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Check out the Olympics men’s volleyball semifinals matches to follow today and how to follow the match live.
No. 2 seed United States (4-0) vs. No. 6 seed Poland (3-1)
Match vitals: 4 p.m. (10 a.m. EDT) in Paris
Follow live: Live stats, Live video (Peacock), TV (NBC)
World rankings: United States (No. 6); Poland (No. 1)
How they reached the semifinals: The United States finished pool-play undefeated and then defeated Brazil in four games in the quarterfinals. Poland upset the No. 3 seed Slovenia in four games in its quarterfinal match.
Olympic all-time series: United States leads 2-1
Last meeting in Olympics: United States swept Poland in the 2016 quarterfinals.
Last non-Olympics meeting: Poland swept the United States at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in May – both teams did not play the overwhelming majority of its Olympic starters in the match.
Olympic appearances: United States (1964, 1968, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020); Poland (1968, 1972 1976, 1980, 1996, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)
Last Olympics semifinals appearance: United States (2016, lost to Italy); Poland (1980, lost to Bulgaria)
Olympic medals: United States (1984 gold, 1988 gold, 1992 bronze, 2008 gold, 2016 bronze); Poland (1976 gold)
NCAA players on U.S. roster: Matt Anderson (Penn State 2006-08);; Taylor Averill (Hawai’i 2012-15); Micah Christenson (USC 2012-15); TJ DeFalco (Long Beach 2016-19); Max Holt (Penn State 2006-09); Thomas Jaeschke (Loyola 2013-15); Jeff Jendryk (Loyola 2015-18); Micah Ma’a (UCLA 2016-19); Garrett Muagututia (UCLA 2007-10); Aaron Russell (Penn State (2012-15); David Smith (UC Irvine 2004-07); Erik Shoji (Stanford 2009-12)
NCAA players on Poland roster: None
What to know: One more win is all that is needed for the United States to return to the medal podium. The only thing standing in its way from its first medal since 2016 is Poland trying to end its own 48-year medal drought. The United States and Poland will face each other in the semifinals with a spot in the gold-medal match on the line. Former USC setter Micah Christenson has guided the United States to be one of the most proficient offenses during the tournament. The United States hit at least .400 in all three of its pool-play victories and had a .395 attack percentage in the quarterfinals win against Brazil. Former Long Beach State outside attacker TJ DeFalco leads the United States and is among the tournament leaders with 51 kills, including having 15 kills on a .375 attack percentage in the quarterfinals. Former Penn State outside attacker Aaron Russell also in every match so far this Olympics has double-digit kills and three or fewer errors. Poland pin-hitter Wilfredo Leon leads all players with 11 aces and had a match-high five aces against Slovenia in the quarterfinals. In addition, Leon had 14 kills in that victory and is in the tournament’s top 10 with 52 kills.
No. 1 seed Italy (4-0) vs. No. 4 seed France (3-1)
Match vitals: 8 p.m. (2 p.m. EDT) in Paris
Follow live: Live stats, Live video (Peacock), TV (USA Network)
World rankings: Italy (No. 3); France (No. 4)
How they reached the semifinals: Italy after going undefeated in pool-play to earn the No. 1 seed rallied from a two-game deficit to beat Japan in five games in the quarterfinals. France also rallied from a two-game deficit in its quarterfinals match to defeat Germany in five games.
Last meeting in Olympics: Italy swept France in pool-play at the 2016 Olympics.
Last non-Olympics meeting: France defeated Italy in five games in the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Nations League quarterfinals.
Olympic appearances: Italy (1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024); France (1988, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2020, 2024)
Last Olympics semifinals appearance: Italy (2016, defeated the United States); France (2020, swept Argentina)
Olympic medals: Italy (1984 bronze, 1996 silver, 2000 bronze, 2004 silver, 2012 bronze, 2016 silver); France (2020 gold)
NCAA players on Italy roster: None
NCAA players on France roster: Kevin Tillie (UC Irvine 2012-13)