FIVB confirms participation of Russian teams in 2027 Volleyball Nations League
Geneva, Aug 4
The International Volleyball Federation announced on Tuesday that Russia's men's and women's national teams will participate in the 2027 Volleyball Nations League.
"Following its statement issued on 8 July 2026, the FIVB has continued consultations with relevant stakeholders to establish a clear roadmap for the return of Russian athletes and technical officials to World competitions," the world volleyball governing body said in a statement.
The VNL will expand from 18 to 19 teams for the 2027 edition, as neither of Russia's teams qualified through the usual process, with Slovenia's women's team and Finland's men's team retaining their places in the competition.
The FIVB confirmed that Russia had voluntarily chosen not to compete in the 2027 Men's World Cup, while its participation in the 2027 Women's World Cup has yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, World No. 1 Poland rallied to defeat the United States 3-2 and retained its title in the recently concluded 2026 edition of the FIVB Men's Volleyball Nations League Finals on Sunday, while Slovenia beat Japan 3-1 to secure its first VNL medal.
In a thrilling final, Poland took the opening set 25-21 before the United States responded by edging the next two 25-23 and 27-25 to move within one set of the title.
With the championship on the line, the fourth set remained level at 20-20 before Poland outside hitter Tomasz Fornal sparked his team with a series of outstanding serves. Poland closed out the set 25-23 to force a decider.
The defending champion seized control after the score was tied at 5-5 in the fifth set, capitalising on several U.S. attacking errors to build a 13-7 lead. Poland's disciplined defense and effective blocking denied America any chance of a comeback, and the European side sealed the set 15-10 to complete the turnaround and claim its third VNL title.
Earlier on Sunday, after finishing fourth on three previous occasions, Slovenia finally reached the VNL podium by defeating Japan 3-1 (25-21, 26-28, 25-22, 25-22) in the bronze medal match.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's good that the FIVB is being transparent about this. Sports should not be politicized, but we also cannot ignore the reasons for the ban. I just hope that this decision was made keeping fairness in mind for all teams, especially those who qualified the hard way.
The expansion to 19 teams is interesting. I hope it doesn't dilute the quality of the VNL. Poland's comeback win over the USA was spectacular though! That fifth set was pure volleyball gold. 🏐
As a huge volleyball fan, I'm just glad to see the sport moving forward. The VNL finals were absolutely thrilling—Poland's resilience was inspiring. As for Russia, I think if they follow the rules and the process, they should be given a chance. Everyone deserves a comeback story.
While I understand the rationale, I feel a little uneasy about this. The FIVB should also consider how this impacts teams like Slovenia and Finland who have been consistently competing. But let's trust the process and hope the spirit of the game remains intact.
Poland vs USA was a masterclass! That comeback was pure drama and emotion. Regarding Russia, I hope the FIVB's decision is in the best interest of the sport. At the end of the day, volleyball should be a celebration, not a battlefield. ✌️
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