The preliminary phase of the Men’s U21 World Championship has been completed and the pools for the second phase, from 1st to 8th place and pools from 9th to 16th place, have been determined. This is the 21st edition of the U21 World Championship and the first co-hosted by two countries. The previous 20 editions were held from 1977 through 2019.
16 teams were divided into four groups of four teams and played in single round-robin format (Pools A and C in Italy, Groups B and D in Bulgaria). The first two teams from each pools are divided into two pools of four teams (Group E in Italy and F in Bulgaria), and the two lower teams from the first round are also divided into two pools of four teams (Group G in Italy and H in Bulgaria). The two best teams from groups E and F will advance to the semifinals and finals, and the two lower ones will play in the playoffs for placement for 5th to 8th place. The winners of groups G and H will play the playoffs for 9th to 12th place, and the two lower teams from the same pools will advance to the playoffs for 13th to 16th place.
Matches for first to eighth place will be held in Italy, while matches from ninth to sixteenth will be played in Bulgaria.
Results
September 25, 2021
Pool A
Egypt – Thailand 1-3 (25-18, 23-25, 22-25, 25-27)
Italy – Czech Republic 3-0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-20)
Pool B
Bahrain – Cuba 1-3 (25-19, 20-25, 18-25, 21-25)
Poland – Bulgaria 3-1 (29-27, 25-19, 23-25, 25-19)
Pool C
Argentina – Belgium 1-3 (19-25, 17-25, 25-23, 20-25)
Iran – Morocco 3-0 (25-5, 25-21, 25-15)
Pool D
Brazil – Cameroon 3-0 (25-0, 25-0, 25-0)
Canada – Russia 1-3 (13-25, 22-25, 25-21, 22-25)
2nd phase:
Pools E and F for 1st-8th Place:
Pool E: Italy, Czech Republic, Belgium, Argentina
Pool F: Poland, Bulgaria, Russia, Brazil
Pools G and H for 9th-16th Place:
Pool G: Egypt, Thailand, Iran, Morocco
Pool H: Cuba, Bahrain, Canada, Cameroon (withdrew from the competition)
