, 26-24) to Bulgaria in Gdańsk.

(Video Highlights: China vs. Bulgaria – Men`s VNL 2025)

Despite having two wins and seven points, and being guaranteed a spot in the Finals as the host nation, China`s position for VNL 2026 is not yet entirely secure. To guarantee their presence next season irrespective of other outcomes, they must defeat Cuba on Sunday. Meanwhile, Bulgaria`s victory significantly bolsters their own Final Four aspirations; they currently stand 11th with five wins and 15 points, with two matches remaining to break into the top seven.

Bulgaria`s star outside hitter, Aleksandar Nikolov, delivered another outstanding performance, leading his team with a match-high 21 points (17 kills, three aces, one block). Middle blocker and captain Aleks Grozdanov contributed 11 points (nine kills, two blocks). For the Asian side, outside hitter Ji Daoshuai registered 12 points, all from kills.

Earlier in Gdańsk, France narrowly defeated Cuba 3-2 (20-25, 25-15, 23-25, 25-21, 15-9). Saturday`s schedule in Gdańsk includes Bulgaria vs. Poland at 17:00 local time (15:00 GMT), followed by Iran vs. France at 20:30 (18:30 GMT).