Iran learns its opponents for the 2026 Asian U19 Handball 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.

The Iranian men's national sitting volleyball team demonstrated an impressive start to its preparation for the World Championship by defeating Egypt in a friendly match held the day before the tournament in China.

Match results and tournament information

The Iranian team confidently beat Egypt with a score of 3:0, winning in sets 25-16, 25-19, and 25-14.

The 2026 Sitting Volleyball World Championship will take place in Hangzhou, China, from July 10 to July 17. Iran will begin its campaign against Poland on Friday; the match is scheduled for 9:00 local time.

Further team preparations

Before the main tournament begins, Iran will play two more preparatory matches against Brazil and Germany to fine-tune its preparation for the global competition. Meanwhile, the Iranian women's national sitting volleyball team is also preparing to fly to Hangzhou on Wednesday to participate in the World Championship.