The expansion of the 32-team Men’s Volleyball World Championship

The FIVB expanded the Men’s Volleyball World Championship to a 32-team format to support the global growth of the sport. This expansion replaced the previous 24-team model that utilized six groups of four teams. The tournament contains eight pools of four teams in this era. Each team plays three matches against their pool opponents. The top two teams from each pool advance to the elimination rounds. This 32-team format follows a two-year cycle instead of the old four-year period. I find the increased participation a logical way to support the Volleyball Empowerment programme. This program aims to increase the level of national teams globally and help them reach the podium. The tournament is an Olympic Qualifier. In the 2027 edition, the top three national teams in each gender not yet qualified earn spots in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. The FIVB Board of Administration also approved a name change for the event. Starting in 2027, the tournament will be known as the FIVB Volleyball World Cup.

Pool play and tiebreaker rules

Pool standings depend on the total number of victories. If two teams tie on wins, the FIVB applies a tiebreaker based on points gained per match. A team that wins 3-0 or 3-1 earns 3 points, whereas the loser receives 0 points. A team that wins 3-2 earns 2 points and the loser earns 1 point. If teams remain tied after checking points, the FIVB examines the sets quotient. This calculation involves dividing the total number of sets won by the total number of sets lost. If the tie persists, officials use the points quotient by dividing all points scored by the total points lost. When the points quotient also results in a tie between three or more teams, the FIVB looks at the match result between those specific teams during the Round Robin Phase. You should watch for these tiebreakers if teams finish the pool play with identical records.

Knockout rounds and future plans

The elimination rounds utilize a single elimination format. The Round of 16 follows the preliminary pool play. The tournament continues through the eighthfinals, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final medal matches. The 2025 tournament in the Philippines hosted 66 matches from September 12 to September 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the SM Mall of Asia Arena in the Manila metro area. In that edition, Argentina defeated France 3-2 in a five-set match to top their final pool. Italy also secured a spot in the Round of 16 by beating Ukraine 3-0. These 2025 results show how the 32-team format allows for upsets. For example, Serbia and Czechia advanced from Pool H after they beat Brazil and China. Serbia won their match against Brazil 3-0, while Czechia beat China 3-0. Tunisia also moved forward in Pool A after a 3-0 win against Egypt. The 2027 edition will see the first use of the name FIVB Volleyball World Cup. The FIVB Board of Administration approved this name change. The tournament is an Olympic Qualifier for the highest-ranked teams. Does the rebranding to the World Cup name help the FIVB reach new markets as intended? The 2027 men’s tournament will take place in Poland, while Qatar will host the 2029 edition in Doha. I find the new structure provides more opportunities for diverse teams, but the logistics of hosting 66 matches across multiple cities in the Philippines was difficult.