The road to the FIVB Men’s World Championship glory is expected to be a lot more exciting as the Round of 16 begins on Sept. 20. Italy continues its title defense, while teams like Poland and USA are determined to dethrone the defending champion.
The Round of 16 cast is complete, but it wasn’t exactly what everyone thought it would be at the start of the competition.
For one, crowd favorite Japan crashed out of the competition. Then on the last day of the preliminary round, back-to-back Olympic champion France bowed to Argentina to miss the bus to the next phase.
[RELATED STORY: Ferre Reggers, Aleksandar Nikolov, Luciano De Cecco stand out after FIVB MWCH pool play]
Here’s the Round of 16 picture:
SEPTEMBER 20
POLAND vs CANADA
Poland
Poland lived up to its bill as the best team after breezing through Pool B with a 3-0 win-loss record. The No. 1 team in the world only dropped a set in the group play, in the 22-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-22 win over Netherlands on September17.
[ALSO READ: After upsets in FIVB MWCH, Poland wary of ‘surprises’: ‘We didn’t want to join this club’]
Canada
Canada also had a stellar performance in group play. The world No. 9 wound up second in Pool B and even sent crowd favorite Japan packing with a 25-20, 25-23, 25-22 win on September 15.
[ALSO READ: Canada finds volleyball identity after claiming Round of 16 berth in Worlds vs. Japan]
TURKIYE VS NETHERLANDS
Turkiye
Turkiye had no problem taking the top seed in Pool B, easily disposing of Japan, Libya, and Canada. It let up only one time, dropping a set against Libya in their Pool G match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on September 15.
[ALSO READ: Adis Lagumdzija, Turkiye sweep Pool G of FIVB World Championship: 'We showed we can compete']
Netherlands
Netherlands raced off to a 2-0 start, beating Qatar and Romania. But just when it though it could go for a sweep, world No. 1 Poland got in the way. Still, its two wins were enough to book a ticket to the next round.
[ALSO READ: Netherlands’ Michiel Ahyi says fighting spirit key to crucial W vs Romania in FIVB Worlds]
SEPTEMBER 21
ARGENTINA VS ITALY
Italy
Defending champion Italy split its first two games, putting it in a do-or-die situation against Ukraine. But the loss to Belgium was enough wake-up call for the world No. 2 Italians to deal Ukraine a 25-21, 25-22, 25-18 loss and enter the next phase.
[ALSO READ: Loss to Belgium in FIVB MWCH pool phase a wake-up call for Italy, says Mattia Bottolo]
Argentina
World No. 8 did a couple of things in a sterling fashion in the preliminary phase: stun back-to-back Olympic champions France and emerge as Pool C leader with an immaculate 3-0 record.
[ALSO READ: Luciano De Cecco, Argentina pull off gigantic scalp vs France in FIVB World Championship]
BELGIUM VS FINLAND
Belgium
Belgium is everything but a powerhouse volleyball team. But the Red Dragons have shown otherwise in the first round of FIVB, beating defending champion Italy and eventually topping Pool F with an unbeaten record.
[ALSO READ: Ferre Reggers, Belgium have nothing to lose heading to FIVB World Championship knockouts]
Finland
Like Belgium, Finland is not traditionally known as a volleyball juggernaut. But the country, which has yet to make an Olympic appearance, wound up with a 2-1 record in Pool C, good for second place. It even pulled the rug under France.
[ALSO READ: Luka Marttila, coach Olli Kunnari bank on belief in Finland FIVB World Championship run]
SEPTEMBER 22
USA vs SLOVENIA
USA World No. 4 USA is a fan favorite in Manila, and for valid reasons. Led by team captain Micah Christenson, the Americans didn’t disappoint and made short work of Colombia, Portugal, and Cuba.
[ALSO READ: Team USA's Micah Christenson hopes to go around Manila before FIVB Worlds Round of 16]
Slovenia
Save for its game against Bulgaria, Slovenia has been nothing short of amazing in the tournament so far. After splitting its first two games — which included a tough 19-25, 14-25, 25-18, 25-23, 13-15 loss to Bulgaria — the sixth-ranked squad advanced to the Round of 16 with a win over Germany in four sets.
[ALSO READ: Ziga Stern, Slovenia quickly shift focus for Team USA in Round of 16 of FIVB Worlds]
BULGARIA vs PORTUGAL
Bulgaria
Behind Aleksandar Nikolov, Bulgaria has become one of the hottest teams in the World Championship. Bulgaria emerged as the top seed in Pool E.
[ALSO READ: Martin Atanasov not surprised as unbeaten Bulgaria sets sights on FIVB World Round of 16]
Portugal
Advancing to the next round didn’t come easy for Portugal. First, the Portuguese needed to pull off a reverse sweep against Colombia, 23-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-21,15-11. Then they they had to hope USA beat Cuba in three or four sets. Fortunately for them, the Americans sent Cuba packing with a 25-17, 25-22, 23-25, 27-25 dub.
[ALSO READ: FIVB: Portugal pulls off reverse sweep vs Colombia to boost Round of 16 hopes]
SEPTEMBER 23
TUNISIA vs CZECHIA
Tunisia
After splitting the first two games, including the opening win against Alas Pilipinas, world No. 33 Tunisia caught the first bus to the next round with a sweep of Egypt.
[ALSO READ: Tunisia setter Khalid Ben Slimane impressed by Bagunas, Espejo in FIVB Worlds opener]
Czechia
Czechia was off to a scintillating start with the straight-set dumping of higher-ranked Serbia. Brazil stopped it on its tracks the following game. Czechia then officially claimed a spot in the Round of 16 with a breezy 26-24, 25-19, 25-18 drubbing of China in Pool H.
[ALSO READ: Czechia beats China, knocks out Brazil to reach FIVB World Championship Round of 16]
SERBIA vs IRAN
Serbia
After a sunning loss to Czech Republic in the opener, Serbia went on to flex its muscles and rolled past China and Brazil to take the top spot in Pool H.
[ALSO READ: Dražen Luburic, Serbia take the “hard way” to clinch Round of 16 berth at FIVB World Championship]
Iran
Iran nearly missed the Round of 16. But thanks to a late challenge that allowed them to take the do-or-die game against Alas Pilipinas and break the hearts of the Filipinos, the Princes of Iran managed to arrange a match against Serbia in the next round.
[ALSO READ: Alas Pilipinas end historic FIVB World Championship run with five-set heartbreak vs Iran]
[ALSO READ: SCHEDULE, RESULTS | 32 teams compete in 2025 FIVB Men's World Championship]
—
Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.