Iran and Japan Complete AVC Men’s Volleyball Asian Championship Semi-Final Lineup
Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail
Iran and Japan have secured the final two semi-final places at the AVC Men’s Volleyball Asian Championship 2026 in Fukuoka after winning their respective quarter-final matches on Friday.
Iran defeated Chinese Taipei in four sets, while hosts Japan produced a convincing straight-set victory over India. The results set up an exciting semi-final schedule for Saturday.
The four remaining teams are now just one victory away from securing a place on the podium. The semi-final winners will also qualify for the 2027 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup, while reaching the final will put them within one win of the Asian championship title and a continental qualification place for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Iran Overcome Chinese Taipei
Iran booked their semi-final place with a 3-1 (25-19, 25-19, 21-25, 25-18) victory over Chinese Taipei.
Young outside hitter Porya Khanzadeh led Iran’s attack with a match-high 24 points. The 22-year-old also recorded an impressive 67 percent attacking success rate and added two blocks.
Ali Hajipour, Amin Esmaeilnezhad and Morteza Sharifi each contributed 12 points to Iran’s winning effort. Sharifi also produced two aces and two blocks.
For Chinese Taipei, outside hitter Chang Yu-Chen was the leading scorer with 18 points. Wen Yi-Kai added 14, while captain and opposite hitter Chang Yu-Sheng finished with 11.
Japan Cruise Past India
Japan thrilled approximately 6,500 home supporters at Kitakyushu City Gymnasium with a dominant 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-19) win over India.
Ran Takahashi led the Japanese attack with 14 points, including four aces and a block.
Captain Yuki Ishikawa added 12 points after converting attacks at a 65 percent success rate and registering one ace. Opposite hitter Yuji Nishida also scored 12 points, while middle blocker Larry Ik Evbade-Dan made four successful blocks.
India’s captain and opposite hitter Jerome Vinith Charles was his team’s top scorer with 11 points.
Semi-Final Schedule
The semi-finals will take place on Saturday, with Iran facing Australia and Japan taking on Korea.
| Match | Time |
|---|---|
| Iran vs Australia | 15:30 local time |
| Japan vs Korea | 19:30 local time |
The winners of both semi-finals will secure qualification for the 2027 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup.
The AVC Men’s Volleyball Asian Championship is also an important pathway toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, adding further significance to the remaining matches in Fukuoka.
Fans can follow the tournament through live and on-demand coverage on VBTV.
