The highly anticipated semi-finals of the 2025 FIVB Women`s Volleyball Nations League are officially set, promising a thrilling series of matchups. Following impressive performances in the preliminary phase, the top four national teams – Italy, Brazil, Japan, and Poland – have secured their positions in the final four. These powerhouse squads have consistently demonstrated their prowess and are now poised to fiercely compete for the prestigious title of the tournament`s seventh edition.
Italy vs. Poland: A Rematch with Home Advantage
The first semi-final clash is scheduled for Saturday at the Atlas Arena in Łódź, where host nation Poland will face off against the reigning FIVB Women`s Volleyball Nations League champions, Italy.
Italy enters this crucial stage in formidable form, having extended their remarkable winning streak to 13 matches in the current VNL season, contributing to an overall total of 21 consecutive victories in the competition. Their dominance was clearly evident in a commanding 3-0 quarter-final triumph over the United States of America.
While Italy`s quarter-final encounter against the USA had its moments of fluctuation, the European side ultimately delivered a fantastic overall performance. They clinched the first set 25:22, followed by a 25:21 win in the second. The third set saw a more hard-fought battle, but Italy persevered to win 28:26, sealing their progression with conviction.
Star opposite Paola Egonu was a pivotal force in Italy`s victory, leading all scorers with 20 points. She received strong support from Ekaterina Antropova (9 points), Anna Danesi (8 points), and Sarah Fahr (8 points), significantly bolstering Italy`s aspirations for a historic third VNL title.
Poland, a familiar and formidable adversary, awaits Italy in the semi-finals. This matchup serves as a highly anticipated rematch of last year`s semi-final, where Italy emerged victorious with a decisive 3-0 win. However, this time, Poland will enjoy the distinct advantage of playing on their home turf, providing an immense additional incentive to deliver a standout performance and potentially secure their inaugural VNL title.
In their quarter-final match, Poland, who finished fourth in the preliminary round, faced a robust challenge from the People`s Republic of China.
Fueled by their passionate home crowd, Poland showcased incredible resilience, twice mounting comebacks after dropping the first (17:25) and third (19:25) sets. By securing the fourth set 25:19, the European squad pushed the match to a decisive fifth set. There, they clinched a thrilling 15:12 victory against their Asian rivals, triumphantly sealing their third consecutive semi-final berth.
Magdalena Stysiak, Poland’s star opposite, delivered an outstanding 25 points, while Martyna Czyrnianska contributed 16 points in what was her best performance of the season, both pivotal in securing Poland`s advancement.
The Other Semi-Finalists: Japan and Brazil
Elsewhere, the efforts of Turkey`s Melissa Vargas (22 points) and Yaprak Erkek (17 points) were ultimately insufficient to restore their team`s winning momentum and secure a semi-final berth. After conceding the first and third sets to Japan, Turkey mounted a determined comeback, successfully pushing the match into a final set.
In that pivotal deciding set, Japan`s captain Manu Ishikawa played a crucial role, contributing 19 points to secure the set 15:9 and propel her team into the semi-finals.
The fourth European contender, Germany, faced a challenging encounter against a strong Brazilian side and was ultimately defeated 0-3. Only the second set proved to be closely contested, finishing 26:24 in Brazil`s favor.
The two thrilling semi-finals of the FIVB Women`s Volleyball Nations League are scheduled to take place on Saturday, featuring Italy against Poland, and Japan taking on Brazil. The highly anticipated medal matches are set to conclude the tournament on Sunday.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood