Newsletters
Türkiye's national women's volleyball team, widely known as the "Sultans of the Net," has announced its 16-player squad for the opening week of the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, with the team set to begin its campaign in Brasilia, Brazil, between June 3 and 8.
The Turkish Volleyball Federation said the players selected for the first stage of the tournament had completed their preparations ahead of the Brazil leg. Türkiye will start the competition against the Dominican Republic before taking on the Netherlands, Italy and Bulgaria in its opening-week schedule.
The Volleyball Nations League, or VNL, is one of the leading annual international volleyball competitions organized by the International Volleyball Federation. The 2026 women's edition will be played across three preliminary stages before the finals.
Türkiye will play the first stage in Brasilia from June 3 to 8.
The second stage will then be held in Ankara, where Türkiye will host matches at Ankara Sports Hall from June 17 to 21. The third stage will take place in Kansai, Japan, from July 8 to 12.
After the three stages are completed, the top eight teams in the standings will qualify for the VNL Finals, which are scheduled to be held in Macao, China, from July 22 to 26.
Türkiye's squad for the Brazil stage includes two setters, four outside hitters, five middle blockers, three opposite hitters and two liberos.
The setters are Dilay Ozdemir and Buse Unal Pehlivan, while the outside hitters are Ilkin Aydin, Saliha Sahin, Yaprak Erkek and Ayse Curuk.
The middle blocker group features Deniz Uyanik, Berka Buse Ozden, Karmen Aksoy, Merve Atlier and Ezel Balik. The opposite hitters are Beren Yesilirmak, Defne Basyolcu and Aylin Uysalcan, while Eylul Akarcesme Yatgin and Melis Yilmaz have been named as liberos, the defensive specialists in volleyball.
Türkiye has been one of the prominent teams in the VNL since the competition began in 2018. The national team finished second in 2018, fourth in 2019 and 2022, third in 2021, and became VNL champion in 2023.
That record gives the team a strong background as it heads into the 2026 edition, where the first target will be to collect enough points across the three stages to finish inside the top eight and move on to the finals.
Türkiye will open its Brazil campaign against the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, June 3, at 7 p.m.
The team will then face the Netherlands on Thursday, June 4, at 10:30 p.m., before meeting Italy on Saturday, June 6, at 9:30 p.m.
Türkiye's final match of the first week will be against Bulgaria, scheduled for midnight on the night connecting Sunday, June 7, to Monday, June 8.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
