Poland entered the Volleyball Nations League era as reigning world champions from 2014 and reinforced that status by successfully defending the world title later in 2018. Their first VNL campaign ended without a medal, but what followed became the most consistent podium run in the history of the men’s competition.
From 2019 onward, Poland reached the podium in every completed VNL edition through 2026. That run has produced three gold medals, one silver and three bronze, making Poland the most decorated men’s team in VNL history by both total medals and titles after the 2026 tournament.
This guide covers Poland’s complete men’s VNL history: every season result, medal campaign, major record and the players who defined the team’s rise. For the competition-wide picture, see the VNL Medal Table and the complete VNL Champions & Records.
Last updated: August 2026
Quick Facts
| Category | Record |
| VNL editions competed | 8 (men) |
| VNL titles | 3 (2023, 2025, 2026) |
| VNL medals total | 7 (3 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze) |
| Consecutive podiums | 7 (2019-2026) |
| Best finish | Gold (2023, 2025, 2026) |
| VNL final appearances | 4 (2021, 2023, 2025, 2026) |
| Finals hosted in Poland | 2 (2023 Gdańsk, 2024 Łódź) |
| Head coach | Nikola Grbić (since 2022) |
| Polish VNL MVP recipients | 4 (Bartosz Kurek 2021 co-MVP; Paweł Zatorski 2023; Jakub Kochanowski 2025; Tomasz Fornal 2026) |
Poland’s VNL Results by Year
| Year | Result | Medal / placement match | Finals location | Polish MVP winner |
| 2018 | 5th place | – | Lille, France | – |
| 2019 | Bronze | defeated Brazil 3-0 | Chicago, USA | – |
| 2020 | Tournament cancelled | COVID-19 pandemic | – | – |
| 2021 | Silver | lost to Brazil 1-3 | Rimini, Italy | Bartosz Kurek (co-MVP) |
| 2022 | Bronze | defeated Italy 3-0 | Bologna, Italy | – |
| 2023 | Gold | defeated USA 3-1 | Gdańsk, Poland | Paweł Zatorski |
| 2024 | Bronze | defeated Slovenia 3-0 | Łódź, Poland | – |
| 2025 | Gold | defeated Italy 3-0 | Ningbo, China | Jakub Kochanowski |
| 2026 | Gold | defeated USA 3-2 | Ningbo, China | Tomasz Fornal |
Season-by-Season History
2018 – A Difficult Start
Poland’s inaugural VNL campaign came during a transitional summer. They entered the new competition as the reigning 2014 world champions, but finished fifth and missed the medal round. Later that year, Poland successfully defended their world title at the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
The fifth-place finish remains the only completed VNL edition in which Poland did not earn a medal through 2026.
Final result: 5th place
2019 – First VNL Medal: Bronze in Chicago
Poland returned in 2019 as back-to-back world champions and converted that status into their first VNL podium. They reached the Finals in Chicago and defeated Brazil 3-0 in the bronze medal match.
That result began a podium streak that would continue through every subsequent completed edition up to and including 2026.
Final result: Bronze
2021 – Silver in Rimini
The 2020 VNL was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the competition returned in 2021 inside the Rimini bubble in Italy. Poland advanced to the final but lost 1-3 to Brazil, earning the first silver medal in their VNL history.
Bartosz Kurek was one of the defining players of the tournament and shared the men’s MVP award with Brazil’s Wallace de Souza – the only shared men’s MVP award in VNL history. See the complete VNL MVP winners list for the full award history.
Final result: Silver | Polish MVP: Bartosz Kurek (co-MVP)
2022 – Bronze in Bologna
Poland remained on the podium in 2022, their first VNL season under Nikola Grbić. After missing the gold medal match, they responded by defeating host nation Italy 3-0 in the bronze medal match in Bologna.
France won the title after a five-set final against the United States, while Poland’s bronze established a third podium finish in four completed VNL editions.
Final result: Bronze
2023 – First Gold: Champions at Home in Gdańsk
The 2023 edition became the breakthrough Poland had been building toward since the VNL began. Hosting the Finals in Gdańsk, they defeated Brazil 3-0 in the quarterfinals and Japan 3-1 in the semifinals before facing the United States for the title.
