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Poland’s #09 Wilfredo Leon Venero #99 Norbert Huber and #17 Pawel Zatorski react during the men’s preliminary round volleyball match between Poland and Italy during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the South Paris Arena 1 in Paris on August 3, 2024. (Photo by Natalia KOLESNIKOVA / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — Defending champion Italy, Olympic gold medalist France, and World No. 1 Poland bring their world-class talent to Manila for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Volleyball World Championship 2025 from September 12 to 28 at Mall of Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Poland parades top-ranked spiker Wilfredo Leon and Volleyball Nations League MVP middle blocker Jakub Kochanowski in its redemption bid after settling for runner-up in the 2022 World Championship.
READ: Volleyball legend Leila Barros returns to PH for FIVB Worlds
The 2024 Paris Olympics silver medalist earned 400 points after sweeping Italy in the Volleyball Nations League final in China to emerge as the top team among the 32-nation tournament hosted by the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Italy banks on 2022 World Championship MVP and VNL Best Setter Simone Giannelli and Best Outside Spiker Alessendro Michieletto in defending its throne.
World No.3 Brazil is also seeking to surpass its bronze medal finish three years ago, boasting the quartet of Alan Souza, Ricardo Lucarelli, Mathes Bispo dos Santos, and setter Bruno Rezende.
READ: Philippines kicks off historic FIVB Men’s Worlds hosting
France, the back-to-back Olympic gold medalists, seeks to rise from a quarterfinal exit in the 2022 worlds with Paris MVP Earvin Ngapeth standing at the forefront.
Poland leads Pool B with the Netherlands, Qatar, and Romania. France is in Pool C with Argentina, Finland and South Korea. Italy spearheads Pool F with Ukraine, Belgium and Algeria, while Brazil tops Pool H with Serbia, Czech Republic and China.
World No. 5 Japan, No. 6 USA, No. 7 Slovenia, No. 8 Germany, No. 9 Argentina, and No. 10 Cuba also loom as top guns in the world tournament.
“Elite at its highest level,” said Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Tats Suzara.
Ranked No. 82, host Alas Pilipinas is in Pool A with No. 13 Iran, African champion and No. 23 Egypt, as well as No. 42 Tunisia.
Alas and Tunisia will serve as the opening game on September 12 at Mall of Asia Arena after the opening ceremony to be headlined by K-POP group BOYNEXTDOOR.
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Tickets are available via the official website www.philippineswch2025.com
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