Meanwhile, unbeaten Belgium and Argentina aim for pool sweeps in the final FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship 2025 gameday inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday, Sept. 17.
Defending champions Italy and back-to-back Olympic titleholders France are fighting for survival as the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship reaches its final gameday at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Thursday, Sept. 17.
With both teams facing elimination, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Italy (1-1), ranked No. 2 in the world, will take on Ukraine (1-1) in a do-or-die match at 9:30 p.m. in Pool F.
The winner will join Belgium (2-0) in the Round of 16 as the top two teams in their respective group.
[ALSO READ: FIVB: Belgium averts meltdown to derail defending champ Italy, clinches Round of 16 berth]
Belgium aims to complete a perfect group stage in its 2:00 p.m. showdown against Algeria.
France (1-1), like Italy, is under immense pressure as it faces unbeaten Argentina (2-0) at 6:00 p.m.
The French are in a must-win situation as another loss, combined with a Finland victory over South Korea, would see them eliminated from the competition.
[ALSO READ: Finland stuns Olympic champs France in five sets to fight for FIVB Round of 16 berth]
Argentina, meanwhile, is focused on completing a group-stage sweep.
The day’s action kicks off at 10:30 a.m. when Finland faces South Korea, setting the stage for an exciting final round of pool play inside the Big Dome.
(With reports from Pao Ambat)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]