The Chinese team competes in the previous VNL men's finals in 2025. [Photo by Cui Yin/Yongpai App]

Ningbo's Beilun district has been selected to host the 2026 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) men's finals.

The International Volleyball Federation confirmed the finals will be held from July 29 to Aug 2 at the Ningbo Beilun Sports and Arts Center.

The VNL is a top-tier annual tournament, with world ranking points second in importance only to the Olympic Games and World Championships, ensuring fierce competition and strong global attention.

This will be Beilun's second time staging the men's finals. The city hosted the event's China debut last year, when the Chinese team reached the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Brazil.

Since 2005, Beilun has organized 24 major international volleyball tournaments, earning a reputation for professional event management, modern facilities and enthusiastic crowds. It is widely known as the "home court of Chinese volleyball".

The 2026 preliminary rounds will run from June 10 to July 19, with China competing in matches in Linyi, East China's Shandong province, Poland and the United States.

As the host nation, China automatically advances to the finals, where eight teams will compete in a knockout format to crown the champion.