Thailand swept by Czechia as VNL week one ends with ranking drop to 23rd

Thailand were swept by Czechia in Nanjing, ending VNL 2026 week one with four defeats before returning to Bangkok for week two.

Thailand's women's volleyball team lost 3-0 to Czechia, marking their fourth consecutive defeat in the 2026 Volleyball Nations League (VNL).
The loss concluded the first week of the tournament, leaving the Thai team winless.
Czechia won the match in straight sets with scores of 25-14, 25-19, and 25-11.
Thailand's other first-week losses were against Serbia (3-0), China (3-2), and Belgium (3-2).

Thailand’s women’s volleyball team ended the first week of the 2026 Volleyball Nations League (VNL 2026) without a win after a 3-0 defeat to Czechia in Nanjing, China, on Sunday (June 7).

The match was played at Youth Olympic Sports Park, where world No 18 Thailand took on world No 13 Czechia in their fourth and final fixture of the opening week.

Before this meeting, the two sides had faced each other twice. Thailand lost 3-0 to Czechia in the Nations League on June 21, 2025, but had beaten them 3-1 at the 2010 World Championship on November 10, 2010.

Thailand swept by Czechia as VNL week one ends with ranking drop to 23rd

For this match, Thailand head coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai named a starting line-up of Kaewkalaya Kamulthala, Ajcharaporn Kongyot, Pimpichaya Kokram, Sasipaporn Janthawisut, Thatdao Nuekjang, Nuttanicha Jaisaen and Pornpun Guedpard.

Thailand struggled to find their rhythm and were punished for a series of errors, allowing Czechia to take control and complete a straight-sets victory, 25-14, 25-19 and 25-11.

The result left Thailand winless at the end of the first week of VNL 2026, with four consecutive defeats. They had earlier lost 3-0 to Serbia before pushing China and Belgium to five sets in 3-2 defeats.

The loss also dealt a blow to Thailand’s position in the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) world ranking system, with the national team losing 6.94 ranking points.

Thailand now have 156.44 points and have dropped three places, from 20th to 23rd in the world rankings, with Bulgaria, Kenya and Colombia moving above them.