Day 14: Semifinals Set for FIVB Men’s World Championship 2025

The weekend has arrived, bringing us closer to crowning the 2025 men’s volleyball world champions! Before the grand finale, Saturday`s program in the Philippines features the semifinals of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship. By the end of the day, the two teams that will compete for gold on Sunday, having already secured their podium finishes, will be known. Spectators should be aware that today`s matches will commence earlier than on previous competition days.

The first semifinal kicks off at 14:30 local time (06:30 UTC) with Czechia taking on Bulgaria. In the second, starting at 18:30 local time (10:30 UTC), the top two teams in the FIVB World Ranking, Poland and Italy, will engage in a high-stakes battle.

Semifinal 1: Czechia v Bulgaria

The opening semifinal in Pasay City pits two unexpected contenders against each other, with one guaranteed a spot in the final. Czechia and Bulgaria, having earned their places in the semis, will face off at 14:30 local time (06:30 UTC).

These two teams have met only twice in the last decade, with Bulgaria emerging victorious in both five-set thrillers: at the 2015 CEV European Championship and more recently at the 2021 edition of the same continental competition.

Czechia`s Journey to the Semifinals

As the successor to Czechoslovakia, Czechia boasts a rich World Championship history, including titles in 1956 and 1966, plus four silver medals between 1949 and 1962. However, this is their first semifinal appearance since 1970. Reaching this stage marks their best-ever result as an independent nation. Entering Pool H as underdogs, they surprised Serbia with a straight-sets win, then lost to Brazil, and secured their progression by beating China, also in straight sets. In the eighthfinals, they swept Tunisia and mounted a comeback from one set down to defeat Iran in four sets in the quarterfinals. Czechia has climbed from number 21 to number 17 in the World Ranking. Opposite Patrik Indra has been a key player, accumulating 85 points to become the team`s top scorer and the fourth-best scorer of the tournament. Libero Milan Monik is currently third in the best diggers` chart.

Bulgaria`s Undefeated Run

Bulgaria has five World Championship medals to their name, including a silver in 1970 and four bronzes, the most recent being in 2006. They remain undefeated in the current championship. In Pool E, they stunned higher-ranked Germany and Slovenia (in five sets), topping the group with a clean sweep against Chile. They continued their dominant run with a straight-sets victory over Portugal in the eighthfinals. In a spectacular quarterfinal comeback, they overcame a two-set deficit to eliminate the United States. Bulgaria has surged from number 15 to number 9 in the World Ranking. Their 21-year-old rising star outside hitter Aleksandar Nikolov is the tournament`s leading scorer and attacker, with an impressive 119 points, including 106 spike kills. Middle blocker and captain Aleks Grozdanov ranks second in blocking, while 18-year-old playmaker Simeon Nikolov is third among setters.

Semifinal 2: Poland v Italy

A colossal encounter between the number one and number two ranked teams in the world will determine the second finalist for Philippines 2025. Poland will face Italy at 18:30 local time (10:30 UTC) on Saturday in Pasay City.

These two volleyball powerhouses have met 33 times in major world-level tournaments, with Poland holding a 19-14 advantage. Their most recent clash was the VNL 2025 final in Ningbo, China, where Poland secured a decisive straight-sets victory. However, Italy famously dethroned Poland in a four-set showdown during the 2022 World Championship final.

Poland`s Dominance

Poland has consistently held the top spot in the FIVB World Ranking for several years. With three world titles (1974, 2014, 2018) and two silver medals (2006, 2022), they are among the most decorated teams in World Championship history. On their path to this semifinal, they comfortably advanced through Pool B of Philippines 2025 with straight-sets wins over Romania, Qatar, and the Netherlands. They then dispatched Canada in a four-set eighthfinal and swept Turkiye in the quarterfinals. Star opposite and captain Bartosz Kurek, along with outside hitter Kamil Semeniuk, lead the team`s scoring with 57 points each so far.

Italy`s Quest for Another Title

Italy also boasts an impressive World Championship legacy, winning three consecutive titles in 1990, 1994, and 1998, as well as the most recent edition in 2022. They also earned a silver medal in 1978. Following their runner-up finish in VNL 2025, Italy climbed to number two in the FIVB World Ranking. Despite being strong favorites in Pool F in the Philippines, they suffered a five-set upset against Belgium but still qualified for the eighthfinals as pool runners-up by defeating Algeria and Ukraine in straight sets. In the eighthfinals, Italy overcame Pool C winners Argentina in straight sets, and in the quarterfinals, they avenged their earlier loss to Belgium with another emphatic sweep. Outside hitter Alessandro Michieletto is Italy`s leading scorer of the tournament so far, with a total of 70 points across five matches.