Thailand's women's volleyball team closed out the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary round with a statement result, sweeping world No. 2 Brazil 3-0 in Osaka, Japan, to secure their place in the competition for another year, before falling 1-3 to Türkiye in their final match on July 12.
A Stunning Upset Over Brazil
Thailand delivered arguably their finest performance of the campaign on July 11, sweeping third-placed Brazil 25-15, 25-16, 25-17 at Asue Arena. Middle blocker Thatdao Nuekjang led the scoring with 15 points, comprising nine attacks, four aces and two blocks, as Thailand rebounded from consecutive defeats to the United States and hosts Japan earlier in the week. The result lifted Thailand's record to three wins and eight losses from 11 matches, with 12 points, and mathematically guaranteed their return to the VNL in 2027, since only the bottom-placed team is relegated and Bulgaria could no longer catch them.
A Fighting Finish Against Türkiye
Buoyed by the Brazil result, Thailand pushed Finals-bound Türkiye hard in their final preliminary match on July 12, even taking the opening set 27-25. Türkiye, who had already secured their place in the VNL Finals in Macao, regrouped to win the next three sets 25-21, 25-19 and 25-22, closing out a 3-1 victory. Opposite spiker Pimpichaya Kokram top-scored for Thailand with 25 points, including 22 kills, two blocks and an ace, while Nuekjang added a further 12 points. For Türkiye, Melissa Vargas led with 25 points and Sinead Jack-Kısal added 18.
Season in Review
Thailand finished the 2026 VNL preliminary round with three wins and nine losses from 12 matches, accumulating 12 points and finishing 14th of 18 teams under coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai. While the head-to-head history against both Brazil and Türkiye has heavily favoured their opponents in recent years, the win over Brazil marked one of the team's most significant results of the year and offered a strong signal ahead of the 2027 campaign.
What's Next
The VNL Finals will be held in Macao from July 22-26, featuring the top teams from the preliminary round, though Thailand's 14th-place finish keeps them out of that stage. Attention now turns to the team's build-up for continental and world qualification events later in the year, with coach Kiattipong expected to build on the tactical gains shown against Brazil as Thailand prepares to defend its place among the VNL's elite in 2027.
