The Volleyball Nations League launched in 2018 as the premier annual competition for national teams, replacing the FIVB World League and World Grand Prix.
The tournament features 16 teams competing in separate men’s and women’s divisions with five preliminary weeks followed by final round knockout stages.
Through six editions (2018–2024), eight different nations have claimed gold medals, with France and Italy emerging as recent dominators.
In this guide, you will know about volleyball nations league winners list and other information in details.
Men’s Volleyball Nations League Champions (2018–2024)
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | Third Place | Final Score | Location |
| 2018 | Russia | France | USA | 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-23) | Lille, France |
| 2019 | Russia | USA | Brazil | 3-1 (25-23, 20-25, 25-21, 25-20) | Chicago, USA |
| 2021 | Brazil | Poland | Argentina | 3-2 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| 2022 | France | USA | Poland | 3-2 | Bologna, Italy |
| 2023 | Poland | USA | Slovenia | 3-1 (25-23, 25-21, 16-25, 25-19) | Gdańsk, Poland |
| 2024 | France | Japan | Poland | 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 25-23, 25-23) | Łódź, Poland |
Russia dominated the inaugural seasons with back-to-back golds, winning with 47% kill efficiency in 2019. France emerged as the tournament’s strongest recent force, winning titles in 2022 and 2024.
In the 2024 final, Jean Patry led France with 23 points (58.8% attack efficiency) against Japan’s Ishikawa Yuki who scored 17 points in Łódź.
Women’s Volleyball Nations League Champions (2018–2024)
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | Third Place | Final Score | Location |
| 2018 | USA | Turkey | China | 3-2 | Nanjing, China |
| 2019 | USA | Brazil | Japan | 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-23) | Nanjing, China |
| 2021 | USA | Brazil | Serbia | 3-1 | Rimini, Italy |
| 2022 | Italy | USA | Serbia | 3-0 | Ankara, Turkey |
| 2023 | Turkey | China | Japan | 3-1 | Ankara, Turkey |
| 2024 | Italy | Japan | Poland | 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-19) | Bangkok, Thailand |
The USA women established early dominance with three consecutive golds (2018–2021), averaging 13.5 blocks per match during finals. Italy claimed back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2024.
Paola Egonu led Italy in 2024 with 17 points in the final against Japan in Bangkok, proving the difference-maker in a dominant four-set victory.
All-Time VNL Medal Count by Nation
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total Medals |
| France (Men) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Italy (Women) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Russia (Men) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| USA (Women) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| USA (Men) | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Brazil (Men) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Brazil (Women) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Poland (Men) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Turkey (Women) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Japan (Men) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Japan (Women) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Poland leads all nations with five total medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze), showcasing consistent excellence across editions. France and Italy each hold four medals, with both nations dominating recent competition.
Individual Tournament Records & Notable Achievements
Best Offensive Performances:
- Russia 2019 Men’s Final: 47% kill percentage with dominant spiker Dmitriy Muserskiy blocking decisively
- France 2024 Men’s Final: 10 aces against Japan, demonstrating serving pressure under tournament climax
- Turkey 2023 Women’s Final: 52 digs showcasing exceptional defensive hustle
Historical Streaks:
- USA Women 2018–2021: Three consecutive VNL golds with sustained world dominance
- Russia Men 2018–2019: Back-to-back titles establishing early tournament standard
- Brazil Men Undefeated 2021: Won championship without losing a group stage match
Performance Metrics:
- France 2022 Men’s Final: Won 3-2 over USA with Earvin Ngapeth contributing 26 points in Bologna
- Italy 2024 Women’s Finals: Swept Japan with no set dropping below 19 points, demonstrating technical superiority
- Poland 2023 Men’s Final: Won 3-1 with home crowd advantage in Gdańsk (25-23, 25-21, 16-25, 25-19)
Tournament MVP Winners
| Year | Men’s MVP | Women’s MVP | Country |
| 2018 | Osmany Juantorena | Brankica Mihajlović | Italy/Serbia |
| 2019 | Dmitriy Muserskiy | Annie Drews | Russia/USA |
| 2021 | Leal Douglas | Ting Zhu | Brazil/China |
| 2022 | Earvin Ngapeth | Paola Egonu | France/Italy |
| 2023 | Wilfredo León | Gozde Kirdar | Cuba/Turkey |
| 2024 | Antoine Brizard | Paola Egonu | France/Italy |
Paola Egonu claimed the women’s MVP award twice (2022, 2024), the only player to achieve this distinction in VNL history.
