Iran end 2026 VNL on a disappointing note

TEHRAN – Iran wrapped up their 2026 FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations League campaign with a 3-1 defeat to Turkey on Sunday, ending the tournament on a disappointing note.

Turkey claimed the match 17-25, 25-22, 25-16, 25-19 to finish their preliminary campaign on a high. Opposite hitter Adis Lagumdzija starred for the Turkish side with 23 points, while Ali Haghparast was Iran’s top scorer with 20 points.

Iran struggled throughout the third week of the competition. Team Melli opened Week 3 with a 3-1 loss to Ukraine before bouncing back with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Germany. However, the team failed to build momentum, suffering consecutive defeats against Slovenia (3-0) and Turkey (3-1) to close out the tournament.

The 2026 FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations League, the eighth edition of the annual international competition, is being held from June 10 to August 2. The Finals will take place at the Beilun Gymnasium in Ningbo, China.