Coached by Italian tactician Roberto Piazza, Team Melli will begin their VNL campaign in Brasília, Brazil, where the opening week of the tournament will take place from June 10 to 14. In this pool, Iran will face a challenging lineup that includes hosts Brazil, along with Bulgaria, Serbia, Argentina, and Belgium. According to VNL regulations, each team will compete against four opponents during the week, Tehran Times reported. 

Iran’s second week of action is scheduled for July 3 to 7 in Orléans, France. In this stage, the Persians will be grouped with reigning Olympic champions France, as well as Japan, the United States, Serbia, and Cuba. The matches in Orléans are expected to be highly competitive, as several of these teams are among the world’s top-ranked sides.

Week Three of the preliminary round will run from July 24 to 28 in Belgrade, Serbia. Iran will take on Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, Germany, and Ukraine as they look to secure enough victories to qualify for the final stage of the tournament.

The 2026 VNL Finals will be held from July 29 to Aug. 2 in Ningbo, China, where the top-performing teams from the preliminary rounds will compete for the championship.

Iran enter the 2026 VNL aiming to build on recent international experience and improve their global standing under Piazza’s leadership, as they continue preparations for future major competitions.

DID