The 2025 Women`s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) has concluded, following three intense weeks of preliminary matches and the final rounds held in Lodz. This provides an excellent opportunity to analyze how the teams` performances influenced their positions in the FIVB Volleyball World Ranking, an increasingly vital metric for future major competition qualifications.
France achieved the most significant upward movement among all VNL teams. Before the season commenced, they were ranked 19th. After securing their best-ever ninth-place finish, narrowly missing out on the Finals, the French team climbed five spots to 14th place globally.
Poland, who successfully defended their bronze medals from the previous two VNL editions, also made a notable gain, ascending three positions in the World Ranking. They moved from sixth place before the VNL 2025 to third, now positioned just behind leaders Italy and second-ranked Brazil.
Poland celebrates VNL 2025 bronze.
In addition, Japan, Germany, and Czechia each advanced two positions in the rankings. Japan now stands at number five after finishing fourth in the final VNL standings. Germany secured seventh place by reaching the quarterfinals, while Czechia enjoyed a remarkable debut season, concluding in 11th place. China, the Netherlands, Serbia, and Bulgaria each moved up one spot, now holding positions four, eight, nine, and 19, respectively. Notably, the top-ranked Italy, second-ranked Brazil, and 11th-ranked Dominican Republic maintained their positions from before the VNL 2025.
Conversely, some teams experienced declines in their rankings. Thailand, who narrowly avoided relegation from the VNL for the next season, suffered the largest drop, falling seven spots from 13th to 20th. The USA, Canada, and Belgium each descended by four positions, now ranked seventh, twelfth, and eighteenth, respectively. Turkiye, despite finishing sixth in the tournament, dropped two spots to sixth in the World Ranking, as did relegated Korea, now at 37th.
Italy’s Alessia Orro and Ekaterina Antropova celebrate during the VNL final.
Reigning Olympic champions Italy, who impressively defended their VNL crown without a single loss throughout the tournament, accumulated the most World Ranking points. Their score surged from 437.03 to 474.06, a substantial gain of 37.23 points. Italy also widened their lead over second-ranked Brazil by 17.52 points, now standing a dominant 47.46 points clear at the very top of the chart.
France ranked second in terms of points gained with 35.22, followed by Germany with 30.00, Japan with 23.10, Brazil with 19.71, Czechia with 16.33, Poland with 15.41, and Bulgaria with 9.11. The remaining ten VNL participants experienced point losses, with Canada facing the most significant net drop of 46.13 points. They were followed by Thailand (34.48), USA (29.51), the Netherlands (21.24), Serbia (18.58), Turkiye (15.01), Dominican Republic (12.19), Korea (5.08), Belgium (2.20), and China (1.70 points).
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick