Fornal Named VNL MVP as Poland Claims Third Title
Tomasz Fornal earns VNL MVP honors as Poland claims their third Nations League gold, setting sights on defending their European title.
Tomasz Fornal was named MVP of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League after helping Poland defend their title with a 3-2 win over the United States in Sunday's final in Ningbo, China. It marked Poland's second consecutive and third overall VNL gold medal, coming back from a 1-2 set deficit before winning a decisive tie-break.
Fornal, who has had a strong season with his Turkish club, including a domestic treble and a Champions League bronze medal, was given extra rest time by coach Nikola Grbić during the competition after recovering in Spała. Despite the reduced playing time, Fornal made an impact, appearing in six matches and scoring 61 points overall. In the final, he contributed 15 points and played a key role in reception.
Fornal received the MVP trophy after the match, recognized as a key figure in Poland's title run, especially with Bartosz Kurek absent from the squad.
Poland's next major target is the European Championship, where they will defend their title. Their tournament begins September 10 against Portugal, with additional group matches against Israel, North Macedonia, Ukraine, and Bulgaria.
