The second week of the women`s Volleyball Nations League features a compelling pool in Hong Kong, where two of the three remaining undefeated teams, Japan and Italy, will compete. The action runs from Wednesday, June 18, to Sunday, June 22, with a total of 12 matches scheduled. Four other top teams – China, Bulgaria, Czechia, and Thailand, based on their current VNL rankings – complete the lineup in this pool.
Each of the six participating teams will play four matches throughout the week in Hong Kong. Wednesday and Sunday will host three games daily, while Thursday, Friday, and Saturday schedules include two matches each.
A highly anticipated match in this pool is the showdown between Japan and Italy, set for Friday at 20:30 local time (12:30 UTC).
Italy, the reigning Olympic champions, two-time VNL winners, and current title holders, had a strong first week in Rio de Janeiro. They secured decisive straight-set victories against USA, Korea, and Brazil, only dropping two sets in a challenging match against Germany. This impressive 4-0 record and 11 points positioned them second in the standings.
Italy kicks off the pool schedule on Wednesday at 13:30 (05:30 UTC) facing Bulgaria in a southern European clash. Guided by new coach Antonina Zetova and bolstered by the return of key players, Bulgaria showed improvement in week one. They earned two wins, including a four-set win over the Dominican Republic and an upset five-set victory against reigning world champions Serbia. Their week also included a tie-breaker loss to hosts Canada in Ottawa and a straight-set defeat by the Netherlands. The “Lionesses” currently sit in ninth place with a 2-2 record and 6 points.
Next up for the Hong Kong fans is an all-Asian battle between Thailand and Japan, starting Wednesday at 17:00 (09:00 UTC). Japan, last year`s silver medalists, currently lead the standings after a dominant first week in Ottawa. They achieved a perfect 4-0 record and 12 points with straight-set wins against the Netherlands, Serbia, Canada, and the Dominican Republic.
Thailand`s VNL campaign in Beijing two weeks prior didn`t start ideally, with losses to Poland, Belgium, and Turkiye in their first three matches. However, they concluded the week positively by defeating France in four sets, placing them 15th with a 1-3 record and 3 points.
The opening day of competition in Hong Kong concludes with a match between hosts China and VNL debutants Czechia at 20:30 (12:30 UTC).
China, three-time VNL medalists who missed the podium last year, began their season at home in Beijing with a swift win over Belgium. They then lost to Poland in four sets, followed by another straight-set win against France, before suffering a close five-set loss to Turkiye. With a 2-2 record and 7 points, China ranks seventh.
Czechia holds 10th place with a 2-2 record and 4 points. The VNL newcomers faced a tough start against powerhouse Brazil in Rio two weeks ago. However, they bounced back with two five-set victories against USA and Korea. Their first week ended with a four-set loss to Germany after taking the first set.
The VNL Preliminary Phase spans three weeks, with each of the 18 teams competing in a total of 12 matches. The top eight teams from this phase will advance to the Finals in Lodz, Poland, from July 23 to 27. As hosts, Poland automatically qualifies for the Finals.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick