AVC Men’s Volleyball C'ship: India aim for a semi-final berth after 21 years – Preview

The Indian men’s volleyball team is all set for the continental showdown at the AVC Men’s Volleyball Championship in Kitakyushu, Japan, from September 4 to 13.

Following a year of administrative challenges, Indian volleyball has gradually begun its return to the international circuit under the FIVB-IOA Steering Committee, after the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) had its recognition revoked due to governance issues.

The AVC Cup in Ahmedabad in June marked the team’s first tournament in a year, and they made a strong comeback, bagging a bronze medal for the first time ever.

Now, the side is ready for a bigger challenge at this top-tier continental event, where Volleyball Nations League regulars such as China, Iran and Japan will join the other teams from the AVC Cup.

Adding to the difficulty, China and Iran have been placed in India’s group, making it an even more daunting task for a team that has not reached the semi-finals of this championship since 2005.

This tournament holds special significance as it serves as a joint qualifier for both the 2028 LA Olympics and the 2027 FIVB Volleyball World Cup.

The winner will secure a direct Olympic quota, while the top three teams will qualify for the World Cup.

Target: A Top-4 finish

The Indian men’s volleyball team will enter the competition as the seventh-highest ranked side among the 12 participating teams, with a quarterfinal appearance as their primary target.

However, the presence of two of Asia’s strongest teams, China and Iran, in their group makes the challenge significantly tougher.

If India lose both these matches, a top-four seeding will not be possible, which would mean facing one of the strongest sides in the quarterfinals.

That said, an upset win or even stretching either of these teams to five sets, which would mean earning an additional bonus point, could boost their overall standings.

While a top-four finish appears to be a steep target, India will be hoping to make full use of this tournament and achieve it, which would also keep their chances of securing a World Cup berth alive.

Having looked solid at the AVC Cup, the team will be confident of challenging these top sides, especially with the return of star player Ashwal Rai.

Alongside AVC Cup hero Chirag Yadav and experienced campaigner Jerome Vinith, he will be one of the key players to watch for India in Japan.

This will be one of two competitions for the Indian team in Japan this month, as they will travel to Aichi-Nagoya for the Asian Games just a week later.

On September 5th, India will begin their campaign against China, a side they pushed close in the last Asian Championships, narrowly losing 2-3 in the round of 16.

Indian Squad for AVC Men's Volleyball C'ship

Setters: Muthusamy Appavu, Om Vasant Lad

Opposite Hitters: Jerome Vinith, Nihal CK

Outside Hitters: Chirag Yadav, Amit Gulia, Joel Benjamin, Hemanth P

Middle Blockers: Ashwal Rai, John Joseph, Shikhar Singh, Shameemudheen

Liberos: Anand Kottarathil, Prabhakaran

Format of AVC Men's Volleyball C'ship

There are 12 teams in the competition, divided into three groups of four. Each team will play three matches against the other sides in their group.

However, qualification for the quarterfinals will be based on the overall rankings of all 12 teams rather than group standings, with the top eight advancing to the knockout stage.

The overall standings will also determine the quarterfinal seedings, with the first-ranked team facing the eighth-ranked team, and so on.

India's Schedule at AVC Men's Volleyball C'ship

September 5th: India Vs China - 10:00 AM IST

September 6th: India Vs Iran - 6:30 AM IST

September 8th: India Vs New Zealand - 6:30 AM IST

September 10th-11th: Quarter-finals

September 12th: Semi-finals

September 13th: Final

Where to Watch?

All the Indian matches of the 2026 AVC Men's Volleyball Championship will be live-streamed on the Volleyball World YouTube Channel.