VNL Format & Competition Structure
The tournament features 16 teams split into six rotating pools during a five-week preliminary phase. Each team plays 12 matches total (four matches in each of three pools against different ranked opponents).
The top eight teams advance to knockout finals hosting in a predetermined city, competing for gold, silver, and bronze medals.
The preliminary phase generated 1.5 billion cumulative global viewers in 2019, with over 600,000 tickets sold. Prize money is equal between men’s and women’s competitions, with preliminary round winners earning $9,500 per match victory.
Championship Venues & Host Cities
Men’s Finals Hosts:
- 2018: Lille, France
- 2019: Chicago, USA
- 2021: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- 2022: Bologna, Italy
- 2023: Gdańsk, Poland
- 2024: Łódź, Poland
Women’s Finals Hosts:
- 2018: Nanjing, China
- 2019: Nanjing, China
- 2021: Rimini, Italy
- 2022: Ankara, Turkey
- 2023: Ankara, Turkey
- 2024: Bangkok, Thailand
Preliminary rounds rotate through cities across continents including Antalya, Rio de Janeiro, Macau, Arlington, Hong Kong, Fukuoka, Ottawa, and Ljubljana.
France’s Dominance in 2024
France won their second men’s title in 2024, becoming the first team since USA (1984–1988) to win consecutive Olympic-era golds. Antoine Brizard earned tournament MVP honors, orchestrating France’s offensive game with precision setting.
The French team won their first final set 25-23 against Japan’s Ishikawa Yuki in an intense five-game matchup across consecutive evenings in Łódź.
Italy’s Historic Back-to-Back Women’s Titles
Italy claimed their first-ever VNL title in 2022, ending a 56-year Olympic championship drought for Italian women’s volleyball.
The 2024 repeat in Bangkok demonstrated sustained excellence under head coach Daniele Santarelli.
Paola Egonu’s 17-point performance and consistent blocking established Italy as the tournament’s dominant women’s force, sweeping Japan 3-0 with sets of 25-17, 25-17, and 25-19.
FAQs
Which country has won the most Volleyball Nations League gold medals?
France and USA women tie with most gold medals overall. France won two men’s titles (2022, 2024) and the USA women won three golds (2018, 2019, 2021). Italy women claimed back-to-back golds in 2022 and 2024. Russia men won the first two editions (2018, 2019) but has not competed since sanctions were imposed in 2022.
Who won the 2024 Volleyball Nations League?
France won the men’s title, defeating Japan 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 25-23, 25-23) in Łódź with Jean Patry scoring 23 points. Italy won women’s gold, sweeping Japan 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-19) in Bangkok with Paola Egonu contributing 17 points.
What is the Volleyball Nations League format?
Sixteen teams compete in six rotating pools during preliminary rounds (five weeks) with each team playing 12 total matches. The top eight teams qualify for knockout finals (quarterfinals, semifinals, finals) in the host city. Points are awarded 3-0 or 3-1 for match wins, with tiebreakers determined by set quotient and point differential.
How much prize money do VNL winners receive?
Preliminary round winners earn $9,500 per match victory. Final round prize allocations scale from $100,000 for first place down to $30,000 for fourth place. Prize money is equal between men’s and women’s competitions per FIVB’s gender equality policy.
Which player has won the most VNL MVP awards?
Paola Egonu of Italy won the women’s MVP award twice (2022, 2024), the only player to claim this distinction in VNL history. She leads Italy’s women’s program with dominant performances across multiple tournament editions.
When does the next Volleyball Nations League start?
The 2025 VNL begins June 4 and runs through August 3, representing the seventh edition of the tournament. The 2025 competition will expand to 18 teams for the first time, increasing from 16, with format changes eliminating core and challenger team statuses.
