Everything You Need to Know About the VNL Women’s Finals 2025

Italy, Brazil, Japan, Poland, China, Türkiye, Germany, and the USA are set to compete for the prestigious title in Łódź.

The top eight teams from the Volleyball Nations League 2025 Preliminary Phase are set to clash in Łódź, Poland, this week to determine the champions of the tournament`s seventh edition and lift the redesigned trophy.

Italy, Brazil, Japan, Poland, China, Türkiye, Germany, and the United States will compete for the prestigious 2025 VNL title from Wednesday to Sunday.

Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you follow all the action as the VNL climax approaches:

The Host City

The grand Atlas Arena, inaugurated in 2009 and capable of accommodating over 13,000 spectators, will serve as the venue for the decisive stages of the 2025 Volleyball Nations League.

Łódź is a renowned volleyball hub in Poland, hosting two teams in the national TAURON Liga. Over the past 15 years, the city has been the site of numerous international events, including the 2014 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, the 2022 FIVB Women’s World Championship, the 2023 Women’s Olympic Qualifier, the 2019 European Championship, and various Volleyball Nations League stops.

Match Schedule

The VNL 2025 Finals will run from Wednesday to Sunday, featuring eight matches. The four quarterfinals are divided across the first two days: Italy will face the United States at 16:30 local time (14:30 GMT), followed by Poland against China at 20:00 (18:00 GMT) on Wednesday. Thursday will see Japan take on Türkiye in the first match, with Brazil and Germany competing in the second.

Friday is a rest day, allowing teams to recuperate and prepare for the semifinals on Saturday, scheduled for 16:00 (14:00 GMT) and 20:00 (18:00 GMT). On Sunday, the semifinal losers will vie for the bronze medal at 16:00 (14:00 GMT), while the winners will battle for gold at 20:00 (18:00 GMT).

The Quarterfinal Matchups

Italy vs. USA

Italy, the reigning champions and 2022 titleholders, concluded the Preliminary Phase with an impeccable record of 12 wins, making them the only team, men`s or women`s, to enter the 2025 Finals undefeated. Building on a phenomenal 2024 season that saw them claim both VNL and Paris Olympics gold, head coach Julio Velasco has brought back ten of the thirteen players from last year`s Olympic squad. This includes Olympic MVP opposite Paola Egonu, team captain and middle blocker Anna Danesi, star libero Monica De Gennaro, and setter Alessia Orro.

“Regardless of our Preliminary Phase performance, our aim here is to approach each match individually without adding extra pressure,” stated opposite Ekaterina Antropova. “It’s important to acknowledge our team capabilities but not overthink it. We want to concentrate solely on volleyball and never underestimate any opponent. We`ve always maintained that approach, which is a significant strength for us. Every team is motivated when playing against us.”

Paola Egonu, also last year’s VNL MVP, was Italy’s top scorer in the Preliminary Phase with 171 points, ranking tenth overall in the tournament. Monica De Gennaro, ranking sixth among the top defenders with 120 digs, is another key individual performer for the defending champions entering the Finals.

The United States, three-time VNL champions (2018, 2019, 2021), secured their spot in Łódź as the eighth-ranked team in the Preliminary Phase, with seven wins and five losses. The American squad is undergoing significant changes in 2025, featuring only three players from last year`s Paris Olympics silver-medal team – setter Jordyn Poulter, outside hitter Avery Skinner, and middle blocker Dana Rettke – and a new head coach, Erik Sullivan.

Among the new talents, outside hitter Sarah Franklin led American scoring in the Preliminary Phase with 135 points. Avery Skinner, despite playing only three matches in VNL 2025 so far, was in superb form, contributing 61 points in those appearances.

“There have been many highs and lows, which is typical for the first year after the Olympics and the start of a new quadrennium,” commented Skinner. “Many veteran players aren`t with the team currently, but it has provided a valuable opportunity for younger athletes to gain experience. Our focus has been on learning and improving each week, and I believe we’ve achieved that. It’s crucial for us to be in the Finals, and our goal is to continue developing our team.”

Italy has dominated recent encounters against the Americans, winning their last four matches, three of which were sweeps. This includes last year’s Paris Olympics gold medal match and their VNL 2025 Preliminary Phase duel.

Poland vs. China

As the host nation, Poland was guaranteed a spot in the VNL 2025 Finals but still delivered a strong performance, finishing fourth in the tournament`s Preliminary Phase with nine wins and three losses. Head coach Stefano Lavarini has retained much of the core team that helped Poland qualify for the Paris Olympics last year, with nine Olympians returning. These include team captain and middle blocker Agnieszka Korneluk, opposite Magdalena Stysiak, outside hitter Martyna Łukasic, and libero Aleksandra Szczygłowska.

“Łódź holds a somewhat magical significance for us,” said Stysiak. “We have wonderful memories from winning the Olympic qualifier here two years ago, supported by incredible fans. We are eager to play excellent volleyball. It`s a special feeling to compete in the Finals on home soil, and we are determined to perform well and secure a victory.”

Magdalena Stysiak and Martyna Łukasic spearheaded the Polish offense in the Preliminary Phase, recording 149 and 141 points respectively. Łukasic also ranks fourth in VNL serving with 17 aces, mirroring Aleksandra Szczygłowska`s fourth-place standing in defense with 126 digs.

