In 2025, the Philippines will make history by simultaneously hosting and competing in the FIVB Men`s Volleyball World Championship. Manila is set to welcome elite men`s teams from September 12 to 28. The Philippine national team is diligently preparing to take the court, significantly bolstered by specialized coaching support provided through the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program.
This dual role of host and participant holds profound significance for the Philippines, a nation deeply passionate about volleyball. It marks the men`s team`s inaugural appearance at this top-tier event, a debut that aligns perfectly with the country`s commitment to enhancing coaching standards and improving on-court performance.
The men`s national team is currently under the guidance of Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni, with Matteo Antonucci serving as his assistant. Their appointment builds upon the strong foundation established by previous international coaches – including Joao Luciano Simao Barbosa, Sergio Veloso, and Leo Gomes – all brought in via the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program.
Coach Frigoni brings over three decades of extensive experience at both national team and club levels. His illustrious career includes being a part of Italy`s coaching staff during the 1990s, a period when the team secured two World Championship titles and three European crowns. He also successfully led Italy`s women`s team to a European Championship bronze medal in 1999 and their first-ever Olympic appearance in 2000. Additionally, Frigoni coached Egypt to the African title in 2015 and guided Italy to a gold medal at the U21 Men`s World Championship in 2021.
Frigoni`s tenure, spanning from October 16, 2024, to October 15, 2025, is a crucial component of the FIVB`s continuous Empowerment initiative. This phase emphasizes comprehensive technical instruction, not only aimed at developing the national team for the World Championship but also at educating local coaches and strengthening the program`s enduring framework for long-term growth.
The Men`s World Championship matches will be hosted across two leading indoor arenas in the Philippines: the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City and the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Philippine team will play all its Pool A preliminary matches at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Their schedule includes facing Tunisia on September 12, Egypt on September 16, and Iran on September 18. Meanwhile, the Smart Araneta Coliseum will host preliminary round matches for other pools. Both venues are well-regarded for successfully staging previous Volleyball Nations League events and consistently attracting substantial audiences for various collegiate and professional competitions.
A total of 32 teams are slated to participate in the 2025 Men`s World Championship, commencing with a round-robin group stage divided into eight pools. The top two teams from each pool will progress to the Round of 16, marking the beginning of the direct knockout phase. The tournament will then proceed through quarterfinals and semifinals, culminating in the medal matches on the final weekend. The host nation aims to effectively apply the strategic structure and preparation built through the Empowerment support as they test their skills against the world’s elite teams.
Volleyball has been deeply woven into the Philippines` sports culture since 1910, initially introduced through the school system and quickly embraced nationwide. Filipino athletes were instrumental in the sport`s early evolution, developing fundamental techniques such as the set and spike. Today, volleyball continues to flourish with a dynamic league system and boasts some of the most exceptionally fervent fans in the world.
Beyond the inherent home-court advantage, hosting the Men`s World Championship provides a unique opportunity to honor this rich volleyball heritage, prominently showcase the immense local support, and vividly demonstrate how the Empowerment program has successfully cultivated a national team prepared for global competition.
Oliver Wrenwick 
Finley Blackwood