Ukraine's Men's Volleyball Team Names 2026 Nations League Roster: A Fresh Face Joins the Squad

Timur Tsmokalo Called Up to Ukraine's National Team

According to Главком: Ukraine's men's volleyball squad has announced the addition of outside hitter Timur Tsmokalo to the roster for the training camp ahead of the 2026 Nations League. Preparations are set to begin on May 2 in Maribor, Slovenia. The 20-player lineup also includes captain Yuriy Semenyuk and Oleg Plotnytskyi, who returns to the team after a three-year absence.

Tsmokalo, born in 2003, is currently 22 years old. He previously represented Ukraine at the 2024 Challenger Cup, when he was playing for the Czech club Ostrava. He now plays for the French side Nancy in League B, having joined on loan from Lviv's Barkom-Kazhany in May 2025. During the 2025/26 season, he appeared in 26 matches for Nancy.

Career Path and Road to the Nations League

Tsmokalo began his volleyball career at Kharkiv's Yurakademiya, where he spent two years before moving to Barkom-Kazhany. With the Lviv-based team, he competed in Poland's PlusLiga during the 2022/23 season. He also gained experience in the Czech league, playing one season there.

As part of their buildup to the 2026 Nations League, Ukraine has scheduled two friendly matches against Croatia on May 14-15. Following the training camp, the team will participate in a tournament in Poland, playing three matches against Poland, Bulgaria, and Serbia. Ukraine's Nations League campaign kicks off on June 10 with a match against Japan.

Notably, this marks Ukraine's second consecutive appearance in the Nations League, reflecting growing interest in volleyball within the country and strong support for the national team.

Bringing in young players like Timur Tsmokalo highlights Ukraine's push to rejuvenate the squad and develop the sport domestically.

The Nations League preparations also include key friendly matches, allowing the team to gel and sharpen their skills ahead of major international competition. This could further boost volleyball's popularity in Ukraine and improve the country's results on the global stage.

As Ukraine's men's volleyball team gears up for the upcoming Nations League, it's worth noting the strategic decisions made by coach Raul Lozano. His recent announcement regarding the extended roster provides deeper insights into the team's preparation and player selection. For a closer look at how these choices could impact the team's performance, check out the details in our article about Lozano's extended squad for the Nations League.