A tough challenge awaits Alas Pilipinas Men in the first round of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship.
In Group A, the Filipinos – expected to be led by stars Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo – will face world No. 15 Iran, reigning African champion Egypt, and 11-time African winner Tunisia during the opening round of the preliminaries.
Pool B will feature world No. 1 Poland, Romania, Qatar, and the Netherlands, while Pool C includes reigning VNL champion France, South Korea, Finland, and Argentina.
In Pool D, world No. 3 United States will compete against Colombia, Portugal, and Cuba. Pool E will have world No. 4 Slovenia, along with Bulgaria, Chile, and Germany.
Pool F consists of defending world champion Italy, Belgium, Algeria, and Ukraine. Meanwhile, Pool G sees Asian powerhouse Japan (ranked No. 6) joined by Turkey, Libya, and Canada.
Finally, Pool H will feature world No. 7 Brazil, China, Czechia, and Serbia.
Each group will play in a single round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the Round of 16.
The games will be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City and the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
