Italvolley: Training Week Ahead of the VNL Finals Has Come to an End

The countdown to the 2026 Volleyball Nations League Finals has begun. The Italian women’s national team, which arrived in Macau on Monday, July 13, has completed its scheduled training program and will take a day off on Sunday before focusing on the week that will decide the summer’s first trophy.

The Azzurre, the defending champions following their victories in Bangkok in 2024 and in Łódź in 2025, will make their debut on Wednesday, July 22, at the Macau East Asian Games Dome. The match is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Italian time (live on DAZN and VBTV), when Julio Velasco’s team will face the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. The winner of that match will face the winner of the Brazil-Japan match in the semifinals.

Italy’s 14-player roster for the Macau Finals

Setters: Carlotta Cambi, Alessia Orro.
Outside Hitters: Stella Nervini, Myriam Sylla, Loveth Omoruyi, Gaia Giovannini.
Middle blockers: Denise Meli, Anna Danesi (captain), Linda Nwakalor, Sarah Fahr.
Opposite hitters: Paola Egonu, Ekaterina Antropova.
Liberos: Ilaria Spirito, Eleonora Fersino.

The Finals schedule (Italian times)

July 22

Italy vs. Netherlands, 10:00 a.m.
Brazil vs. Japan, 1:30 p.m.

July 23

Turkey vs. Canada, 10:00 a.m.
USA vs. China, 1:30 p.m.