The 2026 Volleyball Nations League is set to be the biggest and most wide-reaching edition in the competition's history. The FIVB and Volleyball World have officially unveiled the full match schedule for the upcoming season, confirming a landmark expansion to 18 teams in both the men's and women's draws, spread across 17 host cities in 12 countries worldwide.

The expansion marks a structural shift for the VNL. Gone is the old core and challenger team format, replaced by a streamlined promotion and relegation system that promises to inject fresh intensity into every match. With places in the competition now earned rather than guaranteed, the stakes have never been higher for national teams looking to establish themselves on volleyball's grandest annual stage.

Among the most compelling storylines heading into the 2026 season are two historic debuts. Ukraine's women's national team will compete in the VNL for the first time, a moment of significance that extends well beyond sport for a nation that has captured the world's admiration with its resilience. On the men's side, Belgium will make their own maiden VNL appearance, adding another European contender to an already loaded field.

The women's competition will get underway on June 3 in Nanjing, China, with Belgium taking on Poland in what promises to be an electric opening fixture. From there, the schedule winds through cities across the globe before culminating in Macao, where the Women's Finals will be held from July 22 to 26. The men's season will build toward its own crescendo in Ningbo, China, with the Men's Finals running from July 29 to August 2. China's dual hosting role underscores the nation's growing influence in international volleyball and its capacity to stage world-class sporting events.

All eyes in the women's draw will be on Italy, who enter the 2026 VNL as the reigning Olympic, World, and VNL champions. The Italians have established themselves as the dominant force in women's volleyball, and every opponent on the schedule will be measuring themselves against Julio Velasco's formidable squad. Whether anyone can dethrone them remains the central question of the season.

One of the most intriguing early matchups will see the United States women's team face VNL newcomers Ukraine in Quebec City. It is the kind of fixture that encapsulates what the new expanded format is all about, pitting established powerhouses against hungry debutants in front of passionate crowds in diverse locations around the world.

The decision to spread matches across 17 cities in 12 countries reflects the FIVB's commitment to growing volleyball's global footprint. Rather than concentrating the action in a handful of traditional strongholds, the 2026 VNL will bring elite competition to fans in communities that rarely get to experience it firsthand. It is a strategy designed to build new audiences while rewarding existing ones.

With promotion and relegation adding genuine jeopardy, historic debuts providing fresh narratives, and the world's best players competing across an unprecedented number of venues, the 2026 Volleyball Nations League has all the ingredients for a season that could redefine the competition. When Belgium and Poland walk onto the court in Nanjing on June 3, they will not just be opening a tournament. They will be opening a new chapter in the sport's history.