Iran defeats Philippines in the first match of the 2026 AVC Youth Volleyball Championship

The Iranian men's sitting volleyball team defeated Poland in the opening match of the 2026 Sitting Volleyball World Championship, finishing the game with a score of 3:1 (23-25, 25-13, 25-10, 25-15).

Tournament Schedule

The team, which are the current world and Paralympic champions for men, will next face Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by Japan.

Participants and Format

The match between Iran and Bosnia and Herzegovina brings together finalists from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and the 2022 World Championship. The tournament is held at the World ParaVolley Development Center and includes 16 men's and 16 women's teams.

The competition begins with a three-day group stage from July 10 to 12, where teams are divided into four groups of four. After this, all teams move to the Eight-Match Round on July 13.

Significance of the Tournament

This championship is the first opportunity for teams to secure qualification for the LA28 Paralympic Games, as the men's and women's champions receive direct spots in the competition.

Iran confidently began its participation in the 2026 Sitting Volleyball World Championship, defeating Rwanda in the first match. The victory was achieved in three sets with scores of 25-11, 25-11, and 25-11.

Upcoming tournament schedule

The Iranian team is scheduled to meet Kenya and China in Group A in the coming days.

Team's history of participation

The Iranian women's sitting volleyball national team is participating in the World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball World Championship in Hangzhou for the third consecutive time. Previously, the team qualified for the tournaments in Rotterdam in 2018 and Sarajevo in 2022.

Iran's place in the 2026 tournament confirms the team's consistent presence at the highest level of sports after earning the right to participate through the Asia-Oceania Zonal Championship for Sitting Volleyball Para Volley 2025.

Qualification for the world stage

Iran secured its qualification by taking second place at the Asia-Oceania Zonal Championship for Sitting Volleyball Para Volley 2025 in Hangzhou. The silver medal allowed Iran to secure one of the two Asian spots in the World Championship, once again surpassing other teams in the zone. This marked the second consecutive final between China and Iran in the Asia-Oceania region, after China also won the championship in 2023.

Iran concluded its participation in the AVC U18 Women's Volleyball World Championship, finishing in 12th place. Specifically, the Iranian team lost to Hong Kong with a score of 3-2 (25-23, 19-25, 18-25, 25-16, 12-15) on Tuesday.

Tournament Results

During the competition, Iran lost to the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong, but managed to defeat Australia.

Championship Details

This tournament is the sixteenth edition of the biennial competition, organized by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) together with the Thailand Volleyball Association (TVA). The event takes place in Nakhon Ratchasima from July 1 to 7.

Qualification for the World Stage

Furthermore, this tournament served as the Asian qualifying round for the 2027 FIVB U19 Women's Volleyball World Championship. China, South Korea, Thailand, and Japan qualified for the global tournament as representatives of the AVC.