The 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Men`s Finals, hosted in Ningbo, China, not only crowned new champions but also marked a significant moment in the sport`s broadcasting history. This year`s event proved to be transformative for volleyball`s global reach, especially in key markets.
On August 3rd, the championship match between Poland and Italy garnered an impressive cumulative audience of 3.8 million viewers on Polsat Sport. This figure represents the highest viewership recorded by the channel in over twenty-five years for the A4+ demographic, clearly demonstrating the growing popularity of volleyball.
This remarkable momentum was sustained throughout the entire Finals week. Polish television coverage of the Men`s VNL reached a significant weekly cumulative average audience of 8.9 million. This sustained interest follows a substantial surge observed earlier in the competition, where total viewing time for VNL matches during the initial three weeks soared by 166% compared to 2024.
Beyond Poland, the Men`s Finals achieved exceptional results in other major markets. In Italy, DAZN reported cumulative initiated streams that were nearly two and a half times greater than last year`s figures at a comparable stage. The final match between Poland and Italy, in particular, attracted a unique streaming audience more than three times larger than Italy`s previous best for a Men`s Finals game, which was the Italy vs. France quarter-final in 2024.
Türkiye also witnessed unprecedented viewing figures for volleyball. The semi-final clash between Brazil and Poland saw a 32% increase in viewership compared to the highest figure recorded at this stage in 2024, which was the Slovenia vs. Poland match.
The VNL 2025 Finals definitively illustrate that volleyball is currently enjoying an unparalleled surge in popularity, a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. By surpassing viewership records that have stood for many years, the tournament has cemented its status as one of the most widely viewed and highly regarded international sporting events of the year.
Jasper Thornfield