As the final stages of the World Cup approach and global interest in watching the matches grows, a significant part of the atmosphere of this event is connected to the city of Yuyue in China.
This city is responsible for supplying almost 70% of all merchandise related to the World Cup worldwide. Within ten kilometers of the center, all necessary details, packaging, and materials are concentrated, forming a supply cycle that takes only thirty minutes.
Since the World Cup in Korea and Japan in 2002, Yuyue has not missed a single tournament in the last twenty-four years.
Iran has secured a spot in the final match of the 2026 AVC U18 Men's Volleyball Championship, achieving this in a record eleventh appearance.
The young Persians defeated the tournament hosts, China, with a score of 3-2 (18-25, 25-14, 25-21, 23-25, 15-11) in the semifinal held on Friday. This victory allows Iran to contend for its eighth continental title, thereby strengthening its position as the most successful nation in the history of this competition.
Iran has seven Asian U18 junior championship titles in its record, including an outstanding streak of six consecutive titles from 2005 to 2014, as well as its first title in 2001. Furthermore, the team has won three silver medals (in 2003, 2022, and 2024) and one bronze medal (in 2018).
Under the guidance of head coach Abdolreza Alizadeh, the young Iranians demonstrated another impressive performance to guarantee their participation in the championship match, which will take place on Saturday. In this match, they will face the winner of the semifinal between Japan and Taipei.
Abolfazl Pasha Amiri was the star of Iran, scoring 20 points, which was the highest score in the match. Overall, Iran finished the game with 106 points, of which 52 were earned through attacks, 11 through blocks, six through aces, and 37 points came from forced errors by China.
Now, with history at stake, Iran is just one win away from securing its eighth Asian U18 junior title and adding a new chapter to its remarkable legacy in youth volleyball.
Andiswa Mbanхва, a student at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), has been selected to represent South Africa in the Commonwealth Kho Kho Championship, which will take place in India from October 6th to 13th.
For Mbanхва, being selected for the South African team last year could have ended her sports dreams, but it served as a stimulus for more diligent work. Now she is preparing to wear the green and gold colors, representing her country at the upcoming championship.
The tournament will bring together teams from over 24 countries, and South Africa aims to improve upon its result of winning a bronze medal in last year's competition. Mbanхва shared her feelings, noting that her persistence, hard work, and perseverance paid off this year, giving her the opportunity to proudly represent her country after failing to qualify for the South African team in 2025.
The 21-year-old Mbanхва, who is studying a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education at UKZN, has been involved in Kho Kho since 2017, when she first encountered the sport in primary school. Since then, she has steadily advanced in her career, playing for uMgungundlovu at the regional level, and later participating in the KwaZulu-Natal National Games in 2021 and 2023.
Selection to the national team is the final stage in her athletic journey, during which she has already achieved success in several sports. Mbanхва is also a talented player in team sports like netball and represented South Africa by making the top 35 players under 18 and under 19 in 2022 and 2023. Currently, she plays for the UKZN first division netball team while balancing the demands of university studies.
Hailing from the village of Frans in Pietermaritzburg, Mbanхва hopes to help South Africa achieve greater success this year, turning last year's bronze medal into a Commonwealth gold. Kho Kho, one of India's oldest traditional sports, is played by two teams of nine players on a rectangular field. The game combines speed, agility, and tactical thinking, as teams alternate between chasing opponents and defending, trying to tag opponents to score points.
In addition to championships, Mbanхва plans that her future career as a teacher will allow her to introduce more young people to indigenous sports and encourage children to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. Dr. Normah Zondo, Director of Corporate Relations at UKZN, highly praised Mbanхва's achievement, stating that her selection reflects the University's commitment to developing student athletes who excel both academically and athletically.
The national team of Uzbekistan will participate in the World Fencing Championship, which will take place in Hong Kong from July 22 to July 30, 2026. Currently, the team is finalizing preparations for the tournament at various cities in training camps.
The team will compete in three types of weapons: sabre, foil, and épée. In the men's sabre event, Uzbekistan will field Musu Aymuratov, Islambek Abdazov, Sardor Abdukarimbekov, and Alpomish Uroqboev.
In the women's sabre category, the squad includes Zeinab Daiyibekova, Gulistan Perdibayeva, Fernanda Errera, Ayakoz Jumamuratova, and Samira Shokirova. As for the men's foil tournament, Radmir Semeniev, Ulugbek Usmanov, Ilyas Molina, and Danil Kravtsov will compete. The women's foil team is represented by Polina Volobueva.
In the men's épée event, Meirkhan Temurov, Javohir Nurmatov, and Vadim Anokhin will participate. The women's épée team consists of Dilnaz Murzataeva, Malika Hakimova, and Shahzoda Egamberdieva.
The World Fencing Championship in Hong Kong will be another international event for representatives of the national team of Uzbekistan.
