Pakistan to participate in Asian Men's U16 Volleyball Championship

KARACHI: Pakistan's under-16 volleyball team is set to participate in the Asian Men’s U16 Volleyball Championship, scheduled to take place in Thailand from July 12 to 19, with hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIVB U17 World Championship.

The tournament, organised by the Asian Volleyball Confederation, will be held in Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi, featuring 16 teams divided into four pools. The top four teams will secure direct qualification for the 2026 FIVB U17 World Championship, which will expand to include 24 teams, up from 16 in its inaugural edition last year.

Pakistan has been placed in Pool D alongside Chinese Taipei (2023 bronze medalists), South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

The team will open its campaign against South Korea on July 12, followed by a match against Saudi Arabia on July 13, and will conclude the group stage against Chinese Taipei on July 14.

The Pakistan Volleyball Federation has also finalized 19-member provisional squad for the tournament.

The probables include Abid Mehmood, Asad Ullah, Azhar Mehmood, Faizan Khalid, Faizan Ullah, Faraz Ahmad, Hayat Sher Khan, Muhammad Abbas Mastaan, Muhammad Faizan, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan, Muhammad Junaid, Muhammad Naseem Haider, Muhammad Talha Mehar, Muhammad Umar, Muhammad Waleed Khan, Saran Baig, Usman Ali, and Wahab Abdullah.

The final squad will be selected from these probables ahead of the tournament.

In the previous edition of the championship held in Uzbekistan in 2023, Pakistan finished fourth after a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Chinese Taipei in the bronze-medal match.

Despite the defeat, Pakistan earned a spot in the 2024 U17 World Championship in Bulgaria, where Chinese Taipei secured third place.

The tournament will follow a round-robin group stage, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the classification rounds. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for July 19, where the continental champions will be crowned.