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.
At the 2026 Sitting Volleyball World Championship, the Iranian men's national team secured its fifth victory by defeating the USA team in three consecutive sets with scores of 25-21, 25-15, and 25-16 on Wednesday.
The Iranian team previously defeated Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Japan, and Croatia. On Thursday, Iran will play against Kazakhstan in the tournament semi-finals.
Earlier that day, the women's team lost to Canada with a score of 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-22) and consequently failed to qualify for the Four Final. The World Championship is being held at the World ParaVolley Development Centre and includes 16 men's and 16 women's teams.
This tournament is the first opportunity for teams to secure qualification for the LA28 Paralympic Games, as the champions among men and women receive direct spots in the competition.
Iran successfully kicked off the 2026 Youth Asian Handball Championship by defeating Kuwait 29:27 in its first match, which took place on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the Iranian team will play against Korea in Group B. This group also includes Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Qatar, India, and the UAE. Group A consists of China, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Taipei, and Hong Kong.
The XIX Youth Asian Handball Championship is being held in Chuozhou, China, from July 15 to July 26, 2026. This tournament also serves as a qualifying round for the 2027 IHF Youth World Championship.
The Republic of Korea has a reputation as the most decorated team, having won a total of 13 medals: three gold, seven silver, and three bronze. The host country, China, previously won a single championship title during the second edition in 1990, which was held in Tehran, Iran. The Youth Asian Handball Championship is an official competition organized by the Asian Handball Federation for national men's junior teams of Asia and is held every two years.
