July 20, 2025 .– Despite losing to China, the Cuban Men’s National Team secured a spot in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Finals thanks to a series of favorable results that placed them seventh in the final standings. Among the teams that helped Cuba’s cause was the United States, whose loss to Japan worked in Cuba’s favor. Meanwhile, Canada closed the tournament with a win, spoiling Ukraine’s hopes of advancing to the Finals.
Cuba Falls to China but Still Clinches Finals Berth
The Caribbean side fell to China but managed to qualify for the Finals in seventh place due to the outcomes of other matches.
Cuba had the chance to seal its qualification without depending on other teams but failed to capitalize on it and had to wait until the end of the day to find out whether they would be traveling to Ningbo, China, for the Finals from July 30 to August 3.
Cuba would have secured its spot in the final round by defeating China in Gdańsk but instead suffered a five-set loss, 2-3 (25-20, 23-25, 25-15, 22-25, 17-19).
The team finished the preliminary round with six wins and 20 points.
Despite a spectacular 31-point performance from star outside hitter Marlon Yant, who tallied 29 kills and two blocks, Cuba couldn’t clinch the victory. Team captain and fellow outside hitter Miguel Ángel López added 17 points (14 kills, two blocks, and one ace).
“China did a great job today,” said José Massó. “They fought for every point, all the time. We didn’t apply enough pressure to win the match. We fought, but I think we also need to improve in that area, because sometimes we don’t do enough.”
Japan Advances to VNL Finals After Sweep Over USA
Japan became the sixth team to clinch a spot in the Men’s Volleyball Nations League Finals, joining Brazil, Italy, France, Poland, and host China, after a dominant 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-23) victory over the United States.
With a new lineup, the U.S. team put up a fight, especially in the third set. Their offensive effort was led by outside hitter Jordan Ewert, who scored 13 points on attacks with an impressive 68% efficiency. Opposite Gabriel García (Gabi) contributed 10 points, including the team’s only two aces.
The U.S. ended the preliminary phase in 11th place with a 6-6 record, tied in wins and losses with Cuba (the last team to qualify), Iran, Ukraine, and Bulgaria.
Canada Upsets Ukraine, Ends Europe’s Finals Hopes
Canada closed its 2025 VNL campaign with a valuable 3-1 win over Ukraine (25-21, 25-27, 31-29, 25-21) in Ljubljana, a result that eliminated the Europeans from contention for the Finals in Ningbo and indirectly helped Cuba qualify.
With this performance, Canada wrapped up its campaign showing competitive grit and dashing the dreams of one of the tournament’s revelation teams.
Outside hitter Skyler Varga was the standout performer of the match, delivering a stellar offensive performance with 27 points (24 kills, two blocks, and one ace), a match-high. Opposite Jordan Canham also made his presence felt with 14 points (13 kills and one block).
Although Canada was not in the race for a Finals berth, the North Americans left a strong impression in the final stretch of the tournament, overcoming a rival that controlled its own fate. The team displayed depth, determination, and solid overall performance in a high-stakes match.
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