Round 1 of the 2026 National Club Volleyball Championship kicking off in Dong Anh (Hanoi) is not only a warm-up for the championship race, but also a place to show the investment of teams as well as shape the playing style through the recruitment of foreign players.
In this year's women's content, there is the appearance of 9 faces from many different volleyball backgrounds. The story of foreign players no longer stops at "filling the void", but becomes a decisive factor in the situation and improving expertise.
The easily noticeable trend is the dominance of athletes from China. LPB Ninh Binh Club places their trust in Wang Yizhu, while Binh Chung Thong Tin uses 2 foreign players, Sun Jie and Che Wenhan. Long Son Thanh Hoa Cement continues to be associated with Cai Xiaoqing - a familiar name in the domestic playground.
The common point of this group of athletes is good physique, powerful playing style and ability to resolve situations on the wing. This is something that many domestic teams are still limited in.
However, if only looking at the physical factor, the picture of foreign players this year will not be complete.
Duc Giang Chemicals offers a more obvious tactical choice. With setter Tichaya Boonlert and main attacker Kuttika Kaewpin, this team almost builds an operating axis like Thai volleyball when it values speed, flexibility and the ability to organize the playing style.
Changing the foreign player option before the G-hour shows that Hoa Chat Duc Giang has made efforts to find a striker suitable for the playing style that this team is pursuing. This is also a significant difference compared to opponents.
In the remaining group, teams choose a safer option of using foreign players to increase stability. VTV Binh Dien Long An continues to keep Lianet Garcia, who has proven his scoring ability and bravery at the recent Hoa Lu Cup.
Meanwhile, VietinBank and Hanoi successively added Suvi Kokkonen and Ivana Vanjak, faces with European style, although not too explosive but stable and experienced.
Notably, the appearance of foreign players this year also shows the unique identity of each team. Some teams choose strength to solve points, some teams pursue speed to control the game, and some teams prioritize safety to maintain stability.
In that context, Geleximco Hung Yen - the only team that does not use foreign players - becomes an exception, but also a test for the value of internal strength.
The diversity in foreign player selection makes the first round of this year's national volleyball championship more exciting with quality competitions, thereby increasing the attractiveness and professional value of the tournament.
