India vs New Zealand Live, AVC Men's Volleyball Continental Championship 2026: India win first set 25-22
(Courtesy : Volleyball World)
India are still winless in Pool B
6:20 am: Hello and welcome to Khel Now’s live blog for the India vs New Zealand match in AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship 2026. Please wait for the blog to load!
India will take on New Zealand in their third Pool B fixture of the AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship 2026, with both sides walking into the game desperate for something they haven’t managed yet—a win.
India’s tournament opened with a tight 21-25, 26-28, 25-27 defeat to China, a scoreline that saw two sets stretch beyond 25 points before India eventually lost to their higher-ranked opponents.
They then went down 25-20, 28-26, 25-18 to Iran, ranked No. 19 in the world and considered the strongest side in the pool on paper.
New Zealand’s campaign has mirrored India’s, losing 3-0 to Iran before being swept 25-17, 25-22, 25-18 by China on September 7. Neither India nor New Zealand has taken a set so far this tournament.
Indian men's volleyball team in action!! 🇮🇳🏐
— Khel Now (@KhelNow) September 8, 2026
Dragan Mihailovic's side are in must-win situation in their last Pool B match against 🇳🇿New Zealand.
As things stand, India are ninth in the combined standings and need to either defeat New Zealand or at least win a set to stand a… pic.twitter.com/mBx9biPMKF
How can India still qualify for the quarter-finals?
Pool B has already split into two tiers. China have won both their matches without dropping a single set, but it’s Iran, also unbeaten, who currently lead the pool on points ratio, with China sitting second.
That gap means China and Iran have effectively sealed the top two spots and a place in the knockout rounds, regardless of Wednesday’s result between them.
For India and New Zealand, that is different the meaning of Monday’s clash. With qualification via pool position already out of reach, the match becomes a fight for seeding and for the outside chance of sneaking into the quarter-finals as one of the tournament’s two best third-placed sides, since 12 teams across three pools are competing for those two extra slots.
India’s second-set showing against Iran offers a genuine reference point. The team pushed the match to 26-25 and held a set point before Iran recovered to close it out 28-26, evidence that India can trade evenly with a stronger side in patches, even if a full 25-point set has proven elusive across two matches.
Related: What is India’s best finish at AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship?
Against a New Zealand side also winless and searching for rhythm, that gap looks more bridgeable than it did against China or Iran.
If anyone wants a broader thing. The eventual champion secures a direct berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while the top three finishers overall qualify for the 2027 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup.
For India, a team whose best-ever finish at the Asian Championship dates back to fourth place in 2005 and whose last quarterfinal appearance came in 2013, a strong result against New Zealand would count as a meaningful step after arriving months after India’s bronze-medal finish at the AVC Men’s Volleyball Cup in Ahmedabad in June.
Can India or New Zealand still qualify for the quarter-finals of AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship 2026?
Direct qualification from Pool B is already settled, with China and Iran occupying the top two spots after two straight wins each. However, the tournament format allows the two best third-placed teams across all three pools to also advance to the quarterfinals, which keeps this match relevant for India and New Zealand’s outside hopes of progressing as a strong third-place finisher.
How has India performed so far at AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship 2026?
India have lost both their opening matches, going down 21-25, 26-28, 25-27 to China in a tightly fought contest and then 25-20, 28-26, 25-18 to Iran, where they briefly held a set point at 26-25 in the second set before Iran closed it out.
How have New Zealand performed so far at AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship 2026?
Like India, New Zealand have also lost both their matches so far in Pool B. Their first defeat came against Iran (15-25, 12-25, 22-25) before the loss to China (17-25, 25, 18-25).
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