For the first time in history, Cuba has advanced to the final round of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL). This milestone comes in their third appearance in the tournament, securing their spot after finishing seventh in the third week of the preliminary round in Gdansk, Poland.

The Caribbean team ended the phase with six victories and 20 points, despite a decisive 2-3 loss to China. A predicted 3-0 or 3-1 win would have guaranteed a smoother path to the finals, set to take place from June 30 to August 3 in Ningbo, China. However, China’s victory marked only their third win in the league, as they finished 17th out of 18 teams with nine points.

The battle for qualification was intense on the final day. Slovenia defeated Serbia 3-2, securing sixth place with one more win (7) than Cuba and 19 points. Iran finished eighth (6 wins, 19 points) after sweeping Bulgaria (6-17), pushing them to 10th place. Canada overtook Ukraine 3-1, leaving them ninth (6-19). The seven teams advancing to Ningbo are: Brazil (11-32), whose only loss came against Cuba; Italy (10-28); France (8-24); Japan (8-23); Poland (8-23); Slovenia (7-19); and Cuba (6-20).

China, With Nothing to Lose

Confident in securing a straightforward victory, coach Jesús Cruz’s squad started strong, relying on their attacking power and speed to build a comfortable lead, taking the first set 25-20.

Cuba’s apparent dominance suggested a quick resolution, but the match took a different turn. The Cuban team began committing errors and struggling with serves, while China played with freedom. After an 11-11 tie, the Asian squad pulled ahead 16-14. Another deadlock at 22-22 followed, but poor reception and crucial missed serves cost Cuba the second set, 25-23.

The third set went as expected, with Cuba’s superior quality prevailing in a 25-15 win, highlighted by Marlon Yant’s 31-point performance. Yant finished as the VNL’s top scorer with 237 points.

In the fourth set, Cuba—the team that had defeated powerhouses like Brazil and Poland and narrowly lost to France—struggled again with reception issues. Failed serves neutralized their strong blocking game, limiting counterattack opportunities. China capitalized, winning 25-22.

Cuba’s reception errors proved costly once more in the fifth and decisive set, which they lost 19-17.

Despite the defeat, Cuba advances to the VNL’s final stage. They will face Italy, the second-ranked team, in the quarterfinals. If victorious, their semifinal opponent will be the winner of the France-Slovenia match.

Against China, Yant’s 31 points led Cuba, followed by Miguel Ángel López (17), José Masó (13), Javier Concepción (11, the tournament’s fourth-best blocker), and Robertlandy Simón (8). China’s top performers were Wang Bin (26) and Jiang Chuan (13).