The preliminary phase of the 2025 FIVB Men`s Volleyball Nations League has concluded, setting the stage for an intense battle among four formidable European national teams vying for the coveted championship title. The climactic final round of the tournament is scheduled to take place from July 30 to August 3 in Ningbo, People`s Republic of China.
From the preliminary standings, the top seven teams earned their spot in the finals, joined by host nation China, despite their 17th-place finish with a record of three victories against nine defeats in their twelve matches.
Brazil enters the final round showcasing an exceptional performance, having secured 11 wins out of 12 matches and conceding only 11 sets in what has proven to be a fiercely contested and well-balanced competition.
Among the European powerhouses, Italy and France demonstrated strong campaigns. France, the reigning champions, recorded eight victories from their twelve matches, while Italy achieved an impressive ten wins in the same number of games. The Italian squad arrives in Ningbo with significant momentum, riding a five-match winning streak, with their last defeat occurring against Brazil in a tight 1:2 encounter.
Italy is widely considered the favorite for their quarter-final match against Cuba, a team they have yet to face in this edition of the league. Cuba concluded the preliminary round with an even six wins and six losses, mirroring the records of European debutants Ukraine and Bulgaria, but with a slight points advantage over both.
A spot in the semifinals is guaranteed for at least one European side. Should Italy successfully navigate their quarter-final against Cuba, they will face the winner of a highly anticipated “clash of titans” between France and Slovenia.
In their last four encounters over the past two years, Slovenia has held the upper hand against France, securing three victories to France’s one. However, their most recent clash in the preliminary round of the 2025 FIVB Men`s Volleyball Nations League saw France emerge victorious in straight sets, winning 3:0 (25:23; 29:27; 25:23).
The final European team to secure a quarter-final berth is Poland, a nation with a remarkable legacy in the competition. Poland boasts the highest number of medals in the tournament`s history, having achieved podium finishes in each of the last five editions of the FIVB Men`s Volleyball Nations League, including their championship triumph in 2023.
Poland finished fifth in the preliminary standings with eight wins and four losses, a record identical to Japan in terms of wins and points, though Japan held a superior set ratio.
The quarter-finals will commence on July 30 with the matchups of Brazil versus China and Japan versus Poland. The remaining two quarter-final matches are scheduled for July 31. The semi-finals will take place on August 2, culminating in the medal matches and the grand final on August 3.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood