Qatar volleyball team players and officials pose for a photograph in this file photo.
Doha: Qatar are set to return to the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, and this time the national team is expected to make a strong appearance.
Qatar’s debut in 2022 wasn’t successful, with the team losing all their group matches, but the side under coach Camilo Andres Soto has shown significant progress, raising hopes of a strong performance in their second straight appearance at the global event to be hosted by the Philippines this month.
As many as 32 teams, divided into eight groups, will vie for top honours in the World Championship, scheduled to take place in two venues in Manila – the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the SM Mall of Asia Arena – from September 12 to 28.
Qatar are placed in tough Group B, which also includes the Netherlands, top-ranked Poland and Romania. Al Annabi will open their campaign against the Netherlands on September 13 and will face Poland two days later before their final group game against Romania on September 17. The Pool B matches will be played at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Before securing their World Championship spot, Qatar earned outstanding results in major events in recent years.
They claimed a bronze medal at the Asian Championship in 2023 – their best result yet – and also reached the final of the 2023 FIVB Challenger Cup. Qatar also won a bronze earlier this year at the AVC Men’s Volleyball Nations Cup.
Ukraine friendlies in final tune-up
Qatar will wrap up their preparations with a three-match friendly series against Ukraine that got underway in Doha yesterday.
The games are part of their intensive home training camp, which also included matches against Egypt and Iran.
The double-header against Egypt, played on August 25 and 26, ended in two-set draws. In the subsequent matches against Iran, the visitors claimed a 3–1 win in the third game, while the fourth ended in a four-set draw.
Qatar will play their second match against Ukraine tomorrow and the third on Sunday before departing for the Philippines. Ukraine are in Pool F alongside Italy, Belgium and Algeria.
Four-time champions Italy will defend their title, which they won after defeating hosts Poland in the final of the last edition. Brazil secured third place, defeating Slovenia in the play-off.
World Championship Groups
Pool A: Philippines, Iran, Egypt, Tunisia
Pool B: Poland, Netherlands, Qatar, Romania
Pool C: France, Argentina, Finland, Korea
Pool D: USA, Cuba, Portugal, Colombia
Pool E: Slovenia, Germany, Bulgaria, Chile
Pool F: Italy, Ukraine, Belgium, Algeria
Pool G: Japan, Canada, Turkiye, Libya
Pool H: Brazil, Serbia, Czechia, China
