Vietnam to play hosts the Philippines in FIVB Challenger Cup’s opening match

The tournament consists of eight teams, including Puerto Rico, Kenya, Belgium, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Argentina, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The competition initially began in Manila of the Philippines on July 4 with a game between Puerto Rico and Kenya followed by a match between Belgium and Sweden.

Four matches will be held in the knock-out format from July 4 to July 5, with the best four teams qualifying for the quarter-final round on July 6.

The third-placed fixture and then the final are scheduled to take place on July 7.

The champions will also qualify for the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2025, which is set to be held from June 2 to July 27, as well as the 2025 world volleyball championship from August 22 to September 7.

This year marks the second time Vietnam has cruised into the world tournament after defending their title at the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup in May.

Last year, the nation qualified for the FIVB Challenger Cup for the first time, but the team were defeated 3-0 by hosts France in the opening match.