MANILA, Philippines — With nine months to go, all hands on deck for the historic solo-hosting of the Philippines of the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championships.
Ramon Tats Suzara, Philippine National Volleyball chief (PNVF), and Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) president shared his optimism with the country’s first-ever hosting
“It’s all Asia for 2025, me also as the president of AVC. We like to work hard for this, so that Asia can also [perform] in the World Championships. Let’s work hard, and I am very proud that the Philippines will host the World Championships for the first time,” he said.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Richard Bachmann shared that the sports agency is also backing the country’s historic hosting.
“I’ve been in constant contact with Sir Tats Suzara of FIVB. So we have meeting on Jan. 10, to plan already for the FIVB actively, that’s nine months to go,” he said.
32 volleyball nations will arrive in the Philippines and compete at the Mall of Asia Arena and the Smart Araneta Coliseum from September 12th to 28th.
“This is the time when the preparations and organization start to be meticulous every single day. It’s the world championship year of the FIVB and as host country for first time – and solo host at that – the mission borders from an excellent to almost perfect hosting of the event,” Suzara said.
Suzara, who was also the FIVB executive president will orchestrate another successful hosting as he also spearheaded the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila.
The Philippines is in Pool A with 11-time African champion Tunisia, current Africa titlist and Paris Olympian Egypt, and 2024 Asian championship runner-up Iran.
World No. 1 Poland in Pool B with Romania, Qatar and the Netherlands, while Volleyball Nations League champion France was grouped in Pool C with Korea, Finland, and Argentina; the United States in Pool D with Colombia, Portugal and 2010 silver medalist Cuba; Slovenia in Pool E with Chile, Bulgaria and 2014 bronze medalist Germany; 2022 world champion Italy in Pool F with Algeria, Belgium and Ukraine; Libya, European league 2023 winner Turkiye and Canada in Pool G; and Brazil, 2024 Challenge Cup winner China, Czech Republic and Serbia in Pool H.
