If you wish to publish an Italian translation of this article, any of our other articles, or ANY PART OF THEM, please cite the original source. PLAGIARISM IS ILLEGAL!
Japan have done it again.
In front of more than 6,500 home fans at the Kitakyushu City Gymnasium in Fukuoka, the defending champions defeated Iran 3–0 (25:21, 26:24, 25:23) to retain their Asian Championship title, claim an 11th continental crown and secure the first Asian qualification ticket for the men’s volleyball tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
And It was a particularly significant triumph for Japan, who will now appear at the Olympics for the third consecutive edition and the 11th time overall. They are also the only Asian men’s national team to have won Olympic gold, having reached the top of the podium at Munich 1972.
The final was much closer than the straight-set score suggests.
Japan established control in the opening set and closed it 25–21, but Iran pushed the hosts all the way in the second, only for Japan to survive 26–24. The third set followed a similar pattern, with the Japanese holding their nerve in the decisive moments to complete the sweep at 25–23.
Yuji Nishida led Japan’s attack with an outstanding performance, combining three kill blocks and two aces with a 65% success rate in attack, while Ran Takahashi was equally influential, producing 14 kills at 61% efficiency and adding three aces on his way to 17 points.
For Iran, opposite Ali Hajipour was the match’s top scorer with 18 points, including four blocks and one ace. Poriya Khanzadeh contributed 13 points, with two aces and a block.
Japan’s road to the title had begun with an unexpected warning, as Oman took a set from the hosts in their opening match.
From that point on, however, Philippe Blain’s team did not drop another set. Japan swept Bahrain and Australia in the pool stage, defeated India 3–0 in the quarterfinals and then overcame Korea 3–0 in the semifinals before producing another clean-sheet victory over Iran in the final.
The title also confirms Japan’s place at the top of Asian men’s volleyball.
They entered the tournament as defending champions and the highest-ranked AVC team in the world, having already won ten continental titles before this edition. Their 11th gold medal further extends their record as the most successful team in the history of the Asian Championship.
For Japan, though, the biggest prize came with the gold medal.
Winning the Asian Championship meant earning Asia’s first direct men’s volleyball berth for LA 2028, joining hosts USA in the Olympic field. It is another major step for a programme that has steadily returned to the international spotlight in recent years.
Ran Takahashi was at the centre of the celebrations after being named tournament MVP.
The 25-year-old outside hitter was also selected for the Dream Team alongside teammate and setter Hideomi Fukatsu, Iran’s Ali Hajipour and Poriya Khanzadeh, Japan’s Taishi Onodera, Iran’s Seyed Eisa and Korea’s Kyeongmin Park.
Japan leave Fukuoka with the title they came to defend, an Olympic ticket already secured and another chapter added to their long history in Asian volleyball. The next stop is Los Angeles.
__________________
🏐| 2026 AVC Men’s Volleyball Asian Championship | FINALS:
Sunday September 13, 2026
• BRONZE MEDAL🥉MATCH | 15.30 (Local Time) | South Korea – Australia 3-2 (16:25, 25:18, 22:25, 25:18, 15:9)
👉🏼 GOLD MEDAL🥇MATCH | 19.30 (Local Time) | Japan – Iran 3-0 (25:21, 26:24, 25:23)
__________________
👀|QUICK LINKS
• 2026 AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship
• All International news 🗞️
• Multimedia
• Facebook
• Instagram
__________________