{"id":192,"date":"2026-10-01T08:34:05","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T08:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backcomcenter.com\/vbclone\/?post_type=teams&p=192"},"modified":"2026-10-01T08:34:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T08:34:05","slug":"poland-mens-national-volleyball-team","status":"publish","type":"teams","link":"https:\/\/backcomcenter.com\/vbclone\/teams\/poland-mens-national-volleyball-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Poland Men’s National Volleyball Team"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Poland men\u2019s national volleyball team represents Poland in senior international men\u2019s volleyball under the Polish Volleyball Federation, Polski Zwi\u0105zek Pi\u0142ki Siatkowej (PZPS), and competes within the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV). Its history connects two distinct periods of sustained international success: the Hubert Wagner team that won the 1974 World Championship and Montreal 1976 Olympic gold, and the modern era that has produced world titles in 2014 and 2018, major European success, repeated VNL podiums, and an Olympic silver medal at Paris 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2026 season added two more major titles. Poland defended its Volleyball Nations League championship by defeating the United States in a five-set final in Ningbo, then retained the European Championship with a 3\u20131 victory over France in Milan. The EuroVolley title also secured Poland\u2019s place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. As of October 1, 2026, Volleyball World lists Poland at No. 1 in the FIVB World Ranking with 423 points<\/strong>. Nikola Grbi\u0107 remains head coach, while Aleksander \u015aliwka took over the national-team captaincy from Bartosz Kurek during the 2026 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Team Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Field<\/th>Detail<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Official Team Name<\/td>Poland Men’s National Volleyball Team<\/td><\/tr>\n
Native Name<\/td>Reprezentacja Polski w siatk\u00f3wce m\u0119\u017cczyzn<\/td><\/tr>\n
Country<\/td>Poland<\/td><\/tr>\n
Gender<\/td>Men<\/td><\/tr>\n
National Federation<\/td>Polski Zwi\u0105zek Pi\u0142ki Siatkowej (PZPS)<\/td><\/tr>\n
FIVB Code<\/td>POL<\/td><\/tr>\n
Region \/ Confederation<\/td>Europe \u2014 CEV<\/td><\/tr>\n
Head Coach<\/td>Nikola Grbi\u0107<\/td><\/tr>\n
Captain<\/td>Aleksander \u015aliwka<\/td><\/tr>\n
FIVB World Ranking<\/td>No. 1 \u2014 423 points<\/strong> \u2014 View full FIVB rankings<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Current National-Team Cycle<\/td>2026 senior season \/ LA28 cycle<\/td><\/tr>\n
Los Angeles 2028 Status<\/td>Qualified \u2014 2026 European champion<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>\n
2027 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup<\/td>Qualified automatically as host nation<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>\n
Olympic Best Result<\/td>Gold \u2014 Montreal 1976<\/td><\/tr>\n
World Championship Best Result<\/td>Champions \u2014 1974, 2014, 2018<\/td><\/tr>\n
Volleyball Nations League Best Result<\/td>Champions \u2014 2023, 2025, 2026<\/td><\/tr>\n
European Championship Best Result<\/td>Champions \u2014 2009, 2023, 2026<\/td><\/tr>\n
Official Website<\/td>Polish Volleyball Federation \u2014 PZPS<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Official Senior Team Page<\/td>PZPS \u2014 Poland Men’s Senior National Team<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Federation Instagram<\/td>@polskasiatkowka_official<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Federation Facebook<\/td>PolskaSiatkowkaOfficial<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Federation X<\/td>@PolskaSiatkowka<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Federation TikTok<\/td>@polskasiatkowka_official<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The social destinations above are federation-wide Polska Siatk\u00f3wka accounts rather than channels exclusive to the men\u2019s senior team. PZPS remains the primary official source for the national-team pool, medical changes, coaching staff and competition-specific selections. Poland\u2019s current ranking is a dated snapshot rather than a permanent team attribute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Team History & Development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poland\u2019s first defining men\u2019s era emerged under Hubert Wagner in the 1970s. The team won the 1974 FIVB World Championship and followed it with Olympic gold in Montreal two years later. That generation also reached five consecutive European Championship finals between 1975 and 1983, finishing with silver each time. Those results established a historical benchmark that later Polish teams spent decades trying to approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The modern return to the top level became visible with the 2006 World Championship, where Poland finished second. Daniel Castellani then coached the team to its first European Championship title in 2009, while Andrea Anastasi\u2019s period included World League bronze, European bronze, a 2011 World Cup silver medal and the 2012 World League championship. Those results preceded another major jump in the middle of the next decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poland won the 2014 World Championship on home soil and successfully defended the title in 2018. The two championships came with changing personnel and coaching structures, but together they established the national team as a regular contender at the highest global level rather than a team defined only by its 1970s achievements. Bartosz Kurek was the central attacking figure in the 2018 run and was named tournament MVP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current Nikola Grbi\u0107 period has extended that run across several competitions. Poland took World Championship silver in 2022, won both the VNL and European Championship in 2023, reached the Olympic final at Paris 2024, won another VNL title and World Championship bronze in 2025, and then defended both the VNL and European crowns in 2026. CEV reported after EuroVolley 2026 that Poland had collected ten international medals during Grbi\u0107\u2019s tenure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The development of the 2026 group also illustrates a broader transition. Established players such as Wilfredo Leon, Kamil Semeniuk, Tomasz Fornal and Aleksander \u015aliwka remain central options, but PZPS\u2019s annual selection also includes younger or less-established senior internationals including Jakub Przyby\u0142kowicz, Wojciech Gajek, Adrian Markiewicz, Mateusz Nowak and Bartosz Zych. That wider pool gives the coaching staff room to manage the national-team calendar without treating one tournament squad as the permanent team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poland at the Olympic Games<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poland\u2019s benchmark Olympic result remains the gold medal won at Montreal 1976. Coming two years after the World Championship title, it completed the defining achievement of the Wagner generation and remains Poland\u2019s only Olympic men\u2019s volleyball gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team had to wait 48 years for another Olympic men\u2019s volleyball medal. At Paris 2024, Poland reached the gold-medal match before France won the final 3\u20130, 25\u201319, 25\u201320, 25\u201323. The silver gave the Grbi\u0107 group an Olympic medal to accompany its success in the World Championship, VNL and European Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That Paris run also carried strategic importance for the following cycle. Poland entered 2026 without needing to frame every competition around ranking-based Olympic qualification: by winning EuroVolley 2026, the team secured direct qualification for Los Angeles 2028. The Olympic berth was therefore settled more than a year before the next major global championship cycle reaches its final stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

World Championship & Other Global Competitions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poland has won three FIVB Men\u2019s World Championship titles: 1974, 2014 and 2018<\/strong>. The team also took silver in 2006 and 2022<\/strong>, creating a modern sequence in which four of the five World Championships from 2006 through 2022 ended with Poland in the final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2025 championship added a result Poland had never previously recorded at the event: bronze. After losing its semifinal, Poland defeated Czechia 3\u20131 in the third-place match in Pasay City, 25\u201318, 23\u201325, 25\u201322, 25\u201321. The medal completed a World Championship record of three golds, two silvers and one bronze through the 2025 edition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The podium sequence also shows how the national team has remained competitive through substantial personnel change. The 2014 champions were not simply reproduced in 2018, and the 2022 and 2025 medal teams belonged to another transition again. Players such as Kurek and later Leon bridged parts of those cycles, while setters, middles, liberos and wing rotations continued to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside the World Championship, Poland\u2019s earlier modern revival also included the 2012 FIVB World League title<\/strong>. That competition is historically important but should remain separate from the VNL record rather than being merged into a single title count, as the World League and Volleyball Nations League are distinct competition eras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poland is already qualified for the 2027 FIVB Men\u2019s Volleyball World Cup<\/strong> because it will host the tournament. Volleyball World confirmed on September 29, 2026 that Poland and defending world champion Italy held the first two automatic places, with Poland qualifying as host.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poland in the Volleyball Nations League<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poland has developed one of the deepest VNL medal records since the competition replaced the World League. After the 2026 edition, its record includes three championships \u2014 2023, 2025 and 2026 \u2014 one silver medal and three bronze medals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2025 title came with a 3\u20130 final victory over Italy in Ningbo. Poland won 25\u201322, 25\u201319, 25\u201314 and completed the Finals without losing a set. At that point it was Poland\u2019s second VNL championship and sixth consecutive podium in the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2026 season required a different route. Poland finished the preliminary phase second with ten wins, while Grbi\u0107 rotated personnel and gradually reintegrated players whose club seasons had ended later. PZPS selected a 15-player traveling group<\/strong> for the VNL Finals in Ningbo. That selection was an event-specific squad and is separate from the broader 2026 national-team pool listed later in this profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026 VNL Finals Traveling Squad<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Player<\/th>Position<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Bart\u0142omiej Bo\u0142\u0105d\u017a<\/td>Opposite<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jan Firlej<\/td>Setter<\/td><\/tr>\n
