The second week of the 2025 FIVB Women`s Volleyball Nations League is underway, with the competition for final round berths heating up. Elite volleyball teams from around the world will compete across three venues—Istanbul (Turkey), Hong Kong, and Belgrade (Serbia)—continuing to build momentum in what promises to be a fiercely contested event.
After the initial four matches, only Italy, Japan, and Türkiye remain undefeated. These teams will seek to solidify their positions and potentially secure qualification for the final round early, while other European teams need to recover from disappointing results in the opening week.
Poland, already guaranteed a spot in the finals as the host nation, has suffered a loss but will play against the Netherlands, USA, Germany, and Serbia in the coming week. Meanwhile, Italy intends to maintain their perfect record against opponents including Bulgaria, Thailand, Japan, and China.
A crucial match for Italy, featuring star player Paola Egonu, will be against Japan. Both teams are currently undefeated, but Italy has lost two sets and a point, whereas Japan has won all their matches without dropping a single set.
Germany (2-2), the Netherlands (2-2), Bulgaria (2-2), and Czechia (2-2) all finished the first week with a balanced record. To advance to the final round, these teams will need to significantly improve their performance in the upcoming matches.
Türkiye, despite losing five sets so far, will benefit from playing at home in Istanbul. Coach Daniele Santarelli`s team will target victories against the Dominican Republic, Canada, South Korea, and particularly Brazil, hoping to improve their standing.
The match pitting Türkiye against Brazil, led by Gabi Guimaraes, is anticipated to be highly competitive. This game marks Guimaraes`s return to Istanbul, where she played for VakifBank for five seasons from 2019 to 2024.
France (1-3), Belgium (1-3), and Serbia (0-4) are in urgent need of improved results this week to keep their final round aspirations alive. Serbia faces particular pressure playing on their home turf in Belgrade after a winless start.
Featuring a mix of established international stars and promising new talents, Week 2 of the Nations League is set to deliver more top-tier volleyball action, including exciting upsets and spectacular plays, as teams vie for a spot in the final round in Łódź, Poland.
Torin Vale