Turkey are Volleyball Nations League champions for the second time after beating Brazil 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 26-24, 25-21) in the final, with Melissa Vargas delivering a match-winning 33-point display to take the MVP award.
The victory, in front of a packed arena at the East Asian Games in Macao, avenged nothing in particular and wrote a new chapter instead: it is Turkey's second VNL title, eight years after their breakthrough triumph over China in Arlington in 2023. For Brazil, the script was painfully familiar. The South Americans have now lost five consecutive VNL finals across eight editions of the competition — to the United States in 2019 and 2021, to Italy in 2022 and 2025, and now to Turkey — and are still waiting for a first gold.
The final itself was a study in fine margins. The first three sets were all decided by two points, with Turkey twice coming from behind after dropping the opener. The fourth set finally gave the match some breathing room: Turkey raced to 8-2, 10-5 and 13-7, and although Brazil clawed back to 18-19 in a desperate bid to force a tie-break, the Sultans of the Net held their nerve to close it out 25-21.
Vargas was the difference-maker once again for the side coached by Daniele Santarelli, finishing with 33 points in four sets. Ebrar Baladin added 19 and Hande Aydin 15, while Brazil leaned on Ana Cristina's 25, with Rosamaria on 19 and Julia Bergmann on 15. The teams were evenly matched everywhere else — 14 blocks to 13 and seven aces apiece.
There was a pleasing symmetry to the meeting: Turkey and Brazil had shared the same three host cities during the preliminary phase in Brasilia, Ankara and Osaka without ever crossing paths, before finally meeting when it mattered most.
Vargas headlined the tournament awards, which also recognised Ekaterina Antropova (Italy) as best server, Kiera Van Ryk (Canada) as both best scorer and best attacker, Julia Kudiess (Brazil) as best blocker, Daria Sharhorodska (Ukraine) as best setter, Juliette Gelin (France) as best defender and Bojana Gocanin (Serbia) as best receiver. Italy completed the podium with the bronze medal.
Sources
- https://www.volleynews.it/vnl-femminile-2026-oro-alla-turchia-vargas-eletta-mvp-del-torneo/
- https://www.volleynews.it/la-vnl-femminile-2026-e-della-turchia-incubo-brasile-e-la-quinta-finale-persa/
