ITALY, widely regarded as the world’s premier women’s volleyball powerhouse, will spearhead the return of the Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) to the Philippines in 2026, four years since the country last hosted the tournament.
Joining the Italians in the six-team field are Japan, the U.S., Serbia, the Dominican Republic, and Czechia.
Week 2 of the 2026 Women’s VNL is slated from June 17 to 21 on Philippine soil, with the host venue still to be finalized.
Bannered by superstar spiker Paola Egonu, the world No. 1 side will arrive carrying a historic 36-match unbeaten streak in international competition.
That dominant run includes gold-medal finishes in the Olympics, the FIVB World Championship, and the VNL over a remarkable two-year stretch, establishing the Azzurre as the undisputed benchmark.
As early as April last year, the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) floated plans to stage the Women’s VNL at the soon-to-open SM Seaside Arena in Cebu.
The venue, located in the provincial capital, is expected to open this year, though it remains uncertain whether it will be fully operational in time for the June tournament.
Should Cebu be cleared as host, the VNL would make its first-ever stop in the Visayas, marking one of the arena’s earliest major international sporting events.
If not, Metro Manila venues such as the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City or the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City are once again the leading alternatives, as they were in previous editions.
Four in a row
The Philippines first hosted the VNL in 2022 at the Big Dome, a staging that remains unique as the only year the country welcomed both the men’s and women’s tournaments.
Japan and the U.S. are the lone returnees from that Philippine leg, which also featured Canada, Thailand, Poland, Bulgaria, China, and Belgium.
From 2023 to 2025, only the Men’s VNL was held in Manila, making 2026 the long-awaited return of the women’s tournament after a three-year absence.
That stretch also saw the Philippines host the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, with the women’s global showcase already lined up for 2029.
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