Empowerment support helps the Philippines pair world-class hosting with top-level coaching for its first appearance
The Philippines will mark a historic first in 2025, as it takes on the dual role of organiser and participant in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship. From 12 to 28 September, the world’s top men’s teams will converge in Manila, while the home side prepares to take the court with the support of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme through targeted coaching support.
For a country where volleyball enjoys deep popularity, the opportunity to stage the event and compete at the same time is a meaningful moment. The men’s team has never featured at this level, and their debut comes as the Philippines looks to align its efforts as host with stronger coaching and better performance on the court.
Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni is leading the men’s volleyball team during this campaign, joined by assistant Matteo Antonucci. Their appointment continues the foundation laid by earlier foreign coaches brought in through the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme, including Joao Luciano Simao Barbosa, Sergio Veloso and Leo Gomes.
Frigoni brings more than 30 years of experience at national team and club level. He was part of Italy’s coaching staff during the 1990s, a period that saw the team win two World Championship titles and three European crowns. He later led Italy’s women’s team to a bronze medal at the 1999 European Championship and their first Olympic appearance in 2000, coached Egypt to the African title in 2015 and guided Italy to gold at the U21 Men’s World Championship in 2021.
His appointment is part of the ongoing Empowerment support provided by the FIVB, which runs from 16 October 2024 to 15 October 2025. This phase focuses on technical guidance aimed not only at shaping the national team for the World Championship, but also at passing on knowledge to local coaches and reinforcing the long-term structure behind the programme.
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The Men’s World Championship will take place at two of the Philippines’ premier indoor venues, the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City and the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The host nation will play all its Pool A matches at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, starting against Tunisia on 12 September, then facing Egypt on 16 September and Iran on 18 September. The Smart Araneta Coliseum will host matches from other pools during the preliminary round. Both venues have previously staged Volleyball Nations League events and regularly attract large crowds for collegiate and professional competitions.
A total of 32 teams will compete in the 2025 Men’s World Championship, beginning with a round-robin group stage across eight pools. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the Round of 16, which will mark the start of the direct knockout phase. From there, the tournament will continue through the quarterfinals and semifinals, culminating in the medal matches on the final weekend. The home team will aim to apply the structure and preparation built through Empowerment support as they test themselves against the world’s best.
Volleyball has been part of the country’s sporting culture since 1910, introduced through the school system and embraced across communities. Filipino players helped shape the early development of the game by pioneering techniques such as the set and spike, and today the sport continues to thrive through a vibrant league system and some of the most passionate fans in the world.
Hosting the Men’s World Championship offers more than home-court advantage. It is a chance to build on this rich tradition, highlight the strength of local support, and show how Empowerment support has helped develop a national team ready to take its place on the world stage.
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