Nations League 2025: Preparations For the World Championship

The women’s Nations League season concluded on July 27 in front of more than 11,000 fans in a sold-out Atlas Arena in Łódź. The seventh edition of the competition was the first with an expanded format of 18 teams, divided into three groups across each of the three preliminary weeks. That produced a total of 116 matches and recorded global viewership. The FIVB justified the expansion by aiming to provide intercontinental testing for teams supported by the Volleyball Empowerment program, and the new structure proved to be a hit—five teams that were not in the Top 10 in 2024 competed for a spot in the final phase. For fans following the tournament through Merkur Xtip, the excitement stretched across continents and offered countless betting opportunities.

Marathon Preliminary Phase

From June 4 to July 13, games were played across four continents (Istanbul, Macau, Arlington, Manaus, Bangkok, and Kraków). Italy (12-0) was the only unbeaten team, showing an impressive 56% attack efficiency through Egonu and Sylla. Brazil lost only one match (11-1), while Japan and Poland entered the finals at 9-3 each. China relied on the strongest block (2.9 points per set), and Turkey on the most lethal serve (1.9 aces per set).

Quarterfinal Drama

• Italy – USA 3-0 – Italy scored 50 direct attack points with only 12 errors; Egonu tallied 20 points, breaking through the American double block with Oro’s sets from zone 1.
• Poland – China 3-2 – Magdalena Stysiak exploded with 25 points, while the deafening crowd noise in the fifth set “forced” two Chinese errors.
• Japan – Turkey 3-2 – Japan finished with 74% positive reception, while Turkey delivered 10 service aces but committed 27 service errors.
• Brazil – Germany 3-0 – The shortest quarterfinal (79 minutes). Gabi and Julia Kudiś scored 32 points, and Brazil won 69% of long rallies thanks to libero Nyeme’s defense.

Semifinals: Italy’s Clinic and Brazil’s Thriller

• Italy – Poland 3-0 – Oro used lightning-fast transition sets (tempo under 3 seconds), neutralizing Korneluk in the middle. Poland’s staff admitted they had “never seen faster ball circulation” in women’s volleyball.
• Brazil – Japan 3-2 – Brazil intensified float serves from Carol and Lorena in the fifth set, forcing Japan to a poor 38% reception and reaching their first final since 2022. The match featured 13 block points and 9 aces, the most ever in a VNL semifinal.

Bronze Medal: Poland’s Third Time Lucky

Poland – Japan 3-1 (25-15, 24-26, 25-16, 25-23) – The orchestrated roar of the crowd lifted the hosts after dropping the second set. Stysiak added 24 points, Korneluk 5 blocks. This marked Poland’s third straight bronze, but their first earned on home soil.

Final: Tactical Chess Between Velasco and Ze Roberto

Italy – Brazil 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-22) – Brazil took the first set with Gabi’s early service run (two aces). Coach Julio Velasco made the key adjustment: introducing Monica De Gennaro in an expanded 2+1 reception, shifting Egonu to shorter crossing runs, which raised Italy’s reception rate to 62%. Italy tallied 9 block points in the next three sets, while Brazil struggled in transition with only 34% counterattack efficiency. Egonu finished with 21 points (18 attack, 2 blocks, 1 ace), while Sylla added 16. With this win, Italy claimed their third VNL gold (2022, 2024, 2025), tying the USA in total trophies.

“Dream Team” of the Nations League

FIVB announced the all-star lineup the day after the final: MVP and libero – Monica De Gennaro (64% perfect reception, 38 digs); outside hitters Gabi and Miriam Sylla; opposite Paola Egonu (164 points in the Final 8); middle blockers Agnieszka Korneluk and Julia Kudiś; setter Alessia Oro (216 successful sets, 34 direct points).

Łódź as Host

The host city generated an estimated €12.4 million in tourism revenue during the final week, according to the Polish Tourism Organization, with 68% of visitors coming from outside Poland. Atlas Arena set a new Polish record for a women’s indoor match (11,248 spectators). Sports betting also had plenty of reasons to celebrate, and the local club ŁKS Commercecon secured a €2 million sponsorship announcement thanks to the event’s publicity.

World Championship on the Horizon

Italy, Brazil, and Poland enter the World Championship in Thailand (August 22 – September 7) as favorites. Italy is chasing a fourth straight medal at a major tournament, Brazil eyes a renewal of Olympic ambitions, while Poland hopes to capitalize on home momentum and finally break past the semifinal barrier.

A Successful Volleyball Year in 2025

This year’s Nations League will be remembered as the tournament where Italy completed their “hat trick,” Poland celebrated bronze on home ground, and Brazil announced their return to the top. Quarterfinal thrillers, the Egonu–Gabi duel in the final, and tactical innovation with a dual libero setup proved that women’s volleyball is keeping pace with, and at times dictating, modern performance and analytics trends. All of this also brought excitement for those who enjoyed live betting on the matches. If FIVB’s goal with the expanded format was to create a more competitive and visible product, the 2025 season not only met but exceeded those expectations.