The Ukrainian men's volleyball team played a friendly match before the start of the Nations League. The “blue and yellow” team lost to the Croatian national team 1:3.
Ukraine is holding a training camp in Maribor, Slovenia. To prepare the team for the Nations League, the “blue and yellow” have planned several friendly matches, as well as participation in a friendly tournament that will be held in Poland.
The first opponent of the Ukrainian national team was Croatia. The “blue and yellow” approached this match against the background of the absence of some of the main players who continue to play at the club level. In particular, captain Yuriy Semenyuk and former leader Oleh Plotnytsky have not yet joined the national team – both Ukrainians will play in the semifinals of the Volleyball Champions League.
As a result, the match between the national teams of Ukraine and Croatia ended with a score of 1:3. Before the end of the training camp, which will last until May 18, the “blue-yellows” will play another friendly match against Croatia.
And after that, the Ukrainian national team will go to Poland, where it will take part in a friendly tournament. The men's team's rivals will be Bulgaria, as well as the world ranking leaders Poland and Serbia. All the teams that will play in the friendly tournament in Poland are participants in the 2026 Nations League and Ukraine's rivals in the tournament.
Schedule of matches of the Ukrainian national team at the tournament in Poland
- May 20 (Sosnowiec). Bulgaria – Ukraine.
- May 22 (Katowice). Poland – Ukraine.
- May 23 (Katowice). Ukraine – Serbia.
The group stage of the Nations League will begin on June 10 and will last until July 19. Its results will determine the teams that will compete in the playoffs for victory in the tournament.