The league phase of the 2025 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League is reaching its critical final stage this week. The competition for places in the knockout rounds is heating up, and for Europe`s leading teams, the pressure is immense. With the league round concluding on July 13th, every single match outcome, set score, and point won will be crucial in determining which teams advance to the Finals hosted in Łódź, Poland.
Currently, four European nations are positioned within the top eight teams who will secure their progression. These include Italy, Poland, and Türkiye, holding the first, second, and fourth spots respectively in the standings. Poland is already guaranteed a place in the next phase due to being the host nation for the Finals.
This week, the spotlight is heavily on Apeldoorn in the Netherlands, which hosts a pool featuring several European powerhouses. Italy, Türkiye, Serbia, the Netherlands, Belgium, and newcomers Czechia are set to compete, each with differing objectives and aspirations for the final standings.
Italy has been dominant so far, remaining undefeated and having lost only five sets across their first eight matches. They are strong favorites against Belgium and Serbia. Serbia, having lost all their matches, is out of contention for the next phase. However, Italy faces significant challenges in their final two matches against Türkiye and the host nation, the Netherlands, which will truly test their form.
Elsewhere, Bulgaria and France are involved in a battle for survival in Chiba, Japan. Meanwhile, Germany faces a demanding schedule in Arlington, USA, competing against some of the top teams globally. The German squad is scheduled to play against Canada, Thailand, China, and the Dominican Republic, with the matches against China and the Dominican Republic likely to be pivotal for their qualification chances.
The fight for a spot in the top eight is particularly tough for several teams. Germany currently occupies seventh place with a record of four wins and four losses, accumulating 14 points. Just below the qualification line in ninth place is Czechia, also with four wins and four losses, but with a lower points tally of just 10 under their belt.
France (3 wins – 5 losses), the Netherlands (3-5), Bulgaria (3-5), and Belgium (3-5) all still harbor hopes of reaching the Final Round. However, they will require exceptionally strong performances and perfect results in their remaining matches this week to have any chance of displacing teams currently in the playoff positions.
The top eight teams after the league round will qualify for the Final Round of the 2025 FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League in Łódź, Poland. The quarter-finals are set for July 23rd and 24th. The semi-finals will follow on July 26th, leading up to the grand final match on July 27th.
Regarding individual performance, France’s opposite hitter, Iman Ndiaye, currently leads the competition in scoring with 169 points. She is closely followed by Ana Cristina Menezes Oliveira de Souza of Brazil with 162 points, and Mengjie Wu from China, who has accumulated 147 points so far.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood