The Volleyball Women’s Nations League (VNL) returned to Macao in 2024, bringing together five of the world’s top teams for an intense six-day tournament. Italy, Japan, Brazil, China, and the Netherlands battled it out in Pool 3 of the competition, showcasing the highest level of women’s volleyball talent.
Brazil emerged as the standout performer, winning all four of its matches convincingly. The Brazilians’ undefeated run included a 3-0 shutout of Thailand, further cementing their status as one of the pre-tournament favourites. Italy and Japan also had strong showings, each winning three of their four games, with their only losses coming against the Brazilians.
One of the key storylines from the Macao pool was Japan’s rise in the world rankings, positioning them as the leading contender for the Asian Olympic quota in Paris. While China had long been considered the region’s volleyball powerhouse, Japan’s impressive performances in Macao have demonstrated their growing strength. This shift in the rankings underscores the continued evolution and competitiveness of women’s volleyball in Asia.
The return of the VNL to Macao was a priority for the local authorities, and it was a move that paid off in spades. “We obtained this authorisation and therefore we are very pleased to have the return of the Volleyball Women’s Nations League,” said Pun Weng Kun, the Director of the Sports Bureau of Macao in an interview with Revista Macau.
The presence of the national team was a major draw for the local fans, who turned out in force to support their home team. “There was a great welcome from the residents of Macao,” Pun noted, highlighting the importance of hosting the tournament in the MSAR.
The tournament also served as a significant boost for Macao’s sports tourism industry, as the influx of players, coaches, and fans helped to drive economic activity in the region. “Hosting the tournament in the MSAR can promote the deep integration of sports, tourism and other related industries, benefiting the promotion of the development of synergies between the integrated tourism and leisure industry and the sports sector and significantly increasing the ‘Sport +’ collaborative effects,” Pun explained.
After the six-day tournament in Macao, Poland is leading the rank of the preliminary phase of Pool 3, followed by Brazil, Italy, Japan, Türkiye, Canada, China, USA, the Netherlands, Serbia, Dominican Republic, Germany, Thailand, Korea, France, and Bulgaria.
After Macao, the pools in Hong Kong and Fukuoka, the finals will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, at the end of June, where the six top teams will qualify directly for the 2024 Paris Olympics, while the next two highest ranked teams compete in a final qualification tournament. The host nation and defending Olympic champion also receive automatic bids regardless of their VNL performance.
Today, the VNL stands as one of the premier international competitions in women’s volleyball, showcasing the sport’s global appeal and the incredible talent of the athletes. The tournament in Macao was just the latest chapter in this rich and storied history, as the world’s best players battled for glory on the court.
The origins of volleyball, both for men’s and women’s versions of the sport, can be traced back to 1895 when William G Morgan, a physical education instructor in Holyoke, Massachusetts, invented the game. While Morgan is credited with the basic concept, the distinct development of the women’s game happened through the collective efforts of many individuals and organisations over the course of the 20th century.