Tomasz Fornal<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td><\/tr>\n
Maksymilian Granieczny<\/td>Libero<\/td><\/tr>\n
Szymon Jakubiszak<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
Marcin Komenda<\/td>Setter<\/td><\/tr>\n
Bart\u0142omiej Lema\u0144ski<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
Wilfredo Leon<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Majchrzak<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Nowak<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Popiwczak<\/td>Libero<\/td><\/tr>\n
Kewin Sasak<\/td>Opposite<\/td><\/tr>\n
Kamil Semeniuk<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td><\/tr>\n
Artur Szalpuk<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td><\/tr>\n
Aleksander \u015aliwka<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Poland eventually defended the championship with a 3\u20132 win over the United States<\/a><\/strong> in the final: 25\u201321, 23\u201325, 25\u201327, 25\u201323, 15\u201310. Tomasz Fornal was named tournament MVP. In the final itself, Poland led the United States 12\u20138 in blocks and 8\u20134 in aces; Fornal produced five aces, while Kamil Semeniuk led Poland with 17 points. Grbi\u0107 also changed the attacking structure during the tiebreak by using Leon at opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those details are more informative about the current team than describing Poland through a permanent national style. The 2026 group could change its wing configuration, use different setter-opposite pairings and still retain significant service and blocking pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

European Championship Record<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poland has won the European Championship three times: 2009, 2023 and 2026<\/strong>. Before those titles, the Wagner-era team had reached five successive finals from 1975 through 1983 without taking gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2026 championship was important for both continuity and qualification. Poland defeated France 3\u20131<\/strong> in the final in Milan, winning 31\u201329, 25\u201319, 20\u201325, 25\u201316. It became the first men\u2019s team since Italy in 2003 and 2005 to retain the European title. More importantly for the next international cycle, the championship carried a direct Olympic berth and sent Poland to Los Angeles 2028<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scoring distribution in the final reflected the depth of Poland\u2019s wing and middle options. Bart\u0142omiej Bo\u0142\u0105d\u017a scored 16 points, Leon and Fornal 13 each, Bart\u0142omiej Lema\u0144ski 12 and Semeniuk 10. Leon was named EuroVolley MVP and Best Outside Hitter; Lema\u0144ski and Szymon Jakubiszak were selected as the tournament\u2019s middle blockers, Jakub Popiwczak as libero and Grbi\u0107 as coach of the All-Star Team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026 Current National Team Pool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

PZPS\u2019s current 2026 senior-team page lists 36 players<\/strong> across six opposites, eight middle blockers, six setters, eleven outside hitters and five liberos. This is the canonical broad national-team pool for the season; it should not be confused with the smaller VNL Finals traveling group or with a EuroVolley match roster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Player<\/th>Position<\/th>Club<\/th>Height<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Bart\u0142omiej Bo\u0142\u0105d\u017a<\/td>Opposite<\/td>Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie<\/td>203 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Dawid Dulski<\/td>Opposite<\/td>Stilon Gorz\u00f3w<\/td>210 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Wojciech Gajek<\/td>Opposite<\/td>Long Beach State (NCAA)<\/td>198 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Bartosz Gomu\u0142ka<\/td>Opposite<\/td>PGE Projekt Warszawa<\/td>204 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Aliaksei Nasevich<\/td>Opposite<\/td>Energa Trefl Gda\u0144sk<\/td>200 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Kewin Sasak<\/td>Opposite<\/td>BOGDANKA LUK Lublin<\/td>208 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Szymon Jakubiszak<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale<\/td>208 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Kochanowski<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie<\/td>199 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Bart\u0142omiej Lema\u0144ski<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>PGE Projekt Warszawa<\/td>217 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Majchrzak<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>Energa Indykpol AZS Olsztyn<\/td>206 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Adrian Markiewicz<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie<\/td>212 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Nowak<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>Steam Hemarpol Politechnika Cz\u0119stochowa<\/td>204 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Mateusz Nowak<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>PGE GiEK SKRA Be\u0142chat\u00f3w<\/td>213 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Mateusz Por\u0119ba<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>Asseco Resovia Rzesz\u00f3w<\/td>204 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
