Volleyball World, an international organization that drives growth, innovation and investment in volleyball around the globe, today announced that they will be hosting the men’s 2025 Volleyball Nations League in the Chicago area from June 25 – 29 at the NOW Arena in Hoffman Estates. This prestigious competition will bring together elite players from the United States, Poland, Brazil, Italy, Canada and China to compete in thrilling matches as part of the five-day, 12-match pool.
Tickets, which start at $30, are now on sale at tickets.volleyballworld.com/chicago25. The Chicago area previously hosted the VNL in 2019, marking the first time this competition was held in any U.S. city. Over the course of 10 thrilling matches, the finals drew an audience of over 35,000 spectators. Team USA delivered a stellar performance, earning a silver medal and leaving a lasting impression on volleyball fans worldwide.
The return of VNL to Chicago promises another unforgettable celebration of world-class volleyball. “In 2025, we are excited to return to the Chicago area, which has one of the biggest fan bases for volleyball in the world,” said Finn Taylor, the CEO of Volleyball World. “Our goal is to build on the extraordinary success of the Volleyball Nations League 2024, which highlighted the immense global appeal of our sport, and we feel that the Midwest region, particularly Chicago, is particularly well-suited to help us do just that.”
The Volleyball Nations League (VNL) is an annual international volleyball competition organized by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and Volleyball World. Launched in 2018, the VNL showcases the top men’s and women’s national teams worldwide, competing in a league-style format. The competition involves a series of preliminary rounds where teams compete in matches, followed by a final round featuring the top-ranked teams.
The VNL emphasizes sports innovation and incorporates technology and entertainment features, including digital fan engagement and enhanced in-venue experiences. The 2024 edition of VNL set new records for attendance, viewership and global engagement, highlighting volleyball’s growing international popularity. The 2025 tournament will be the largest VNL to date, with 18 teams, and two teams per gender competing for the first time: China and Ukraine for men, and Czech Republic and Belgium for women.
The VNL tournament spans the globe with competitions for men’s and women’s teams. The men’s tournament starts June 11 – 15 in Quebec City, Rio de Janeiro and Xi’an, China. The pools in the Chicago area, June 25 – 29, will be part of the second week of action, while other nations compete in Burgas, Bulgaria and Belgrade, Serbia.
The final week of preliminary rounds will run July 16 – 20 in Gdansk, Poland, Ljubljana, Slovenia and Kanto, Japan. The men’s finals will take place July 30 – Aug. 3 in a city to be announced. For the complete schedule, including the women’s pools and competing nations, visit VW Schedule Page. Fans can watch all VLN matches worldwide on VBTV.
Among the best-known players scheduled to participate in the Chicago pool are Micah Christenson, TJ Defalco, and Erik Shoji from USA; Wilfredo Leon and Bartosz Kurek from Poland; Alessandro Michieletto and Simone Giannelli from Italy; and Lucarelli, and Darlan from Brazil.
The VNL serves as a critical pipeline for Olympic qualification, making it one of the most important events on the volleyball calendar for prospective Olympians and fans. The schedule for matches at the NOW Arena is as follows:
Wednesday, June 25: 12:30 p.m. Italy vs. Poland, 4 p.m. Canada vs. Brazil, 7:30 p.m. China vs. USA
Thursday, June 26: 4 p.m. Brazil vs. China, 7:30 p.m. Canada vs. USA
Friday, June 27: 4 p.m. China vs. Italy, 7:30 p.m. Canada vs. Poland
Saturday, June 28: 4 p.m. Brazil vs. Italy, 7:30 p.m. USA vs. Poland
Sunday, June 29: 12:30 p.m. China vs. Canada, 4 p.m. Brazil vs. Poland, 7:30 p.m. USA vs. Italy
