AVC Men's Volleyball Continental Championship 2026: Full Schedule
The winner will seal its place at the Los Angeles Olympics 2028
The AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship 2026 is set to be held from September 4 to September 13 at the Kitakyushu City General Gymnasium in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. In what promises to be ten days of blockbuster action, twelve teams will vie for continental supremacy.
While the Asian Games begin in a couple of days, this biennial tournament has immense stakes. The winners will secure an automatic place at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics, while the top three teams will earn berths at the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup 2027.
There are three pools. Pool A consists of hosts Japan, Australia, Bahrain and Oman. Pool B comprises Iran, China, India and New Zealand. In Pool C, we will witness Qatar, South Korea, Chinese Taipei and Thailand in action. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed sides, would seal a quarter-final place.
India have qualified for this event by finishing as runners-up at the CAVA Nations League 2025. This would be their 21st appearance, having first competed at the 1979 edition. Their best finish came in 2005- fourth place.
The Indian team, ranked 46th in the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Rankings, finished third in the AVC Men’s Cup not too long ago. While the historic campaign had indeed made many heads turn, this is the opportunity for them to prove that India is indeed a rising power in the sport. The challenge is not easy, considering that Iran and China are two very dominant nations on the continent.
To ensure a quarter-final berth, the Jerome Charles-led side would have to punch above their weight. While multiple wins would obviously provide the ideal pathway, they need to ensure that the losses are by a meagre margin, which would keep them in contention to be among the two best third-placed teams.
On that note, let us have a look at the full schedule for the AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship 2026.
Pool A
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- Japan vs Oman: 4th September, 16:00
- Australia vs Bahrain: 5th September, 06:30
- Japan vs Bahrain: 6th September, 16:00
- Oman vs Australia: 7th September, 06:30
- Japan vs Australia: 8th September, 16:00
- Bahrain vs Oman: 9th September, 06:30
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Pool B
- Iran vs New Zealand: 4th September, 09:00
- China vs India: 5th September, 10:00
- Iran vs India: 6th September, 06:30
- New Zealand vs China: 7th September, 10:00
- India vs New Zealand: 8th September, 06:30
- Iran vs China: 9th September, 13:30
Pool C
- South Korea vs Chinese Taipei: 4th September, 12:30
- Qatar vs Thailand: 5th September, 13:30
- Qatar vs Chinese Taipei: 6th September, 10:00
- Thailand vs South Korea: 7th September, 13:30
- Qatar vs South Korea: 8th September, 10:00
- Chinese Taipei vs Thailand: 9th September, 10:00
Knockouts
- Quarterfinal 1: 10th September, 12:00
- Quarterfinal 2: 10th September, 16:00
- Quarterfinal 3: 11th September, 12:00
- Quarterfinal 4: 12th September, 16:00
- Semifinal 1: 12th September, 12:00
- Semifinal 2: 12th September, 16:00
- Third Place Match: 13th September, 12:00
- Final: 13th September, 16:00
Who won the last AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship?
The last AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship was won by Japan in 2023.
How many times has India won the AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship?
India has never won the AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship, with their best finish being the fourth spot in 2005.
Which teams will be in the Indian group at the AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship?
India will be pitted in Pool B of the AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship against Iran, China and New Zealand.
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