B\u0142a\u017cej Bie\u0144<\/td>Setter<\/td>PGE GiEK SKRA Be\u0142chat\u00f3w<\/td>190 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Marcel Bakaj<\/td>Setter<\/td>Stal Nysa<\/td>189 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jan Firlej<\/td>Setter<\/td>PGE Projekt Warszawa<\/td>188 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Marcin Komenda<\/td>Setter<\/td>BOGDANKA LUK Lublin<\/td>198 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Przyby\u0142kowicz<\/td>Setter<\/td>SMS PZPS Spa\u0142a<\/td>206 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Sergiusz Serafin<\/td>Setter<\/td>Grand Nancy Volley-Ball<\/td>195 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Tomasz Fornal<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie<\/td>200 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Micha\u0142 Gier\u017cot<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Energa Trefl Gda\u0144sk<\/td>208 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Micha\u0142 Grabek<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>KPS Siedlce<\/td>194 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Kiedos<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Steam Hemarpol Politechnika Cz\u0119stochowa<\/td>204 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Wilfredo Leon<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>BOGDANKA LUK Lublin<\/td>201 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Miko\u0142aj Sawicki<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>BOGDANKA LUK Lublin<\/td>198 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Kamil Semeniuk<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Sir Susa Scai Perugia<\/td>194 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Artur Szalpuk<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Asseco Resovia Rzesz\u00f3w<\/td>201 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Szyma\u0144ski<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>GKS Katowice<\/td>200 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Aleksander \u015aliwka<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>PGE Projekt Warszawa<\/td>196 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Bartosz Zych<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale<\/td>206 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Ciunajtis<\/td>Libero<\/td>Energa Indykpol AZS Olsztyn<\/td>180 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Bartosz Fija\u0142ek<\/td>Libero<\/td>ZAKSA K\u0119dzierzyn-Ko\u017ale<\/td>177 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Maksymilian Granieczny<\/td>Libero<\/td>\u015alepsk Malow Suwa\u0142ki<\/td>180 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Maksym K\u0119dzierski<\/td>Libero<\/td>PGE GiEK SKRA Be\u0142chat\u00f3w<\/td>183 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Popiwczak<\/td>Libero<\/td>Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie<\/td>180 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The membership of the pool comes from the federation\u2019s current 2026 senior-team listing. Current 2026\/27 club affiliations and heights reflect current domestic-league, club, university and CEV registrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current pool also resolves an important difference between Poland\u2019s original April announcement and the later season list. Mateusz Bieniek was included in the initial broad 2026 call-up<\/strong>, but PZPS announced on June 3 that he could not join the team for health reasons. He is no longer listed on PZPS\u2019s current 2026 senior-team page and is therefore not included in the canonical pool above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Competition selections can remain substantially smaller. The 15-player Ningbo selection above is a clear example: it describes the traveling selection for one tournament stage, not Poland\u2019s complete 2026 national-team pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coaching Staff<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

PZPS lists a broad support structure around Nikola Grbi\u0107 for the 2026 season rather than only the head coach and assistants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Role<\/th>Name<\/th>Organization \/ Club<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Head Coach<\/td>Nikola Grbi\u0107<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Assistant Coach<\/td>Marcin Nowakowski<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Assistant Coach<\/td>Maciej Ko\u0142odziejczyk<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Statistics Coach<\/td>Kamil Nalepka<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Statistics Coach<\/td>Mateusz Nykiel<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Strength & Conditioning Coach<\/td>Wojciech Ba\u0144bu\u0142a<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Strength & Conditioning Coach<\/td>Justin Zi\u00f3\u0142kowski<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Lead Team Doctor<\/td>Sebastian \u017babierek<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Doctor<\/td>Jan Sokal<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Doctor<\/td>Jakub \u017babierek<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Doctor<\/td>Micha\u0142 Szufnara<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Physiotherapist<\/td>Robert Koz\u0142owski<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Physiotherapist<\/td>Rafa\u0142 Majchrzak<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Cooperating Physiotherapist<\/td>Klaudia Piwowarczyk<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Cooperating Physiotherapist<\/td>Justyna Pa\u0142ka<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Team Manager<\/td>R\u00f3\u017ca Wachowska<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Director of Senior National Teams<\/td>Hubert Tomaszewski<\/td>PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Press Officer \/ PZPS Spokesperson<\/td>Mariusz Szyszko<\/td>PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n
