Knockout Stage Commences: First Quarterfinalists Determined on Day 7

The Netherlands faces Serbia, and Japan takes on host nation Thailand in Friday`s highly anticipated matchups.

Published: 08:00, August 29, 2025

The seventh day of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Thailand will usher in the highly anticipated knockout phase with two pivotal eighthfinal encounters. Friday`s schedule kicks off with an all-European showdown between the Netherlands and Serbia. Following this, the local fans in Bangkok are expected to generate immense excitement for the all-Asian clash featuring Japan and the host team.

Eighthfinal 1: Netherlands v Serbia

The first team to secure a place in the World Championship quarterfinals will be European, emerging from the eighthfinal contest between the Netherlands and Serbia. This match is scheduled to begin at 17:00 local time (10:00 UTC) in Thailand’s capital.

In their most recent official meeting during the Volleyball Nations League 2024, the Netherlands defeated Serbia in a four-set match, breaking Serbia’s three-game winning streak in their head-to-head encounters. However, in a friendly match played shortly before this World Championship, Serbia secured a decisive straight-set victory (25-21, 25-20, 25-21) over the Dutch side.

The Netherlands` best performance at a World Championship was a fourth-place finish in 2018, where they were defeated in the semifinal by the eventual champions, Serbia, in four sets. In the current 2025 tournament, the Dutch team advanced to the eighthfinals as the unbeaten winners of Pool A. Led by Sarah van Aalen, recognized as the best setter of the pool stage, their journey included a hard-fought five-set triumph over Sweden, a straight-set sweep against Egypt, and a thrilling tie-breaker win against hosts Thailand in the deciding match for first place. Outside hitter Nika Daalderop has been the Netherlands` leading scorer, accumulating 48 points across their three matches.

Serbia enters Thailand 2025 as the reigning champions, having won the previous two editions of the World Championship in 2018 and 2022. They finished as runners-up in Pool H with a 2-1 win-loss record and 6 points, after securing straight-set victories over Ukraine and Cameroon. Their crucial match for the top spot in the pool saw them lose in four sets to their Asian opponents, Japan. A notable setback occurred during their match against Cameroon when star opposite Tijana Boskovic, the World Championship MVP in both 2018 and 2022, sustained an ankle injury in the second set and subsequently missed the game against Japan. In her absence, 21-year-old outside hitter Aleksandra Uzelac stepped up, becoming the team’s top scorer in the pool stage with a total of 53 points.

Eighthfinal 2: Japan v Thailand

The second eighthfinal in Bangkok will feature an exciting rivalry between Asian powerhouses Japan and Thailand, as they compete for a coveted spot in the World Championship`s final eight. This evening match on Friday is set to commence at 20:30 local time (13:30 UTC).

Japan holds a significant lead in the overall head-to-head record against Thailand and emerged victorious in their last meeting, a Volleyball Nations League 2025 game in June. That match was a thrilling five-set battle, where Japan mounted a remarkable 3-2 reverse sweep (18-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-15, 15-11). Thailand`s last victory over Japan came in a five-set encounter during the 2023 AVC Asian Championship.

Japan boasts an impressive history in the women’s World Championships, with three titles, three silver medals, and a bronze medal (their most recent in 2010). Despite facing some injury challenges, the Japanese team remains undefeated at Thailand 2025. Their pool H campaign included a straight-set win against Cameroon, a comeback from two sets down to defeat Ukraine, and a four-set victory over defending champions Serbia in the first-place decider. Outside hitter and captain Mayu Ishikawa has been Japan`s most prolific scorer in the pool phase, contributing 59 points.

For Thailand, this marks their seventh appearance at the World Championship, but they have yet to reach the quarterfinals. Their best results have been four 13th-place finishes, with the most recent in 2022. Their home-ground Pool A campaign saw them achieve a four-set win over Egypt and a straight-set victory against Sweden. However, in the dramatic top-pool decider against the Netherlands, they narrowly lost in the tie-breaker`s overtime, advancing to the eighthfinals as pool runners-up. In these matches, Thailand`s scoring efforts were spearheaded by opposite Pimpichaya Kokram, who amassed 62 combined points.