Finland and the Netherlands will contend for the title in the Golden European League, but the final clash has a much larger stake. The two teams are the highest-ranked national teams outside the current Volleyball Nations League (VNL) lineup, and the result of the two final matches could prove to be one of the key factors in the battle for a spot in the VNL in 2027.
The Netherlands reached the final after a 3:1 victory against Israel in Doetinchem, led by opposite hitter Silvester Meijs – the "Tulips'" leading scorer in the tournament. Finland was also convincing in the semifinals, having defeated Denmark.
The first final match will take place on July 8, and the return leg is scheduled for July 11 at the "Sportcampus Zuiderpark" hall in The Hague.
Besides the trophy, the two matches will also bring valuable points for the FIVB World Ranking. This ranking will be the determining factor in selecting the new participant in the VNL in 2027, after it becomes clear which team will be relegated from the tournament.
According to the current VNL regulations, the status of permanent participants has been abolished. The last-placed team in the final standings of the preliminary phase is automatically relegated, and its spot is taken by the highest-ranked national team in the world ranking that is not participating in the tournament. It was precisely through this mechanism that the Netherlands was relegated from the VNL after the 2025 season, having finished last in the preliminary phase, and its place was taken by Belgium as the highest-ranked team outside the competition at that time.
Now the roles could be reversed. Currently, Finland is ranked 17th in the world with 207.37 points, and the Netherlands is immediately behind them in 18th place with 205.61 points. Therefore, the Golden European League final is important not only for the trophy but also for the valuable points that can strengthen the position of one of the two teams before the final determination of the new VNL 2027 participant.
It is important to note that the winner of the Golden European League will not automatically secure a spot in the VNL. The new participant will only be known after the end of the preliminary phase of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League and the subsequent update of the world ranking, as continental championships, which will be held later in the year, do not influence the determination of the VNL 2027 participant.
The preliminary phase of the VNL 2026 includes a total of three tournament weeks, with the last one taking place from July 15 to 19 in Osaka, Belgrade, and Chicago. Only after its conclusion will the final standings and which team will be relegated from the tournament become clear. Currently, Cuba and China are among the main candidates to finish last in the preliminary phase, but the outcome will only become clear after all remaining matches have been played.
It is interesting to note that the four semifinalists in this year's Golden European League – the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, and Israel – have already secured their participation in the European Championship in 2028.