Poland won the final 3-1 (25-23, 24-26, 25-18, 25-18). Łukasz Kaczmarek, playing in place of injured captain Bartosz Kurek, scored 25 points and delivered one of the defining individual performances of Poland’s VNL history.
Libero Paweł Zatorski was named tournament MVP, becoming the first libero to receive the men’s VNL award. Poland had finally turned repeated podium finishes into their first championship.
Final result: Gold | MVP: Paweł Zatorski | Top scorer in final: Łukasz Kaczmarek – 25 points
2024 – Bronze in Łódź
Poland hosted the VNL Finals again in 2024, this time in Łódź, and entered as defending champions. They came from behind to beat Brazil 3-1 in the quarterfinals, but France stopped their title defence in a dramatic five-set semifinal.
Poland recovered immediately and swept Slovenia 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-17) in the bronze medal match. Tomasz Fornal and Jakub Kochanowski were both selected to the VNL 2024 Dream Team.
Final result: Bronze | Dream Team: Tomasz Fornal (OH), Jakub Kochanowski (MB)
2025 – Second Gold: A Perfect Finals Run in Ningbo
Poland finished the 2025 Preliminary Phase in fifth place with an 8-4 record, but their best volleyball arrived in Ningbo. They swept Japan 3-0 in the quarterfinals, Brazil 3-0 in the semifinals and Italy 3-0 in the final.
The 3-0 title match victory over Italy (25-22, 25-19, 25-14) completed a perfect knockout run: three matches, three wins and not a single set lost. It was Poland’s second VNL title and their sixth consecutive podium.
Jakub Kochanowski, who captained the team during the Finals, was named tournament MVP. Wilfredo León led the final with 16 points, while Kochanowski, Leon and opposite Kewin Sasak all earned places on the VNL Dream Team.
Final result: Gold | MVP: Jakub Kochanowski | Finals record: 3 wins, 0 sets lost
2026 – Third Gold: Back-to-Back Champions
Poland entered 2026 as defending champions and again proved capable of peaking at the decisive stage of the tournament. They finished second in the Preliminary Phase with a 10-2 record and 29 points before returning to Ningbo for the Finals.
In the quarterfinals, Poland overcame Ukraine 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-20, 25-17). They then produced one of their most controlled performances of the season in the semifinal, sweeping Slovenia 3-0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-17). Wilfredo León delivered six aces in that match as Poland reached their fourth VNL final.
For a full breakdown of the semifinal, see our Slovenia vs Poland VNL 2026 semifinal report.
The final against the United States was far more demanding. Poland won the opening set but fell 1-2 behind after the Americans took the next two. The defending champions responded by winning the fourth set 25-23 and then controlled the tie-break 15-10 to seal a 3-2 victory (25-21, 23-25, 25-27, 25-23, 15-10).
Kamil Semeniuk led Poland with 17 points, while Wilfredo León and Tomasz Fornal added 15 each. Fornal’s five aces were central to Poland’s serving pressure, and he was named the VNL 2026 MVP.
The victory gave Poland their third championship, a second consecutive title and a seventh straight VNL podium. Read the full Poland vs USA VNL 2026 final report.
Final result: Gold | MVP: Tomasz Fornal | Final: Poland 3-2 USA
Key Players in Poland’s VNL History
Bartosz Kurek (Opposite)
Kurek was a central figure in Poland’s early VNL years and reached the 2021 final as the team’s leading star. His performance in Rimini earned him a share of the 2021 tournament MVP award with Brazil’s Wallace de Souza, making Kurek the first Polish player to receive VNL MVP recognition.
Wilfredo León (Outside Hitter)
Leon has shaped several of Poland’s biggest VNL moments with his serve and attacking power. He played a major role in the 2023 title run, led the 2025 final with 16 points and produced six aces in the 2026 semifinal before adding 15 points in the title match against the United States.
