Volleyball

 

 HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam are confident aheade of the 2026 AVC Women's Volleyball Continental Championship which will be held in China this week.

Coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt and his players landed in Tianjin on August 19 and joined 11 national teams at the Tianjin Gymnasium.

Việt Nam will face Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong- China in Pool C following a draw held on Tuesday.

Thailand are drawn into Pool B with Kazakhstan, Indonesia and Australia, while China are placed in Pool A alongside Chinese Taipei, Iran and Iraq.

The top two teams from each pool and the two best third-placed teams will advance to the quarter-finals.

The tournament carries major international significance, with the champions earning direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The top three finishers will also qualify for the 2027 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship.

Asian Volleyball Confederation President Ramon Suzara said the tournament would be a landmark event for the sport in the region, with Olympic and world championship qualification ensuring every match would be fiercely contested.

"We look forward to seeing the teams showcase the highest level of Asian women's volleyball in Tianjin, a city with a rich volleyball tradition, and jointly deliver a spectacular Asian volleyball event," Suzara said.

Coach Kiệt said it was never easy playing in the Asian championship as all teams would include their strongest players. This year event was even more challenging as slots for the world championship and Olympics were available for the best teams.

“We have watched clips of all our group-stage opponents and made our plans," said Kiệt. 

"At the same time, we have improved our defensive ability while trying to raise the quality of our attack to earn more points in every match.”

Việt Nam's best result at the tournament was fourth position in 2023. Kiệt expected that his players would play at their peak with focus and determination like they did three years ago.

In the last three years, Việt Nam have scored remarkable achievement including gold medals from the AVC Women's Nations Cup in 2023, 2024 and 2025; and SEA V.Cup 2025; SEA V.Cup 2026 silvers along with 31st and 31nd SEA Games silvers.

The Asian championship, which will end on August 30, is also a test tournament for the team ahead of the 20th Asian Games in September in Japan. — VNS