VNL 2026 Men’s Standings After Week 2: Japan Unbeaten as Finals Race Tightens

Eight wins from eight for Japan. The 2024 champions in 12th. Türkiye and Bulgaria level at the effective qualification cut.

Standings and player statistics through the end of Week 2 on 28 June 2026. Article updated 10 July 2026.

Two of the three Preliminary Phase weeks are complete, and the men’s Volleyball Nations League table already reads like a thriller. Japan have won every match. The United States and defending champions Poland are leading the pursuit. France, the 2024 champions and reigning Olympic gold medallists, are outside the qualification places.

The most important detail is easy to miss: China are guaranteed a place in the Finals as hosts. With China currently 17th, the effective sporting cut is after seventh place, not eighth. Türkiye hold that final non-host position, level with Bulgaria on wins and match points but ahead on set ratio. Brazil are only one point further back.

Every team has four matches remaining in Week 3 from 15 to 19 July. The order will change, but the table after eight rounds already reveals which teams are efficient, which teams are surviving on narrow margins, and which established contenders are running out of room.

After Two Weeks – At a Glance

• Unbeaten: Japan are the only team yet to lose, starting the season 8-0.
• Best efficiency: The USA lead the tournament in both set ratio (2.200) and point ratio (1.109).
• Defending champions: Poland are third at 6-2; 2024 champions France are down in 12th.
• Current qualification cut: Türkiye and Bulgaria both stand at 5-3 with 14 points, but Türkiye hold seventh on set ratio.
• Guaranteed host berth: China will play in the Finals in Ningbo regardless of their Preliminary Phase position.
• Top scorer: Bulgaria’s Aleksandar Nikolov leads all players with 194 points.

Full Standings – VNL 2026 Men After Week 2

Pos	Team	W-L	Points	Set ratio	Point ratio
1	Japan	8-0	20	2.181	1.085
2	USA	6-2	19	2.200	1.109
3	Poland	6-2	17	1.571	1.075
4	Slovenia	6-2	14	1.333	1.021
5	Ukraine	5-3	16	1.500	1.061
6	Italy	5-3	16	1.357	1.046
7	Türkiye	5-3	14	1.384	1.007
CURRENT NON-HOST QUALIFICATION CUT
8	Bulgaria	5-3	14	1.200	1.043
9	Brazil	5-3	13	1.133	1.042
10	Germany	4-4	12	0.941	0.972
11	Serbia	4-4	12	0.933	0.931
12	France	4-4	10	0.888	0.993
13	Belgium	3-5	9	0.736	0.945
14	Iran	2-6	9	0.684	0.955
15	Argentina	2-6	7	0.650	0.952
16	Canada	1-7	8	0.681	0.979
17	China (Finals host)	1-7	4	0.428	0.909
18	Cuba	0-8	2	0.250	0.878

Qualification note: The Finals contain eight teams. China have a guaranteed berth as hosts. If China remain outside the top eight, they enter the Finals as the eighth seed and the seven highest-ranked other teams qualify. On the current table, Türkiye therefore hold the last non-host qualification place.

Source: Official VNL 2026 men’s standings.

How the Standings Actually Work

The order can look strange until the ranking rules are understood. Teams are ranked first by number of wins. Match points are compared only between teams with the same number of victories. If teams remain tied, set ratio and then point ratio are used to separate them.

That is why Slovenia sit fourth on 14 points while Ukraine are fifth on 16. Slovenia have six wins to Ukraine’s five, so Ukraine’s higher points total cannot move them above Slovenia.

The same rules explain the current qualification line. Türkiye and Bulgaria both have five wins and 14 points. Türkiye are seventh because their set ratio is higher: 1.384 compared with Bulgaria’s 1.200.

Match points are awarded as follows:

• a 3-0 or 3-1 victory is worth three points;
• a 3-2 victory is worth two points;
• a 2-3 defeat earns one point;
• a 0-3 or 1-3 defeat earns no points.

This allows a team to collect wins without always collecting the maximum number of points. Slovenia are the clearest example: four of their six victories have come in five sets.

For a complete explanation of the competition system, host qualification and tiebreakers, see our VNL format guide.

The Stories Behind the Table

Japan set the pace

Japan are the only unbeaten team in the competition: eight matches, eight victories and 20 points. Their record is perfect, but the route has not been easy. Four of the eight wins came in five sets, showing a team that repeatedly finds a way through the closest moments rather than simply overwhelming every opponent.

Ran Takahashi has led the scoring effort with 159 points, the third-highest total in the tournament after two weeks. He stands ahead of both Yuki Ishikawa and Yuji Nishida in the Japanese scoring order.

Japan open Week 3 against Italy in Osaka on 15 July. That match will immediately test whether the only perfect record in the men’s competition can survive the final week.

The efficient chasers: USA and Poland

The United States are second at 6-2 and own the strongest underlying team numbers in the field. Their 2.200 set ratio and 1.109 point ratio are both tournament bests. Three straight-set victories also show how quickly the USA can close matches when their system is working.

Poland, the defending champions, are third with the same 6-2 record. They have 17 match points and have scored 844 total points, more than any other team. That reflects both their attacking depth and the number of extended sets they have played.

Unlike several rivals, Poland have not depended on one dominant scorer. Their production is spread across the roster, a familiar strength for the team that won the 2025 title without building its campaign around a single attacker.

