Jiangmen, China, is set to become the epicenter of youth men`s volleyball as 24 national teams prepare to compete in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men`s U21 World Championship. This prestigious tournament, showcasing the sport`s rising talents, will take place from August 21 to 29 at the Jiangmen Sports Center.
Participating Nations
The formidable lineup of nations participating in Jiangmen includes: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czechia, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Morocco, Poland, Puerto Rico, Thailand, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, and the USA.
Tournament Format
These teams are initially organized into four pools, each comprising six nations, for a preliminary round-robin stage. The top four teams from each pool will advance to the Round of 16. Victors from these matches will proceed to the quarterfinals, while the defeated teams will compete in playoffs for 9th to 16th place. The two lowest-ranked teams from each initial pool will play classification matches to determine positions 17th through 24th. Every participating team will compete until the final day, ensuring a comprehensive final ranking from 1st to 24th.
2023 Championship Review
Looking back at the 2023 championship, Iran emerged victorious, defeating Italy in a thrilling five-set final. Bulgaria claimed the bronze medal, overcoming Argentina. All three of these medalist teams are set to return for the 2025 edition, with their initial matches slated for the tournament`s opening day.
Opening Day Schedule (August 21, 2025)
The 2025 tournament commences on Thursday, August 21, featuring a packed schedule of 12 matches. At 11:00 local time (03:00 GMT), the USA will play Thailand in Pool A. Reigning champions Iran will launch their title defense against Kazakhstan in Pool B, while Bulgaria kicks off their campaign against Cuba in Pool C.
Later, at 14:00 local time (06:00 GMT), host nation China will challenge Türkiye in Pool A. Concurrently, Poland will face Puerto Rico in Pool B, and Brazil will compete against Japan in Pool C.
The afternoon session, at 17:00 local time (09:00 GMT), includes Egypt playing Morocco in Pool A, Canada taking on Korea in Pool B, and Czechia battling Colombia in Pool C.
The opening day concludes at 19:00 local time (11:00 GMT) with three crucial Pool D encounters. These include 2023 silver medalists Italy competing against Indonesia, Tunisia facing France, and Argentina going head-to-head with Ukraine.
Jiangmen is making its inaugural appearance as the host city for the Men`s U21 World Championship. This nine-day event will serve as the concluding highlight of the 2025 age-group volleyball season.
Jasper Thornfield 
Oliver Wrenwick