Video<\/td>Daniel G\u00f3rski<\/td>Poland \/ PZPS<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The captaincy changed during the same cycle. Before Poland\u2019s opening 2026 VNL tournament, PZPS identified Aleksander \u015aliwka as the new captain after Bartosz Kurek. \u015aliwka returned to the national team following the injury that had kept him out of the decisive stages of Poland\u2019s 2025 international season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playing Identity & Tactical Profile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The current Poland team is best understood as a deep roster operating within Grbi\u0107\u2019s system rather than through a single permanent starting six. The 2026 pool contains six opposites, six setters and eleven outside hitters, while the VNL season showed the coaching staff actively rotating players before narrowing the selection for the Finals. That roster structure creates several possible combinations without requiring the same setter, opposite or pair of outside hitters in every phase of the international season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serve pressure and blocking are major current tools.<\/strong> In the 2026 VNL final, Poland recorded 12 kill blocks against the United States\u2019 eight and eight aces against four. Fornal alone produced five aces. Lema\u0144ski led the Polish blockers with four stuffs, while Leon contributed both from the service line and at the net. A semifinal against Slovenia had already shown the same pressure profile, with Leon producing six aces in a straight-set victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wing structure is flexible.<\/strong> Leon, Fornal, Semeniuk and \u015aliwka provide different combinations of high-ball offense, serving and reception, while Szalpuk and other members of the wider pool increase the number of viable rotations. One concrete example came in the 2026 VNL final: Leon began the deciding set at opposite, giving Poland another way to reshape the attack during the match rather than simply making a like-for-like substitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The middle position remains an active scoring and pressure source.<\/strong> Lema\u0144ski and Jakubiszak were both selected to the EuroVolley 2026 All-Star Team, and both contributed double-digit scoring in major 2026 matches. That matters tactically because it prevents Poland\u2019s attack from becoming entirely dependent on Leon, Fornal or the starting opposite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back-court roles have also become competitive within the larger pool.<\/strong> Jakub Popiwczak was EuroVolley 2026\u2019s All-Star libero, while Maksymilian Granieczny was part of the VNL Finals selection and remains in the broad pool. The presence of several current senior liberos gives Grbi\u0107 options according to competition, form and roster construction rather than establishing one permanent annual event squad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system can still change with personnel. A team built around a different setter-opposite pairing or without one of its primary receivers will not necessarily play exactly as the VNL Finals team did. The most defensible description of Poland\u2019s 2026 identity is therefore a combination of roster depth, high service pressure, significant blocking size, multiple credible wing scorers and enough tactical flexibility to alter the attack during matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major Honors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Competition<\/th>Best \/ Major Results<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Olympic Games<\/td>Gold:<\/strong> 1976; Silver:<\/strong> 2024<\/td><\/tr>\n
FIVB Men’s World Championship<\/td>Gold:<\/strong> 1974, 2014, 2018; Silver:<\/strong> 2006, 2022; Bronze:<\/strong> 2025<\/td><\/tr>\n
Volleyball Nations League<\/td>Gold:<\/strong> 2023, 2025, 2026; additionally one silver and three bronze medals through 2026<\/td><\/tr>\n
CEV European Championship<\/td>Gold:<\/strong> 2009, 2023, 2026; five consecutive silver medals from 1975\u20131983<\/td><\/tr>\n
FIVB World League<\/td>Gold:<\/strong> 2012<\/td><\/tr>\n
FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup 2027<\/td>Qualified as host nation<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Poland\u2019s 2025 World Championship bronze was its first third-place finish at that competition, completing a medal set that already contained three championships and two runner-up finishes. The 2026 VNL championship, meanwhile, made Poland a three-time winner of that competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notable Players Across Generations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Player<\/th>Position<\/th>Era \/ Years<\/th>Note<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Tomasz W\u00f3jtowicz<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>1970s\u20131980s<\/td>Major figure in the generation that won the 1974 World Championship and 1976 Olympic title.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Ryszard Bosek<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>1970s\u20131980s<\/td>Member of Poland\u2019s 1974 world champion and 1976 Olympic champion generation.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Pawe\u0142 Zagumny<\/td>Setter<\/td>1990s\u20132010s<\/td>Long-serving setter across the modern revival, including the 2006 World Championship silver and 2014 world title era.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Mariusz Wlaz\u0142y<\/td>Opposite<\/td>2000s\u20132010s<\/td>Central scorer in the 2014 World Championship victory and tournament MVP.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Micha\u0142 Winiarski<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>2000s\u20132010s<\/td>Key member of the generation that returned Poland to the world title in 2014.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Bartosz Kurek<\/td>Opposite \/ Outside Hitter<\/td>2000s\u20132020s<\/td>2018 World Championship MVP and captain during Poland\u2019s Paris 2024 Olympic silver-medal campaign.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Jakub Kochanowski<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>Late 2010s\u2013present<\/td>Part of Poland\u2019s modern world-title and Olympic-medal generation and a major middle-blocking presence across multiple cycles.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Wilfredo Leon<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>2019\u2013present<\/td>Major current scoring and serving option; EuroVolley 2026 MVP and Best Outside Hitter.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Tomasz Fornal<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Late 2010s\u2013present<\/td>VNL 2026 MVP after Poland defended the title in Ningbo.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Aleksander \u015aliwka<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>2010s\u2013present<\/td>World champion and Olympic silver medalist; became Poland\u2019s national-team captain in 2026.<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Wlaz\u0142y\u2019s individual place in the 2014 title run is supported by his World Championship MVP award, while Kurek received the same honor when Poland defended its world title in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current generation is less dependent on one permanent star hierarchy. Leon and Fornal received the most prominent individual awards in Poland\u2019s two 2026 championship runs, but the EuroVolley final had five Polish players scoring in double figures, while the VNL final included decisive contributions from Semeniuk, Lema\u0144ski, Jakubiszak, Bo\u0142\u0105d\u017a and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rivalries & Key Matchups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

France<\/strong> has become one of Poland\u2019s most consequential recent opponents. France defeated Poland in the Paris 2024 Olympic final, while Poland reversed the result at EuroVolley 2026, beating France 3\u20131 for the continental title and the accompanying LA28 qualification place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States<\/strong> has also appeared repeatedly in high-stakes matches. Poland\u2019s route to the Paris 2024 Olympic final included a five-set semifinal victory over the Americans, and the teams met again for the 2026 VNL championship, where Poland won another five-set match. The second of those matches was decided only after Poland recovered from a 2\u20131 deficit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Italy<\/strong> remains another important comparison point in the present European and global cycle. Poland swept Italy in the 2025 VNL final to win its second title in the competition. Results between the teams have varied across competitions rather than producing a one-directional matchup, which makes meetings between them especially relevant to the current international hierarchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are best treated as recurring high-level matchups rather than immutable rivalries. International rosters, coaching priorities and tournament context change frequently, and the competitive relationship can look different from one cycle to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qualification Path & Tournament Cycle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Poland has already resolved two major qualification questions for the next cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, the team is qualified for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games<\/strong>. Under the 2026 European pathway, the continental champion earned an Olympic place, and Poland secured it by defeating France in the EuroVolley final on September 26, 2026. No ranking projection is required to describe Poland\u2019s current LA28 status: the berth has been earned directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, Poland is qualified for the 2027 FIVB Men\u2019s Volleyball World Cup as host nation<\/strong>. Volleyball World confirmed that Poland and 2025 world champion Italy were the first two automatic qualifiers for the 32-team tournament. Because Poland already held the host berth, its EuroVolley finish did not consume one of Europe\u2019s three continental qualification places; those went to France, Finland and Slovenia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That leaves the national team in an unusual position entering the next stage of the cycle: two of its principal future event berths are already secure. Selection decisions can therefore be considered within a broader development and performance context rather than being framed solely around immediate qualification pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poland in 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As of October 1, 2026<\/strong>, Poland\u2019s current status is unusually clear. It is the No. 1-ranked men\u2019s team in the official FIVB World Ranking with 423 points<\/strong>, the reigning VNL champion<\/strong>, the reigning European champion<\/strong>, already qualified for Los Angeles 2028<\/strong>, and automatically qualified for the 2027 FIVB Men\u2019s Volleyball World Cup as host<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leadership structure has also settled into its next phase. Nikola Grbi\u0107 remains head coach, while Aleksander \u015aliwka is the captain. The broader PZPS pool combines championship-experienced players with a substantial group of younger or newer senior-team options, making selection itself one of the central questions of the next competition cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most recent major tournament also reinforced the competitive role of players who were not always the primary names of previous cycles. Lema\u0144ski and Jakubiszak became EuroVolley All-Star middle blockers, Popiwczak received the libero selection, Fornal had already been VNL MVP, and Bo\u0142\u0105d\u017a led Poland\u2019s scoring in the European final. Those results give Grbi\u0107 more evidence for maintaining a broad rotation rather than rebuilding the team around a single fixed lineup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent Performance Snapshot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Date \/ Competition<\/th>Result<\/th>Context<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
September 26, 2026 \u2014 CEV EuroVolley<\/td>Champion<\/strong><\/td>Defeated France 3\u20131 in the final; retained European title; qualified for LA28; Wilfredo Leon named MVP.<\/td><\/tr>\n
August 2, 2026 \u2014 Volleyball Nations League<\/td>Champion<\/strong><\/td>Defeated USA 3\u20132 in the final; third VNL title; Tomasz Fornal named MVP.<\/td><\/tr>\n
September 28, 2025 \u2014 FIVB Men’s World Championship<\/td>Bronze<\/strong><\/td>Defeated Czechia 3\u20131; Poland\u2019s first World Championship bronze.<\/td><\/tr>\n
August 3, 2025 \u2014 Volleyball Nations League<\/td>Champion<\/strong><\/td>Defeated Italy 3\u20130 in the final; second VNL championship.<\/td><\/tr>\n
August 10, 2024 \u2014 Paris Olympic Games<\/td>Silver<\/strong><\/td>Lost 0\u20133 to France in the gold-medal match; first Olympic men\u2019s volleyball medal for Poland since 1976.<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The sequence matters beyond the medal count. From Paris 2024 through EuroVolley 2026, Poland reached the podium at each of the major global or continental events represented above, while the composition of the active squad continued to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Who is the head coach of Poland\u2019s men\u2019s national volleyball team?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Nikola Grbi\u0107 is the current head coach. PZPS lists him as the coach of the 2026 senior national-team group, supported by assistant coaches Marcin Nowakowski and Maciej Ko\u0142odziejczyk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Poland\u2019s current men\u2019s national-team captain?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Aleksander \u015aliwka is the current captain. PZPS confirmed before the first 2026 VNL tournament that \u015aliwka had taken over the captain\u2019s armband from Bartosz Kurek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Poland\u2019s current FIVB World Ranking?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Poland is No. 1 with 423 ranking points as of October 1, 2026<\/strong> on Volleyball World\u2019s official men\u2019s ranking display. Because rankings are dynamic, that value should be treated as a dated snapshot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Poland qualified for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Yes. Poland qualified directly by winning the 2026 CEV European Championship, defeating France 3\u20131 in the final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Poland qualified for the 2027 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Yes. Poland is automatically qualified because it will host the 2027 tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How many players are in Poland\u2019s current 2026 national-team pool?<\/h3>\n\n\n

PZPS\u2019s current senior-team page lists 36 players<\/strong>. That broad national-team pool is different from a competition-specific roster. For example, Grbi\u0107 selected 15 players to travel to the 2026 VNL Finals in Ningbo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is Mateusz Bieniek not in the current pool table?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Bieniek appeared in Poland\u2019s initial 2026 broad selection, but PZPS announced on June 3 that he could not join the team for health reasons. He is absent from the federation\u2019s current 2026 senior-team listing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are Poland\u2019s biggest men\u2019s national-team titles?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Poland has won Olympic gold in 1976; the FIVB World Championship in 1974, 2014 and 2018; the European Championship in 2009, 2023 and 2026; the Volleyball Nations League in 2023, 2025 and 2026; and the FIVB World League in 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n