The roar inside a Chinese stadium when the women’s team steps onto the court is unlike anything else in sports. It’s not just cheering. It is a heavy, collective expectation. Honestly, if you haven't seen it, it's hard to describe. For decades, the China national volleyball team—specifically the "Steel Roses" on the women’s side—hasn't just been a sports team. They've been a barometer for national pride.
But things are changing. Quickly.
As we move through 2026, the landscape looks vastly different than the era of Lang Ping’s dominance. We are seeing a massive "rejuvenation" project that has fans both thrilled and, frankly, a bit terrified.
The China National Volleyball Team and the "Zhao Yong Era"
Last year, in April 2025, the Chinese Volleyball Association (CVA) made a move that signaled the end of the post-Tokyo transition. They appointed Zhao Yong as the head coach of the women’s team. He replaced Cai Bin, who had a decent run but couldn't quite get the team back to that gold-medal tier at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Zhao isn't a random choice. He came in with serious momentum after leading the U17 squad to a world title. He brought that "youth first" mentality with him to the senior team.
The roster he's built is young. Scary young. We’re talking about an average age of just 21.8 years during the 2025 World Championships. That is basically a college-aged team taking on the world's most seasoned professionals. You've got 17-year-olds like setter Zhang Zixuan and opposite Yang Shuming getting significant floor time.
👉 See also: Why the 2025 NFL Draft Class is a Total Headache for Scouts
It’s a gamble. A big one.
What happened in 2025?
The results were a total rollercoaster. In the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), this new-look team actually shocked everyone. They racked up nine wins in the preliminary rounds. They looked fast. They looked hungry. Fans started whispering, "Are we back?"
Then the World Championship in Thailand happened.
After a perfect group stage, they hit a wall in the Round of 16. A 3-1 loss to France. It was a reality check that stung. It exposed the "young blood" issues: a lack of aggression in serving and some serious nerves when the knockout pressure mounted.
The Men’s Team: The Vital Heynen Project
We can't talk about the China national volleyball team without mentioning the men. For a long time, they’ve lived in the shadow of the women’s success. It’s been tough.
✨ Don't miss: Liverpool FC Chelsea FC: Why This Grudge Match Still Hits Different
But the CVA brought in Vital Heynen, the Belgian mastermind who previously coached Poland to a world title. That’s a "statement" hire. Heynen is known for being... well, intense. He's trying to bridge a massive gap between the Chinese domestic league and the international elite.
The 2025 VNL was a struggle for them. They finished near the bottom of the standings with only a handful of wins, including a gritty 3-1 victory over the Netherlands in Xi'an. The gap is still there. The quality of daily training in the Chinese league just doesn't match the intensity of the Italian or Polish leagues yet.
Key Players You Need to Watch
If you’re watching a match today, these are the names that actually move the needle.
- Li Yingying (OH): She is the undisputed heart of the team now. In Paris, she was carrying the offense, often scoring 25+ points a game. She’s only 26, but in this young squad, she’s basically the "veteran" leader.
- Gong Xiangyu (OP): The captain. She’s been around for a decade. She provides the defensive stability that keeps the chaotic energy of the teenagers from collapsing.
- Wu Mengjie (OH): The future. She’s tall, athletic, and has a ceiling that coach Zhao Yong is desperate to reach before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
- Wang Yuanyuan (MB): Her blocking at the net is what keeps China competitive against the power-hitters from Turkey and Italy.
Why People Get the "Spirit" Wrong
In China, they talk about the Nüpai Jingshen—the Women's Volleyball Spirit.
A lot of outsiders think this just means "working hard." It’s more than that. It’s about reinvention. When the team fell apart in the 90s, they reinvented. When they struggled before Rio 2016, they reinvented.
🔗 Read more: NFL Football Teams in Order: Why Most Fans Get the Hierarchy Wrong
Right now, the China national volleyball team is in another one of those "dark before the dawn" phases. They are willing to sacrifice short-term wins (like that disappointing exit in 2025) to give 17-year-olds the "scar tissue" they need to win in 2028.
The Roadmap to 2028
The goal is simple but brutal: get back on the Olympic podium.
The immediate hurdle is the 2026 Asian Championship. China is hosting. Because of the new qualification rules, winning this tournament secures an automatic ticket to LA 2028. If they win, they get two years of stress-free preparation. If they lose to a surging Japan or a dangerous Thailand, the path gets much, much harder.
Actionable insights for fans and followers:
- Track the 2026 Asian Championship: This is the make-or-break moment for Zhao Yong’s job security. If they don't win on home soil, expect the "bring back the veterans" talk to get very loud.
- Watch the VNL rotation: Pay attention to how much court time the U20 players get compared to Li Yingying. It tells you if the coaching staff is still in "development mode" or switching to "win-now mode."
- Check the FIVB Rankings: China finished 2025 around 5th for women and 28th for men. For the men, staying in the VNL is the only way to get the high-level experience they need to improve.
The China national volleyball team is currently a work in progress. It isn't the finished product we saw in 2016 or 2019. It’s raw, it’s inconsistent, and it’s occasionally brilliant. But that’s exactly why it’s worth watching right now. You’re seeing the foundation of the next decade being poured, cracks and all.