Alas Pilipinas braces for tough Pool A bout against Iran in FIVB Worlds

Iran will banner Pool A of the upcoming FIVB World Championship as the highest-ranked team at world No. 13, ahead of Egypt (No. 23), Tunisia (No. 42), and debuting Philippines at No. 82.

Led by top Asian opposite spiker Amin Esmaeilnezhad, the Iranians field a youthful roster averaging 23.8 years old and standing nearly 6-foot-5 in height. 

Esmaeilnezhad, 28, is among the more experienced members of the squad, which also features setters Ali Ramazani and Arshia Behnezhad, outside hitters Poriya Hossein Khanzadeh and Ehsan Daneshdoust, middle blockers Mohammad Valizadeh, Eisa Naseri, Yousef Kazemi, and Nima Bateni, and liberos Arman Salehi and Mohammadreza Hazratpour.

Team Melli is coming off a ninth-place finish in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League, improving from 15th place the previous year. Before flying to Manila, the Iranians held a training camp in Doha where they faced Egypt and Qatar.

Alas Pilipinas, meanwhile, carries a smaller and less experienced roster, averaging around 6-foot-2 in height. The Filipinos are relying on speed and floor defense, having recently completed a European training tour with stops in Morocco, Romania, and Portugal.

Iran guns for another big leap after vaulting up the ranks as it sees action in the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Volleyball Championship next month.https://t.co/9eaBGkKWfg

— BusinessMirror (@BusinessMirror) August 25, 2025

 Unlike Iran, which has consistently competed on the global stage and is a three-time defending Asian Games champion, the Philippines is entering its first World Championship appearance.

The Philippines opens its Pool A campaign against Tunisia on September 12, followed by Egypt on September 16 at 5:30 PM, and Iran on September 18 at 5:30 PM.

For the Philippines, the challenge is steep, but the historic World Championship debut already marks progress for a program still in its infancy.

 Unlike Iran, which has long been a fixture in global volleyball and a three-time defending Asian Games champion, Alas is still building its identity.

 With a core drawn from the local collegiate scene and reinforced by overseas-based talents, the Filipinos are eager to prove that heart and resilience can stand toe-to-toe with height and pedigree.

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