After seven days of intense pool play, the 16 teams advancing to the FIVB Men`s World Championship Round of 16 have been determined. Eight crucial spots for the Round of 16 were decided on Thursday, the seventh day of competition, held across two venues: the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City and the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Serbia, Czechia, Finland, Tunisia, Belgium, Iran, Argentina, and defending champions Italy all secured victories on Thursday, joining the already qualified teams of Poland, USA, Slovenia, Türkiye, Canada, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and Portugal in the Round of 16. The top two teams from each pool have now qualified for the knockout stage, which begins on Saturday. The tournament will proceed with single-elimination matches through the eighth-finals, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final, ultimately determining the new world champion.
Notably, out of the 16 qualified teams, eight are beneficiaries of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment Programme: Czechia, Finland, Tunisia, Belgium, Slovenia, Canada, Bulgaria, and the Netherlands. Several pre-tournament favorites, including two-time Olympic champions France, three-time world champions Brazil, Asian champions Japan, Cuba, Germany, and African champions Egypt, were eliminated during the preliminary round.
Italy Secures Last Round of 16 Spot Against Ukraine
Italy`s title defense at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship continues after a strong finish in pool play, securing the final spot in the Round of 16 on Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. Having registered one win and one loss in their initial Pool F matches in the Philippines, the reigning champions needed to defeat Ukraine to advance. They delivered arguably their best performance of the tournament, triumphing 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-18).
Belgium Dominates to Top Their Pool
Belgium clinched first place in Pool F at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in the Philippines with a commanding straight-set victory over winless Algeria in Quezon City on Thursday. The European team finished the pool undefeated and is set to face the Pool C runners-up, who will emerge from Finland, France, and Argentina. After Belgium overcame Algeria`s early four-point lead in the first set, the match became largely one-sided, with the European side comfortably securing a 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-12) win.
Argentina Upsets Two-Time Olympic Champions France
In the final Pool C match in Quezon City on Thursday, Argentina outlasted France in a five-set thriller, topping their pool undefeated. They are now slated to play reigning World Champions Italy in the first knockout round. Argentina held the lead for most of the first two sets, winning both by narrow margins and putting France under pressure. The Olympic champions rallied to level the score, forcing a tie-breaker. The South American side maintained its composure to the end, securing a 3-2 (28-26, 25-23, 21-25, 20-25, 15-12) victory.
Finland Advances to the Round of 16
Facing an already eliminated Korea in the day`s first match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the Europeans needed a sweeping victory to advance regardless of other Pool C results. They came close, triumphing 3-1 (25-18, 25-23, 17-25, 25-21). This crucial win qualified them for the next round of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, securing the second spot in their pool.
Crucial Victory for Czechia
Czechia, making its first FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship appearance in 15 years, dramatically extended its tournament run beyond pool play on Thursday. They secured the exact result needed in their final Pool H match, eliminating world number three Brazil in the process. Playing against China in the day`s last match at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, the Europeans knew only a three-set victory would guarantee their progression. They achieved this, beating the Asian side 3-0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-18), sparking emotional celebrations in the Philippines.
Serbia Advances with a Straight-Set Win
The final day of pool play at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship saw a significant turnaround, as Serbia secured a spot in the Round of 16 despite an initial defeat in their campaign. The situation drastically changed after the Europeans upset their South American opponents at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Thursday, winning 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-22) on the last day of Pool H matches.
Tunisia Progresses to Eighth-finals After Shutting Out Egypt
Tunisia emerged victorious in the critical North African derby against Egypt, advancing to the eighth-finals. In a must-win Pool A match, the Tunisians swept the game in straight sets, securing first place in their pool standings with a 2-1 win-loss record, 6 points, and a 7-3 set ratio. In their eighth-final match, they are set to face Pool H runners-up Czechia. Tunisia outplayed Egypt in all scoring categories en route to an emphatic 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-22) shutout, with 21-year-old middle blocker Mahdi Ben Tahar delivering a monster block for the winning point.
Iran Edges Philippines in Epic Five-Set Drama to Advance
Iran survived six match points from the Philippines in a nerve-wracking conclusion to their crucial advancement match for the eighth-finals. The epic five-setter ultimately went Iran`s way, placing them second in the Pool A standings and setting up a clash with Pool H winners Serbia in the first knockout round. The Philippines controlled sets one and three, taking a set lead twice in the match. Iran equalized twice, pushing the game to a fifth set. The home team recovered from a 10-6 Iranian lead in the tie-breaker and was the first to reach match point. However, the higher-ranked Iranian team denied them six opportunities to close the match. Iran eventually triumphed with a 3-2 (21-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-23, 22-20) victory, sealed by a powerful block from 22-year-old middle blocker Yousef Kazemi Poshtpari on their second match point.
Finley Blackwood 
Oliver Wrenwick