Germany has named an expanded long-list squad for the 2026 Women's Volleyball Nations League, the German Volleyball Federation confirmed earlier this week, with the wider pool reflecting both a generational refresh and a desire to test new combinations under the FIVB's revised 14-player roster cap.
The long list runs above the standard match-day fourteen and is designed to give the federation flexibility through the three-week VNL schedule. Several Bundesliga regulars and a small group of younger Dresdner SC and Schweriner SC academy products earn first calls under the new programme.
Germany's women have been working through an extended rebuild after a difficult Paris 2024 cycle in which the team failed to progress out of the qualification round-robin. The federation appointed a new head coach in late 2024, and the 2025 VNL was treated as a developmental tour with mixed results. The expanded long list for 2026 marks the first significant integration of the federation's national centre training group into the senior programme.
Middle blocker remains the most contested position. The federation has indicated it will rotate three or four middles through VNL minutes to identify the best two for the World Championships in 2027. At outside hitter, captain Camilla Weitzel returns to lead a position group that has seen its biggest churn since the country's run to the 2024 European Championship knockouts.
The setter position carries the squad's most experienced names, while libero remains anchored by Anna Pogany. Germany has not yet finalised which players will travel to the opening VNL week in late May, with the federation expected to confirm match-day rosters one hour before each match — a window introduced under the FIVB's 2026 rule test.
Logistically, Germany's federation has built the VNL schedule around domestic club fixtures and Pro Liga finals, which run later than usual this year. Several front-court players will join the squad after a brief recovery window, with the federation prioritising fitness peaking for the second and third VNL weeks rather than the opener.
Germany will play its 2026 VNL matches across both Asian and European legs of the tournament, with home and travel days balanced to manage player load. The federation has also confirmed it will use the expanded long list to stage a series of behind-closed-doors training matches in Berlin in the weeks leading up to the tournament, giving the coaching staff one final look at every athlete in the system before the cut to the official 14 for the first VNL week.
