The second week of the Women's Volleyball Nations League began with nine matches, offering convincing victories for the favorites, as well as three dramatic five-set clashes. USA, Italy, Poland, Brazil, and Turkey started with clean wins, while China, Japan, and Ukraine had to overcome serious challenges to achieve success. Bulgaria failed to counter Poland in the final result but left a good impression in the last two sets of the match.

USA – Dominican Republic 3:0 (25:20, 25:19, 25:12)

The USA women's national team started the second week of the Volleyball Nations League with a decisive victory over the Dominican Republic. The Americans controlled the match from start to finish and did not allow their opponent to get close to a comeback. The first set was the most contested, but after that, the difference in class became increasingly evident. The third set was particularly convincing, ending with a crushing 25:12. USA excelled in all key elements – attack (43:31), block (8:2), and total points (75:51). Thompson was the top scorer with 15 points, and Rettke added 10 more. For the Dominican Republic, Peña Isabel scored 8 points. The victory temporarily moved the Americans to third place in the standings, while the Dominicans remain last.

Canada – Netherlands 3:1 (20:25, 25:19, 25:17, 25:20)

Canada made a comeback against the Netherlands and successfully began their participation in the second week of the tournament. The Dutch took the first set 25:20, but then the Canadians took the initiative and won the next three sets. The key player in the match was Van Ryk, who finished with an impressive 26 points. Maglio also made a significant contribution with 11 points. Canada dominated in attack (53:41) and especially on serve, where they scored 11 aces compared to just 4 for their opponent. The only superiority for the Netherlands was in blocking (12:8). Dambrink finished with 13 points for the European team. The victory brought Canada a significant leap in the world ranking, bringing them closer to the top eight.

Italy – Czech Republic 3:0 (25:18, 25:21, 25:22)

Italy continued its excellent performance in the VNL and recorded its fourth victory in five matches after defeating the Czech Republic. Julio Velasco's team controlled the match almost throughout, although at certain moments they allowed their opponent to reduce significant deficits. The big star of the match was Ekaterina Antropova, who impressed both in attack and on serve with six direct points. Sara Fahr made a strong return to the national team, achieving 12 successful attacks from 15 attempts. Josephine Obossa also made her official debut for Italy. The Czechs offered resistance in the second and third sets but ultimately failed to cast doubt on the "Squadra Azzurra"'s victory. The Italians solidified their place among the tournament leaders. The Czech Republic, despite the loss, continues to be one of the pleasant surprises of the season.

China – Germany 3:2 (25:27, 25:23, 18:25, 25:20, 15:6)

China and Germany played one of the most dramatic matches since the start of the second week. The Germans won the first set after a hard-fought battle, and then the two teams exchanged another set, with the Germans taking a 2:1 lead. The fourth set proved decisive, as China asserted its will and leveled the score. In the tie-break, the Asians completely dominated, leaving their opponent with only six points. A key factor for their success was Ruan Yu, who scored an impressive 27 points. China demonstrated greater stability in crucial moments and deservedly reached its tenth point in the tournament. Germany once again showed potential against a strong opponent but remained with only one victory since the beginning of the competition. The win kept the Chinese in the top six of the provisional standings.

Poland – Bulgaria 3:0 (25:12, 25:22, 25:23)

The Bulgarian national team began the second week of the VNL with a loss to one of the tournament favorites – Poland. The first set was entirely dictated by the Poles, who won it with a convincing 25:12. After that, the Bulgarians significantly improved their game and were completely even in the second and third sets. In the final set, Marcelo Abbondanza's team even led 23:22 but failed to close the set. Statistics show that the big difference came from unforced errors – Poland gained 24 points from Bulgarian errors against only 9 in the opposite direction. Mikaela Stoyanova was the top scorer for Bulgaria with 13 points, and Borislava Saykova added 10. For Poland, Piasetska finished with 12 points. The most important match for the Bulgarians in this tournament is yet to come – against host Thailand.

Japan – Serbia 3:2 (20:25, 26:24, 18:25, 32:30, 15:7)

Japan continued its unbeaten run in the VNL after an extremely dramatic victory over Serbia. The Serbs led twice in the score, but the Japanese consistently found a way to return to the match. A crucial moment proved to be the fourth set, which Japan won after a real battle with 32:30. In this set, the Serbs missed five match points. In the tie-break, the Asians completely dominated and closed the match at 15:7. Captain Mayu Ishikawa was the team's leader with 24 points, and Yukiko Wada added 20 more. For Serbia, Aleksandra Uzelac scored 21 points, and Nina Čajić finished with 18. The victory moved Japan to second place in the provisional standings with five wins from five matches. The Serbs once again showed potential but remained with a minimal record of 1 win after their first 5 matches.

Brazil – France 3:0 (25:22, 25:19, 25:15)

The undefeated Brazilian team continued its winning streak with a victory over France. In the first two sets, the French offered more serious resistance and at times challenged the bronze medalists from the World Championship. Their blocking game in the first set was particularly impressive. However, after the middle of the second set, the Brazilians took full control of the events on the court. Ana Cristina finished as the top scorer with 13 points, and Julia Bergmann added 11. Middle blocker Julia was once again a factor at the net and increased her number of successful blocks in the tournament. France suffered its first loss without winning a set in VNL 2026. Brazil maintained its leading position in the standings with five wins from five matches. Brazil was led by its assistant coach due to a one-match suspension for the legend Zé Roberto.

Ukraine – Thailand 3:2 (25:23, 19:25, 28:26, 22:25, 15:10)

Ukraine achieved one of its most emotional victories in the VNL after a dramatic success over host Thailand. The Ukrainians snatched the first set after a tense finish, and then the two teams exchanged sets. The third set was particularly impressive, won by the Ukrainians 28:26 after numerous comebacks and saved points. Thailand managed to equalize the sets, forcing a tie-break. In the decisive set, Jakub Glushak's team took a 6:0 lead and did not relinquish the initiative until the end. Valeriia Nudga was the top scorer with 18 points, and captain Svitlana Dorsman added 14. For Thailand, Pimpichaya Kokram scored 21 points, and Ajcharaporn Kongyot – 20. The victory brought valuable points to Ukraine in the battle to remain in the tournament. Thailand remained without a win after its first matches in the VNL.

Turkey – Belgium 3:0 (25:14, 25:13, 25:23)

In front of their home crowd in Ankara, Turkey achieved a convincing victory over Belgium. The first two sets were entirely under the control of the Turkish team, who allowed their opponent to score only 27 points in total. The big return was that of Melissa Vargas, who played her first match in VNL 2026. The star of the Turkish team immediately took on a leading role and finished with 17 points. Belgium showed a better face in the third set, even maintaining a tie until the middle of the set. The young Belgian players reduced the deficit to 22:23 but could not achieve a comeback. Turkey demonstrated serious potential with Vargas's inclusion and recorded an important victory in front of their fans. Belgium remained outside the top ten teams in the provisional standings.

VNL 2026 Standings (after the first matches of the second week)

After the first day of the second week, Brazil remains the sole leader with five wins and 14 points, followed by Japan and Italy with 13 points each. Poland, China, and Canada are separated by just one point and continue their battle for places in the Top 8. It's interesting that Serbia is only 13th despite its six points, as it lags behind the Netherlands, Ukraine, and Belgium in terms of set ratio. Bulgaria retains 16th place, staying ahead of Thailand and the Dominican Republic in the battle for survival in the VNL. The most significant intrigue at the moment is around the zone between 8th and 14th place, where only a few points separate seven teams.