Japan retained the AVC Men’s Volleyball Asian Championship title with a straight-sets victory over Iran, securing a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Backed by more than 6,500 fans at Kitakyushu City Gymnasium in Fukuoka, Japan produced a composed performance to win 3-0 and claim their 11th continental title.
Yuji Nishida led the hosts with 18 points, including three blocks and two aces, while Ran Takahashi added 17 points with three aces and a 61% attacking success rate. Iran’s Ali Hajipour also finished with 18 points, while Poriya Khanzadeh contributed 13.
Earlier, Korea secured bronze and a place at the 2027 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Cup in Poland after beating Australia in a five-set contest. Subong Heo starred with 28 points as Korea recovered from twice falling behind in sets to win the decider 15-9.
Results:
Final: Japan 3-0 Iran (25-21, 26-24, 25-23)
Bronze medal: Korea 3-2 Australia (16-25, 25-18, 22-25, 25-18, 15-9)
