Turkish volleyball has celebrated a historic milestone in the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL), with both the men's and women's national teams successfully qualifying for the tournament's final stage. This achievement marks a landmark moment for the sport in Türkiye, as the men's team has reached the VNL Finals for the first time in the competition's history. Meanwhile, the women's team has secured a spot among the final eight for the eighth consecutive year.
The women's tournament is set to begin on Wednesday in China's Macao Special Administrative Region. Türkiye, which finished the preliminary round in fourth place with nine victories and 25 points, is scheduled to open its campaign against Canada on Thursday. The Turkish side is familiar with their opponent, as Canada is led by head coach Giovanni Guidetti, who previously managed the Turkish national team. Türkiye has maintained a strong record against Canada, winning their last four official encounters by 3-0 scores, with Canada's last victory dating back to the 2022 VNL. Should Türkiye advance, they will face the winner of the quarterfinal match between the United States and China in the semifinals. The Turkish women's team has a decorated history in the competition, having won the title in 2023, along with a silver medal in 2018 and a bronze in 2021.
The men's team secured their historic qualification by finishing sixth in the VNL standings with eight wins and 22 points, capped by a 3-1 victory over Iran in their final preliminary match. Under the guidance of Serbian head coach Slobodan Kovac, who took charge in July 2025, the team has seen a steady rise. Kovac was instrumental in leading the squad to the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship for the first time. In the upcoming VNL quarterfinals, Türkiye will face Slovenia, which finished third in the standings with 10 wins. Alongside Türkiye, the United States, Japan, Italy, and the host nation, China, have qualified for the quarterfinals in both the men's and women's tournaments.
