(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail|)
Day 12: FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship Quarterfinals Set
PASAY CITY, PHILIPPINES: The 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship heats up as the quarterfinals kick off on Wednesday. Volleyball fans can look forward to Italy vs Belgium and Poland vs Turkiye battles, where the first two semifinalists of the tournament will be decided.
Quarterfinal 1: Italy vs Belgium
Defending champions Italy face off against Belgium at 15:30 local time (07:30 UTC). The two European teams have already clashed in the pool stages, with Belgium narrowly winning 3-2 in a thrilling five-set match.
Italy boasts an illustrious record, with four World Championship titles (1990, 1994, 1998, 2022) and a silver medal from 1978. Despite being favorites, they suffered a five-set upset to Belgium during pool play but recovered to defeat Argentina in the eighthfinals. Alessandro Michieletto has been Italy’s top scorer, amassing 59 points in four matches.
Belgium, meanwhile, is enjoying a historic run. The Red Dragons reached the top eight in the World Championship for only the second time in history, with their previous best result in 1970. Rising star Ferre Reggers leads Belgium’s scoring with 93 points, sharing the top attacker spot alongside Bulgaria’s Aleksandar Nikolov. Libero Gorik Lantsoght is currently the tournament’s second-best defender with 36 digs.
Quarterfinal 2: Poland vs Turkiye
The second quarterfinal features Poland vs Turkiye at 20:00 local time (12:00 UTC). Poland, ranked number one in the FIVB World Ranking, are favorites based on a long-standing winning streak against Turkiye. The team captured the VNL 2025 gold and have three World Championship titles (1974, 2014, 2018). Kamil Semeniuk leads Poland with 49 points in four matches so far.
Turkiye is aiming to surpass its previous best World Championship finish of 11th place. The Turkish team topped Pool G undefeated and claimed a 3-1 victory over the Netherlands in the eighthfinals. Adis Lagumdzija leads their scoring with 72 points, while libero Berkay Bayraktar has made 37 digs, ranking among the tournament’s best defenders.
Fans can catch all the action live on VBTV as the teams battle for a coveted spot in the semifinals. With star players, historic rivalries, and thrilling performances, Wednesday promises a full day of top-level volleyball.