Their opponents, China, finished fifth in the Preliminary Phase with an identical record of nine wins and three losses, but with fewer points (24 vs. 27). China entered 2025 with a new coach, Zhao Yong, and has incorporated younger players while retaining key veterans from recent seasons, such as opposite Gong Xiangyu, middle blocker Wang Yuanyuan, and libero Wang Mengjie.

Outside hitter Wu Mengjie was China`s top scorer in the Preliminary Phase with 230 points, placing her second overall in the VNL. Fellow outside hitter Zhuang Yushan is fourth with 205 points. Sixteen-year-old setter Zhang Zixuan, one of Yong`s new additions, leads the tournament in her position with 372 successful setting actions.

“I am very pleased with the team`s performance thus far,” commented Gong. “In the third week, in particular, the team played exceptionally well and managed to win several close matches that we had lost in the first two weeks. I am also very happy with the team spirit. Last week, we played a friendly match against Poland and only won one set. We will strive to perform our best in the quarterfinals because they are a formidable team.”

In their last five official matches, China has secured three victories against Poland`s two. However, the Europeans won their most recent encounter in the VNL 2025 opening week, as well as a friendly match last week.

Japan vs. Türkiye

Japan, last year’s VNL silver medalists, achieved the third-best record in the 2025 Preliminary Phase with nine wins and three losses. New head coach Ferhat Akbas appointed star outside hitter Mayu Ishikawa as the new team captain and continues to rely on key players from recent seasons, including setter Nanami Seki, opposite Yukiko Wada, and libero Manami Kojima.

“Türkiye is a strong team, and it won’t be an easy match against them,” stated outside hitter Megumi Fukazawa. “We will do our utmost, especially on defense, which is perhaps our greatest strength. We will aim to play cohesively, as we have done throughout the VNL.”

Yukiko Wada led Japan`s scoring in the Preliminary Phase with 180 points, followed by outside hitter Yoshino Sato with 166. Nanami Seki ranks fourth among VNL setters with 317 successful actions, while Mayu Ishikawa is second in passes (95) and fifth in aces (16).

Türkiye concluded the Preliminary Phase with eight wins and four losses, ranking fifth overall. With the exception of captain Eda Erdem, who was rested by head coach Daniele Santarelli, the team features the core players who led Turkey to VNL gold in 2023. These include prominently opposite Melissa Vargas, outside hitter Ebrar Karakurt, middle blocker Zehra Güneş, and setter Cansu Özbay.

“We are very excited to be back in the VNL Finals,” added libero Simge Aköz. “We experimented with many different lineups over the first three weeks, which naturally led to some inconsistencies. We had some time to prepare for the Finals, and we focused on maintaining high team energy during this period. We know we are capable of great achievements here and will strive to display our best performance on the court.”

Melissa Vargas was, predictably, Türkiye`s leading scorer in the Preliminary Phase with 120 points, with outside hitter Yaprak Erkek next at 106. The star opposite also ranked eighth in aces with 12.

Türkiye has won three of the last five official matches against Japan. However, Japan emerged victorious in a tie-breaker during their most recent VNL 2024 encounter.

Brazil vs. Germany

Brazil was the second-best team in the VNL 2025 Preliminary Phase, just behind Italy, with 11 victories and only one loss. Outside hitters Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Guimarães and Ana Cristina Souza, setters Macris Carneiro and Roberta Ratzke, and opposite Rosamaria Montibeller remain key selections for long-serving head coach José ‘Zé Roberto’ Guimarães, having helped the team secure bronze at last year`s Paris Olympics.

“The first three weeks were excellent for us,” reflected Gabi. “We are incredibly enthusiastic to be here and have the opportunity to play in Poland, a country where people deeply love and support volleyball. Everyone here desires to win, and so do we. We face a very challenging opening match against Germany, and this is our initial step toward reaching the semifinals.”

Ana Cristina was Brazil`s top scorer in the Preliminary Phase with 167 points, but she will be unavailable for the Finals due to a knee injury. Julia Kudiess has demonstrated exceptional blocking prowess, leading the VNL with 53 blocks. Outside hitter Julia Bergmann, who ranks fifth in passes (66) and eighth in aces (12), has also proven to be a vital player for the South Americans.

Germany is making its second appearance in the VNL Finals after finishing seventh in the Preliminary Phase with seven wins and five losses. New head coach Giulio Bregoli has built the team`s core around outside hitter Lina Alsmeier, opposite Emilia Weske, middle blocker and team captain Camilla Weitzel, and libero Anna Pogany.

“Qualifying for the Finals was a significant objective for us, and we are delighted to have achieved that first step,” remarked Weitzel. “It has been a truly exciting journey. Now, we will approach it one match at a time. Brazil is a very strong opponent. We played them in the first week, and it was a very close match. We will see if we can reverse that 3-2 loss. We will need to perform at our absolute highest level just to stay competitive, and I believe serving will be crucial for us.”

Lina Alsmeier has been a vital offensive asset for the Europeans, ranking sixth in the VNL with 193 points. She is equally crucial in defense, topping the receivers` table with 106 successful passes. Camilla Weitzel is the tournament`s second-best server with 19 aces and ranks seventh among blockers with 30 stops, just below fellow middle blocker Anastasia Cekulaev, who is fourth with 35.

Brazil has won their last five official encounters against Germany, including a thrilling 3-2 victory in the VNL 2025. However, Germany secured a win in a friendly match held in 2022.