Czechia advanced to its first FIVB World Championship quarterfinal since 1986, its best finish as the Czech Republic. Spiker Jan Galabov hopes their breakthrough inspires greater support for volleyball back home.
Nearly four decades since their last Top 8 finish, Czechia is back among the elite at the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship, sweeping Tunisia 25-19, 25-18, 25-23 on Tuesday, September 23, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Ranked just No. 19 in the world, the lowest among all remaining teams, the Czechs defied expectations once again, erasing a six-point hole in the third set, then held their nerve late to seal the victory.
Patrik Indra led the way with 14 points, while Jan Galabov and Lukas Vasina added 13 markers apiece.
“I always say that when you're leading 2-0, it's the worst position in a match — the third sets are always tough,” said Galabov. “Tunisia stepped up their game, and we were under pressure right away, but we turned things around and came back strong. In the end, we won the game.”
Historic finish
The result marked Czechia’s first World Championship quarterfinal appearance since 1986, when the country was still part of Czechoslovakia.
Since the split, the Czech Republic’s best finishes were 19th in 1998, 13th in both 2002 and 2006, and 10th in 2010 before missing the next three editions.
And while ice hockey remains the dominant sport back home, Galabov hopes this historic run can spark a new chapter for volleyball.
“Honestly, volleyball isn’t really a popular sport in the Czech Republic. There’s not a huge fan base,” he admitted. “But I really hope that with the historic successes we’re bringing home, more people will start following volleyball. I really wish for that to happen.”
Czechia celebrates its Round of 16 win against Tunisia with fans at the Mall of Asia Arena. | Photo: Volleyball World
Next challenge ahead
Czechia will now await its quarterfinal opponent, with either Serbia or Iran standing in the way of a historic semifinal berth.
“We played Serbia in the group stage already, so we have some data from that game,” Galabov said. “It will be incredibly tough because their performance is improving—and so is ours. We’ll do our best to repeat the winning result from that first game.”
(With reports from Jamie Velasco)
—
Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.