Paweł Zatorski (Libero)
Zatorski’s 2023 campaign ended with Poland’s first VNL gold and a historic individual award. He became the first libero to be named men’s VNL MVP, recognition of the reception, defence and leadership that underpinned the Gdańsk title run.
Jakub Kochanowski (Middle Blocker)
Kochanowski was part of Poland’s medal-winning core across multiple editions and became the team’s third VNL MVP recipient in 2025. Captaining the side during the Ningbo Finals, he helped Poland complete the knockout stage without dropping a set.
Tomasz Fornal (Outside Hitter)
Fornal progressed from a 2024 Dream Team selection to the biggest individual award in the competition. In 2026 he became Poland’s fourth VNL MVP recipient, finishing the five-set final against the United States with 15 points and five aces.
Łukasz Kaczmarek (Opposite)
Kaczmarek’s place in Poland’s VNL history is secured by the 2023 final. Starting in place of injured captain Bartosz Kurek, he scored 25 points against the United States and powered Poland to their first championship.
Memorable Moment: Gdańsk 2023 – Poland’s First Gold
Poland 3-1 USA – Gold Medal Match, Ergo Arena Gdańsk
The 2023 final remains the defining turning point in Poland’s VNL story. After years of podium finishes, Poland finally converted consistency into a championship in front of a home crowd.
The United States levelled the match by taking the second set, but Poland controlled the final two. Kaczmarek’s 25-point performance gave the team a reliable scoring anchor, while Zatorski’s reception and defence helped hold the structure together under the pressure of a home final.
The title changed the scale of Poland’s VNL legacy. Two more championships followed in 2025 and 2026, but Gdańsk was the moment the long medal run became a title-winning dynasty.
Head Coaches
| Period | Coach | Nationality |
| 2018-2021 | Vital Heynen | Belgian |
| 2022-present | Nikola Grbić | Serbian |
Nikola Grbić took over ahead of the 2022 VNL season. Under him, Poland won bronze in 2022, gold in 2023, bronze in 2024 and consecutive titles in 2025 and 2026 – five podium finishes in five VNL campaigns through 2026.
Poland VNL Records at a Glance
| Record | Detail |
| Total VNL medals | 7 – most in men’s VNL history after 2026 |
| VNL titles | 3 (2023, 2025, 2026) – most in men’s VNL history after 2026 |
| Consecutive podiums | 7 (2019-2026) |
| VNL final appearances | 4 (2021, 2023, 2025, 2026) |
| Back-to-back titles | 2025-2026 |
| Finals without dropping a set | 2025 – 3 wins, 0 sets lost |
| Home Finals hosted | 2023 (Gdańsk), 2024 (Łódź) |
| Polish VNL MVP recipients | 4 – Kurek, Zatorski, Kochanowski, Fornal |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many VNL titles has Poland won?
Poland have won the men’s Volleyball Nations League three times: 2023 in Gdańsk and 2025 and 2026 in Ningbo.
What is Poland’s overall VNL medal record?
After the 2026 edition, Poland have seven men’s VNL medals: three gold, one silver and three bronze.
Has Poland ever missed the VNL podium?
Yes. Poland finished fifth in the inaugural 2018 edition. They then reached the podium in every completed VNL from 2019 through 2026. The 2020 tournament was cancelled.
Which Polish players have won the VNL MVP award?
Four Polish players have received the men’s VNL MVP award: Bartosz Kurek as co-MVP in 2021, Paweł Zatorski in 2023, Jakub Kochanowski in 2025 and Tomasz Fornal in 2026.
Are Poland the most successful team in men’s VNL history?
Yes. After the 2026 tournament, Poland lead the men’s VNL in both total medals (seven) and titles (three).
Quick Summary
- Poland have seven men’s VNL medals: three gold, one silver and three bronze.
- They have reached the podium in every completed edition since 2019 through 2026.
- Their first title came at home in Gdańsk in 2023, with Paweł Zatorski named MVP.
- The 2025 champions completed the Finals without dropping a set.
- Poland defended the title in 2026, beating the United States 3-2 in the final for a third crown.
- Tomasz Fornal became the VNL 2026 MVP, Poland’s fourth recipient of the men’s award.
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