Brazil calls up women’s volleyball team for the 2026 South American Championships in search of Olympic place By Carolina Costa
3 min read
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The Brazilian women’s volleyball team began preparations for the 2026 South American Championship, with 16 athletes called up for training. The tournament will be played at the Ginásio do Maracanãzinho, in Rio de Janeiro, between the 8th and 13th of September 2026, and will serve as a crucial qualifying stage for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Although 16 players will train, only 14 will be able to be registered for the continental competition.
Importance of the direct Olympic berth for Los Angeles 2028
The South American Women’s Volleyball Championship takes on even greater relevance in this edition due to the direct place it offers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Achieving classification in advance allows the technical committee, led by José Roberto Guimarães, to have more relaxed long-term planning. This anticipation can reduce pressure on future tournaments and open up space to test new athletes and strategies, optimizing Olympic preparation without the burden of mandatory immediate results in each subsequent competition. It’s a unique opportunity to focus on squad development.
Athletes selected for Brazilian team training
Coach José Roberto Guimarães released the list of 16 athletes who will participate in the training phase. The final definition of the 14 players who will represent Brazil in the competition will occur later, after evaluation by the technical committee.
- Lifters:Macris Carneiro, Roberta Ratzke
- Opposites:Kisy Nascimento, Tainara Santos, Rosamaria M.
- Tips:Ana Cristina, Julia Bergmann, Helena Wenk, Gabi Guimarães
- Centrals:Larissa Besen, Luzia Nezzo, Lorena Viezel, Diana Duarte
- Liberos:Nyeme Costa, Natinha Araújo, Marcelle Arruda
Details about the South American Championship in Rio de Janeiro
The tournament, which takes place at Maracanãzinho, will bring together six teams in search of the continental title. In addition to Brazil, the dispute will feature the presence of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.
The competition will be held in a straight points format, where all teams will face each other. At the end of the five rounds, the team that accumulates the best performance and highest score will be crowned champion.
Important returns and absences in the Brazilian team
The Brazilian team will receive a significant reinforcement with the return of striker Gabi Guimarães to training. The team captain had taken time off to treat wear and tear on her lower back and is now back as part of the group, bringing her experience and leadership to the team.
On the other hand, central Julia Kudiess will be an important absence. The player suffered an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee during a qualifying match of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) against the United States, which will leave her out of the competition.
Brazil seeks 24th continental title after runner-up in the VNL
The Brazilian team arrives at this South American Championship with the aim of winning its 24th title in the tournament’s history. The team led by Zé Roberto Guimarães is coming off a standout campaign in the 2026 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), where they finished runner-up.
In the VNL decision, Brazil was beaten by Türkiye by 3 sets to 1, with partials of 23/25, 25/23, 26/24 and 25/21. The search for a new continental title after this international experience will serve as an additional boost for the team to maintain its hegemony in South America and solidify its preparation for the Olympic challenges.
