Published: September 24, 2025
Following a nail-biting conclusion to the eighthfinals, the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men`s World Championship in the Philippines wastes no time moving into its quarterfinal stage. Wednesday is set to be a pivotal day, with two highly anticipated matches determining the first semifinalists. Defending champions Italy will face Belgium in a compelling rematch, while top-ranked Poland takes on Turkiye, each vying for a coveted spot among the world`s elite four.
Belgium secured a five-set victory against Italy during the Pool F match.
Quarterfinal 1: Italy vs. Belgium
The opening European quarterfinal on Wednesday will feature a clash between reigning champions Italy and an in-form Belgium. This decisive encounter, set to begin at 15:30 local time (07:30 UTC) in Pasay City, will unveil the first semifinalist of the 2025 World Championship.
Their previous tournament encounter saw Belgium deliver a stunning 3-2 upset (25-23, 25-20, 22-25, 21-25, 15-13) against the formidable Italian squad in pool play. This marked Belgium`s first victory over Italy since 2017, when they triumphed in both the FIVB Volleyball World League and the CEV Volleyball European Championship. Italy`s last win against the `Red Dragons` was a straight-sets victory at EuroVolley 2023.
Italy stands as one of the most decorated nations in World Championship history, boasting three consecutive titles (1990, 1994, 1998) and the most recent triumph in 2022, in addition to a silver medal in 1978. Currently ranked second globally after their VNL 2025 runner-up finish, they were expected to dominate Pool F. However, they were surprised by Belgium in a five-set match, progressing to the eighthfinals as pool runners-up. Their journey included straight-set victories over Algeria and Ukraine in the group stage, followed by a commanding straight-sets win against Pool C victors Argentina in the eighthfinals. Outside hitter Alessandro Michieletto has been Italy`s top scorer, accumulating 59 points over four matches.
Belgium`s historical best at a World Championship was an eighth-place finish in 1970. This year, they`ve already matched or surpassed that, entering the eighthfinals as undefeated Pool F winners. Their impressive run included straight-set victories over Ukraine and Algeria, notably punctuated by a sensational five-set upset against Italy. They continued their strong performance with a straight-set win over Finland in the eighthfinals. Climbing from 17th to 15th in the FIVB World Ranking, the `Red Dragons` are spearheaded by 22-year-old opposite Ferre Reggers, who leads the championship in scoring with 93 points from four matches. Reggers also shares the top spot for attackers with Bulgaria’s Aleksandar Nikolov (80 spike kills). Complementing this, 19-year-old libero Gorik Lantsoght ranks as the second-best defender of the competition with 36 digs.
Quarterfinal 2: Poland vs. Turkiye
The second European semifinalist will be decided in Pasay City when Poland clashes with Turkiye on Wednesday at 20:00 local time (12:00 UTC).
Poland boasts a dominant head-to-head record against Turkiye, including a recent straight-sets victory at the Volleyball Nations League 2025 in Xi’an, China, this past June.
Having secured the VNL 2025 gold, Poland stands as the world`s number one team in the FIVB World Ranking. Their formidable World Championship history includes three titles (1974, 2014, 2018) and two silver medals (2006, 2022). In the Philippines 2025, they breezed through Pool B with decisive victories over Romania, Qatar, and the Netherlands, followed by a four-set win against Canada in the eighthfinals. Outside hitter Kamil Semeniuk leads their scoring effort with 49 points in four matches.
Turkiye has already made history at this World Championship by reaching the quarterfinals, surpassing their previous best of 11th place achieved three years ago. Their impressive performance included topping Pool G undefeated, dropping only one set against Libya, and securing wins against higher-ranked Japan and Canada. They continued their momentum with a 3-1 victory over the Netherlands in the eighthfinals, elevating their FIVB World Ranking two spots to 14th. Libero Berkay Bayraktar is currently the championship`s leading defender with 37 digs. Outside hitter Efe Mandiraci is the second-best server with 13 aces, and opposite Adis Lagumdzija leads the team`s scoring with a total of 72 points.
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 – Quarterfinal Schedule:
- 15:30 local (07:30 UTC): Italy vs. Belgium
- 20:00 local (12:00 UTC): Poland vs. Turkiye
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick