The Yellow Tigers start their second week of the Volleyball Nations League in Ankara. After an opening week with mixed results, but also clear signs of progress, another demanding schedule awaits. Belgium will face Türkiye, Brazil, Germany and France, four teams all ranked higher in the world ranking.

For head coach Kris Vansnick, the main goal is to build on the positive signals from week one. The match against Thailand serves as an important reference point.

“In week two, we want to keep building on the things we showed in week one,” Vansnick looks ahead. “The match against Thailand was a clear reference point for us. The Tigers really showed themselves there. Not only from a volleyball point of view, but especially with grinta, fighting spirit and the will to keep battling for every point.”

Although the results did not always follow in the first VNL matches, Vansnick saw enough elements to build on towards the rest of the competition and the European Championship later this summer. Against Thailand, Belgium showed that with the right energy, organisation and aggression, it can put opponents under pressure.

“That is the line we have to continue,” Vansnick adds. “In the VNL, there are no easy matches. Every team immediately punishes small mistakes. That is why we have to hold on to the moments in which we functioned well as a team. We now have to keep taking steps forward.”

Krenicky and Verhelst remain in Belgium

The Yellow Tigers do not travel to Ankara completely unaffected. Charlotte Krenicky and Liese Verhelst remained in Belgium to fully focus on their rehabilitation. As a result, the Belgian staff will continue this week with a young and partly renewed group.

Vansnick also sees opportunities in that situation. For several young players, the week in Ankara will be a unique experience at the highest international level.

“Of course, it is a pity that Charlotte and Liese are not with us, but their focus is now fully on a good rehabilitation. At the same time, other players get the chance to gain experience in an environment you do not often experience. For young players such as Flore Maes, Tea Radovic and Janne Deleu, this will be a particularly valuable week.”

For many players, the opening match against Türkiye will be a special moment. Belgium will face the hosts on Wednesday evening in a sold-out arena in Ankara. In a country where volleyball is hugely popular, an impressive setting awaits the Tigers immediately.

“Playing against Türkiye in Ankara, in a sold-out arena, is a unique experience for many players in this group,” says Vansnick. “These are matches you can learn a lot from as a player. You feel the pressure, the atmosphere and the intensity. These are circumstances that make you stronger.”

Realistic, but ambitious

The opposition in Ankara belongs to the top of international volleyball. Still, the Yellow Tigers do not want to simply accept their role as underdogs.

“We always have to go one hundred percent for the opportunities that present themselves,” Vansnick says. “At the same time, we are realistic. All teams we face this week are ranked higher than us in the world ranking. That means we will have to be very sharp in every match, but also that we have to dare to play without complexes.”

Opponent preview

Türkiye

Belgium’s second VNL week starts with a major clash. Türkiye play at home and clearly want to impress in front of their own fans. During the first week, the Turkish team still rotated quite a lot and left several key players at home, but in Ankara the hosts will be close to full strength. Only the injured Ebrar Karakurt and Eda Erdem are missing.

Türkiye’s ambition is clear: four wins from four matches. With a physical and very complete team, the hosts have all the tools to back up that ambition.

“Türkiye are a very complete team with a lot of physical qualities,” Vansnick analyses. “They play with a lot of power, but also have a lot of individual class. With Melissa Vargas, they also have an absolute world star in their team. If we want to have a chance, we will have to contain her as much as possible. We know Türkiye will get extra energy from playing in front of their own fans. We have to try to stay calm, keep our organisation and really use the moments when we can put pressure on them.”

Brazil

One day later, another global powerhouse awaits Belgium: Brazil. The Brazilians combine physical qualities with huge experience and technical class. Star player Gabi also rejoins the team this week, meaning Brazil will compete in Ankara with their strongest formation.

“Brazil, just like Türkiye, are a team with a lot of physical possibilities, but also with a lot of experience,” says Vansnick. “With Gabi back, they gain even more stability, quality and leadership. That makes them particularly difficult to play against.”

Germany

On Friday, the Yellow Tigers face Germany. The German team is known for its structured way of playing and strong block-defense. It is an opponent Belgium has struggled with in recent years.

The numbers underline that. Belgium’s last victory against Germany dates back to 2013, when the Tigers won 0-3 in the European Golden League.

“Germany are always difficult to play against,” Vansnick knows. “They play very organised volleyball and give away very little. Their block-defense is often very solid and they force you to remain patient in the rally. You could say Germany are a bit of a bogey team for us. That is exactly why it will be important to stay calm ourselves, serve well and disrupt their structure as much as possible.”

France

The second VNL week ends on Sunday against France. The French team started this Volleyball Nations League with very high ambitions, but had a difficult first week. France only managed to beat Ukraine, and that was a narrow 3-2 victory. In Ankara, they also face a tough schedule, including matches against Türkiye, Brazil and China.

“France have a lot of quality and ambition. Maybe they missed their start a little, but that does not make them any less dangerous. We would like to take revenge for the match we lost against them in last year’s VNL. That feeling is alive within the group. If we can grow step by step, then we should be able to start the match against France with a lot of belief. It will certainly be an interesting final match.”

Yellow Tigers schedule, VNL week 2 in Ankara

Wednesday 17 June 2026 at 18:30
Belgium vs Türkiye

Thursday 18 June 2026 at 15:00
Belgium vs Brazil

Friday 19 June 2026 at 18:30
Belgium vs Germany

Sunday 21 June 2026 at 11:30
Belgium vs France

Yellow Tigers roster

Setters
Elise Van Sas
Lara Nagels

Opposites
Pauline Martin

Outside hitters
Britt Herbots
Nel Demeyer
Janne Deleu
Saar Bertels
Tea Radovic
Flore Maes

Middle blockers
Nathalie Lemmens
Anna Koulberg
Britt Fransen

Liberos
Britt Rampelberg
Noor Debouck