Day 13: Semifinal Action Heats Up!

Japan faces Turkiye, while Italy clashes with Brazil in thrilling semifinal matches at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women`s World Championship.

Italy against Brazil in the VNL 2025 final in Poland.

The highly anticipated semifinals of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women`s World Championship are set to electrify Bangkok, Thailand, this Saturday, September 6. As the tournament enters its pivotal Day 13, two fierce matchups will determine which nations will compete for the coveted gold medal on Sunday, ensuring their place on the podium.

The schedule features a thrilling clash between Japan and Turkiye, followed by a monumental encounter between the world`s top two teams, Italy and Brazil.

Semifinal 1: Japan vs. Turkiye

The day’s action kicks off at 15:30 local time (08:30 UTC) with Japan taking on Turkiye. Recent history between these two teams in the Volleyball Nations League (2023, 2024, and 2025 quarterfinals) has seen three consecutive five-set thrillers, all won by Japan. However, Turkiye secured a four-set victory in their Olympic qualification match in September 2023.

Japan`s Journey and Strengths:

Japan boasts a rich World Championship history with three titles, three silver medals, and a bronze (their most recent in 2010). Currently ranked fifth in the world, they have demonstrated remarkable resilience in this tournament. Their path to the semifinals included a dominant sweep over Cameroon, a comeback from two sets down against Ukraine, a four-set win over defending champions Serbia, a straight-set victory against hosts Thailand, and another intense five-set battle where they recovered twice against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. Captain Mayu Ishikawa has been a standout player, leading all semifinal teams in scoring with 99 points and ranking high across multiple individual statistical categories, including best attacker, receiver, digger, and blocker.

Turkiye`s Historic Run:

As reigning European champions, Turkiye is making history with their first-ever World Championship semifinal appearance, surpassing their previous best of sixth place in 2010. Their journey has been nothing short of spectacular, as they swept through the pool stage (defeating Spain, Bulgaria, and Canada) and the eighthfinals (against Slovenia) without dropping a single set. In the quarterfinals, they overcame the United States in four sets, a victory that propelled them to fourth in the World Ranking, ahead of Japan. Star opposite Melissa Vargas is a formidable force, leading Turkiye with 91 points and remaining a strong contender for the tournament’s best scorer award.

Semifinal 2: Italy vs. Brazil

The second semifinal, a clash of titans, will see the world`s number one and number two teams, Italy and Brazil, battle it out at 19:30 local time (12:30 UTC). Their most recent encounter was the VNL 2025 gold medal match in Poland, where Italy claimed victory after a four-set contest. Italy also swept Brazil during the VNL preliminary phase. Historically, Brazil had won both their matches against Italy in the two previous VNL seasons in five-set thrillers, and also defeated Italy in the 2022 World Championship semifinals in four sets.

Italy`s Unbroken Streak:

Italy, the reigning Olympic and VNL champions, hold the coveted top spot in the FIVB World Ranking. They were World Champions in 2002, with additional podium finishes (silver in 2018, bronze in 2022). Remarkably, Italy is on an unprecedented winning streak, having not lost an official game in over 15 months, totaling 34 consecutive victories since June 1, 2024. Their path to the semifinals saw them sweep world number three Poland in the quarterfinals, and Germany in the eighthfinals. In Pool B, they secured straight-set wins against Slovakia and Cuba, and a four-set victory over Belgium. Paola Egonu, their star opposite, is a leading scorer in the tournament with 96 points and a strong candidate for the top individual award.

Brazil`s Quest for Gold:

Despite their formidable presence in international volleyball, mighty Brazil has yet to win a World Championship title, having secured four silver medals (including 2022) and one bronze. The VNL 2025 silver medalists currently rank second globally. Brazil demonstrated strong form, finishing Pool C undefeated with straight-set victories over Greece and Puerto Rico, and a five-set comeback win against France. They continued their impressive run by defeating the Dominican Republic in four sets in the eighthfinals and sweeping France again in the quarterfinals. Iconic outside hitter Gabriela Guimaraes (Gabi) leads their scoring with 78 points. Additionally, middle blockers Diana Alecrim and 22-year-old Julia Kudiess jointly top the competition’s best blockers ranking with 18 kill blocks each.

Semifinal Schedule – Saturday, September 6, 2025:

• 15:30 local (08:30 UTC): Japan vs. Turkiye
• 19:30 local (12:30 UTC): Italy vs. Brazil