Iran looms as Alas Pilipinas’ toughest challenge in the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship group stage, boasting a tall and youthful roster led by Asia’s top opposite spiker, Amin Esmaeilnezhad.
Team Melli enters Pool A as the highest-ranked nation at No. 13, with Egypt at No. 23 and Tunisia at No. 42 trailing behind. The Philippines, meanwhile, currently sits at No. 82.
At 28, Esmaeilnezhad stands as one of the most experienced players on an Iranian squad that averages 23.8 years in age and 6-foot-5 in height.
Alas Pilipinas opens its World Championship campaign against Tunisia on September 12 at 6:00 PM at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, followed by an electrifying opening ceremony headlined by K-pop group BOYNEXTDOOR.
The tournament will also be played in part at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Tickets are available through the official website: https://www.philippineswch2025.com.
The Filipinos then face Egypt on September 16 at 5:30 PM, before wrapping up their Pool A campaign against the powerhouse Team Melli on September 18 at 5:30 PM.
With former Asian Volleyball Confederation Best Setter Javad Karimi orchestrating the offense and Italian tactician Roberto Piazza at the helm, Team Melli aims to build on its momentum, climbing three spots in the world rankings since last July.
Just like Alas Pilipinas — which went on a Europe training camp including stops in Morocco, Romania, and Portugal — the Iranians also trained overseas in preparation for the world tilt.
The three-time defending Asian Games champions will hold a week-long training camp in Doha, facing Egypt and Qatar twice. They then fly to Manila as one of the early arrivals in the first week of September.
Iran — also bannered by opposite spiker Ali Hajipour and outside hitters Morteza Sharifi, Amirhossein Esfandiar, and Ali Haghparast — will continue its buildup in the Philippines with tune-up matches against Slovenia on September 9 and Germany on September 10.
The Iranian lineup is rounded out by setters Ali Ramazani and Arshia Behnezhad; outside hitters Poriya Hossein Khanzadeh and Ehsan Daneshdoust; middle blockers Mohammad Valizadeh, Eisa Naseri, Yousef Kazemi, and Nima Bateni; and liberos Arman Salehi and Mohammadreza Hazratpour.
Team Melli will be competing in their second major tournament following a ninth-place finish in last month’s Volleyball Nations League — a significant leap from their 15th-place finish in 2024.
