Reigning FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) champions Italy defeated Brazil, 22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-22, to claim their second straight and third VNL title.
Italy lost the first set of the championship match at the Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland, but found their rhythm back in the next three sets to secure their third title following wins in 2022 and 2024.
“The gold medal match was very difficult and Brazil never gave up. We didn’t play our best volleyball, but we fought the entire time and our bench players were able to come in and make a difference for us. I’m very proud of the group. This is a special group of players, which has a lot of talent, but also a great mentality and the willingness to work hard every day,” head coach Julio Velasco told Volleyball World.
Poland ended the competition in third place, followed by Japan (4th), China (5th), Turkey (6th), Germany (7th), and the USA (8th).
Aside from Italy, the United States also have three VNL titles, winning in 2018, 2019, and 2021.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 2025 Women’s Euro news: Lionesses parade trophy in London after final win over Spain
Who made the VNL Dream team?
Italian players dominated this year’s Women’s VNL dream team, with volleyball star Paolo Egonu winning the Best Opposite Spiker.
The Best Outside Hitters were Myriam Sylla (Italy) and Gabriela Guimarães (Brazil), while Alessia Orro (Italy) was named the Best Setter.
Meanwhile, the Best Middle Blocker awards went to Julia Kudiess (Brazil) and Agnieszka Korneluk (Poland).
Italian star Monica De Gennaro was the most outstanding player in the 2025 Women’s VNL after winning both the Best Libero and the Most Valuable Player awards.
De Gennaro was a vital player in the Italian team, helping them win the gold medal during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She had already hinted about her retirement from the national team after the team’s success in Paris, but decided to return this year and even bagged the MVP award.
Road to 2026
With the end of the 2025 Women’s VNL tournament, teams are now shifting their focus to other upcoming major tournaments in the following weeks, including the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Thailand.
Ukraine will also be making their debut in the 2026 edition of the VNL after taking the place of relegated South Korea.
According to current FIVB Volleyball World Rankings, Ukraine are currently ranked 15th, making them the highest-ranked nation not yet part of the Women’s VNL.
Puerto Rico and Argentina were the closest competitors of Ukraine for the 2026 VNL slot.
READ NEXT: British and Irish Lions: Hugo Keenan’s late try seals victory and series win vs Australia
Adam Peaker 
Hyacinth Estrada 
Ian Trinidad