Slovenia keep winning the hard way

Slovenia have a 6-2 record, matching the USA and Poland in victories, but sit fourth with only 14 points. Four of their six wins came in five sets.

That pattern is both impressive and risky. Winning repeated tie-breaks shows composure, but it also leaves points behind. One or two narrow losses in Week 3 could change their position quickly even if their overall level remains high.

Ukraine belong in the Finals race

A year after finishing ninth in their VNL debut, Ukraine are fifth and firmly inside the current qualification zone. Their 5-3 record includes two of the most significant results of Week 2: a 3-0 victory over 2025 runners-up Italy and a 3-1 win against Brazil.

Vasyl Tupchii has led the attack with 115 points, placing him tenth among all scorers after eight matches. Ukraine’s 1.500 set ratio is the best of any five-win team, which gives them an important advantage in the crowded middle of the table.

Ukraine are no longer playing like newcomers hoping to stay close. Their results and underlying numbers say they belong in the race for Ningbo.

Italy remain dangerous but inconsistent

Italy, beaten finalists in 2025, are sixth at 5-3 with 16 points. Three 3-1 victories show their ceiling, while the straight-set defeat to Ukraine shows why they have not yet joined the top group.

A 1.357 set ratio leaves Italy in a solid position, but their margin is not large enough to make Week 3 comfortable. The quality remains obvious; consistency is the unresolved question.

France have little room left

France entered the season as the 2024 VNL champions and reigning Olympic gold medallists. After two weeks, they are 12th.

Their 4-4 record has produced only 10 match points and a negative set ratio of 0.888. Three of France’s four victories came in five sets, so they have collected wins without building the points total normally expected from a contender.

Week 3 gives France four matches in Chicago against Brazil, China, Poland and Bulgaria. It is an opportunity to climb because several direct competitors are in the same pool, but another uneven week could end their qualification challenge.

Türkiye hold the line – for now

The most delicate contest is between Türkiye, Bulgaria and Brazil.

Türkiye are seventh at 5-3 with 14 points and currently hold the final non-host qualification place. Bulgaria have exactly the same win-loss record and the same number of points, but sit eighth because their set ratio is lower. Brazil are ninth at 5-3 with 13 points.

The gap is almost nonexistent. One clean victory, one five-set defeat or one swing in sets won and lost could redraw the entire line. Bulgaria’s meeting with Türkiye is not on the Week 3 schedule, so both teams will have to manage the pressure through different pools while watching every result elsewhere.

Canada’s record hides five near-misses

Canada’s 1-7 record looks severe, but it does not tell the whole story. Five of their seven defeats came in five sets.

Those five 2-3 losses have given Canada eight match points – more than Argentina and only one fewer than Belgium and Iran – yet the win-first ranking system leaves them 16th. No team illustrates the difference between competitiveness and table position more clearly.

The Individual Race

Bulgaria’s Aleksandar Nikolov leads the tournament with 194 points after two weeks. Belgium’s Ferre Reggers is only one point behind on 193, while Japan’s Ran Takahashi is third on 159.

The headline totals tell only part of the story. Efficiency, workload, blocking, serving and a player’s dependence on team results all matter when evaluating the standout performers. Our full analysis of the VNL 2026 men’s top scorers after Week 2 examines the scoring race and the most revealing individual statistics before Week 3.

What’s Next

Week 3 runs from 15 to 19 July and will decide the seven non-host teams that join China in the men’s Finals.

The Chicago pool is especially important because the USA, Poland, Bulgaria, Brazil and France will all take points from one another, with Finals hosts China completing the group. In Belgrade, Slovenia, Ukraine and Türkiye face Serbia, Germany and Iran without meeting any of the current top three. Japan and Italy begin the Osaka pool against each other.

The final week is not only about total wins. Teams level on victories may be separated by match points, set ratio or even point ratio, making every set relevant to the qualification race.

We break down the qualification scenarios, the three Week 3 pools and the matches that could decide the Finals field in our full VNL 2026 Week 3 preview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who leads the VNL 2026 men’s standings after Week 2?

Japan lead the table with an 8-0 record and 20 points. They are the only unbeaten men’s team after the first eight matches.

Why are Slovenia above Ukraine despite having fewer points?

VNL teams are ranked by wins before match points. Slovenia have six victories, while Ukraine have five, so Slovenia remain higher even though Ukraine have 16 points to Slovenia’s 14.

Why is seventh place currently the effective qualification cut?

China are guaranteed a place in the Finals as hosts. Because China are currently outside the top eight, the seven highest-ranked other teams occupy the sporting qualification places. Türkiye are seventh and therefore hold the last of those places.

Why are Türkiye above Bulgaria?

Both teams have five wins and 14 match points. Türkiye have the better set ratio, 1.384 to Bulgaria’s 1.200, so they are ranked seventh and Bulgaria eighth.

Who is the top scorer in the men’s VNL 2026?

Aleksandar Nikolov of Bulgaria leads with 194 points after two weeks. Belgium’s Ferre Reggers is second with 193, and Japan’s Ran Takahashi is third with 159.

Which teams would be in the Finals based on the current table?

Japan, the USA, Poland, Slovenia, Ukraine, Italy and Türkiye currently occupy the seven non-host qualification places. China are also in the Finals because they are the host nation.

When is men’s VNL 2026 Week 3?

The third and final Preliminary Phase week runs from 15 to 19 July 2026. Each team will play four more matches before the Finals field is confirmed.

Last updated: 10 July 2026.