NVL Newcomers 26-27 part one - London Brazukas Infinity

Formed: 2022

Social media handles: @brazukasuniverse (Instagram)

Website: brazukasuniverse.com

Brazukas - who's name comes from the Portugese term "brazuca", which describes Brazilian people, culture or pride - have touched down in the NVL, with high expectations of themselves straight out of the gate.

The team have strongly positioned themselves as a “community first volleyball club” and have strong reason to go into 2026-27 with lofty ambitions, especially if their performance in the National Shield is anything to go by. 

Their path to the semi-finals saw them win 3-1 over MK City, before a trio of clean sweeps against Worthing, Newmarket 2 and Watford sealed their place in the last four.

They would eventually fall to runners-up Legends after making the long trip from the capital up to Oldham, putting in a valiant performance in a 25-19, 25-19, 25-22 defeat,.

A combination of experience and a strong mentality, as well as sheer grit and hard work has been Brazukas’ recipe for success, with players such as Devion Angeli and Neil Agao as the powerhouses of the squad.

Angeli brings high-level experience as a former US college league player, and uses it to be a strong leader on court, while Agao has become one of the team’s stand-out players through fast development and stark determination, despite only picking up the sport five years ago.

Brazukas' squad also contains several other former high performance athletes, as well as experienced volleyball players, which contributed to their title win in the London League. 

Club founder, head coach and player Welton Vinicius sees no reason to rest on their laurels - and he has made it very clear their objective this season is to “achieve promotion to Division 2, while continuing to develop the squad, represent the club’s values, and build a competitive and sustainable future within the national league structure.”

“We are most looking forward to experiencing the level and atmosphere of the NVL, competing against teams from across the country, and continuing to grow as a club on the national stage,” he added.

“We are especially excited about the Finals event and the opportunity to collaborate with the volleyball community to help make the competition and atmosphere even bigger, more inclusive, and more exciting for everyone involved.”

Brazukas Universe Sport Club was formed in 2022 in London as a diversity and inclusion volleyball club focused on creating a welcoming and competitive community through sport.

What started with one team and a small group of players quickly developed into a fast-growing club with multiple teams competing across the London League, social and development programmes, and community events.

Since its foundation, the club has expanded significantly, reaching over 100 active members, hosting inclusive tournaments and social sessions, and becoming recognised for its strong community culture, player development and commitment to diversity within volleyball in London.

The club won Volleyball England's Club Of The Year in 2025 for their sterling work and were shortlisted for 2026, priding themselves on strong values, an inclusive environment and developing their community.

Brazukas also organise the London Pride Tournament, has strong links to London Pride and runs development sessions for non-league teams.

Vinicius said: “We are very excited to begin this new journey in the National Volleyball League and believe the club is ready to take this next step.

“As a diversity and inclusion club, we are proud to represent a team built through community, opportunity, and passion for the sport, while also competing at a high level.

"We hope to continue contributing positively to the growth of volleyball by bringing an ambitious, competitive, and inclusive team environment to the NVL.”

Brazukas will start their NVL campaign against Chelmsford and fellow NVL newcomers Luton Red Eagles on Sunday 4th October, before meeting familiar faces in London Lynx the following Saturday.

You can keep up to date with the NVL here.

Images by Martin Henfield, The Bury Sports Photographic Group