January 28, 2026: Today Volleyball World released pool composition including the national teams that will visit Canada in June to kick off week one of Volleyball Nations League (VNL).

The Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Quebec, will host Team Canada as well as women’s national squads from France, Germany, Japan, Ukraine and USA from June 3 to 7, 2026. Team USA is the 2024 Olympic silver medalist and Japan is currently highest in the ranking of this group at fifth in the world.

• Ticket packages are on sale. For more info on the schedule in Quebec see www.gestev.com

The men’s pool in Canada will run the following week, June 10 to 14, featuring Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Türkiye and USA. Italy is currently ranked second in the world; Paris 2024 Olympic gold medalist France is ranked fourth and Olympic bronze medalist USA is fifth.

Full event packages will go on sale for the Ottawa matches in early February at www.tdplace.ca

In 2025, Quebec hosted VNL's men’s week one, while Ottawa ran the women’s matches.

"We are very excited to be hosting again with our fantastic partners in Quebec and Ottawa," said Alan Ahac, Volleyball Canada’s director of international events. “Bringing several of the world’s best women’s and men’s teams to Canada contributes to the growth of our sport in this country, and VNL provides high entertainment value for fans of all ages!"

• Event website.

The multi-week tournament spans 12 countries and 16 host cities, with China set to host both the women’s and men’s finals in a landmark summer of elite international volleyball.

The world’s top national teams and athletes, including new teams and returning rivals, are set to go head-to-head for the coveted title, bringing fans from across every continent together from June to August. The 2026 season will also mark the VNL debuts of Ukraine’s women’s team and Belgium’s men’s team.

The women’s competition begins in early June across Canada, Brazil and China, before moving through Europe and Asia and concluding with the finals in Macao, China in late July. The men’s competition follows shortly after, travelling through the Americas and Europe before finishing with the finals in Ningbo, China in early August, returning to the same host city as in 2025.

In the preliminary phase, each participating team will play 12 matches spread across three competition weeks. There will be three pools per week played at three different venues with six teams each.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the world’s best volleyball teams back to Canada in 2026. The Volleyball Nations League showcases elite international competition and welcomes the next generation of athletes with affordable tickets for youth teams and families. The tournament supports the local economies and jobs in Québec City and Ottawa. Canada has a strong track record of hosting world-class sporting events that leave lasting legacies. Competitions like this are a win for fans, for volleyball across the country and for our dedicated Canadian athletes as they prepare for the Olympic Games.”
-The Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport)

Volleyball Canada Media Contact:
Jackie Skender
jskender@volleyball.ca
Mobile: 613-794-7676

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