Volleyball
Volleyball
Korea Drawn with Japan in Tough Asian Championship Pool
The Korean women’s national volleyball team, currently ranked 30th globally, is set to face a challenging draw in the group stage of the 2026 Asian Championship. The team has been placed in Pool C, where they will compete against sixth-ranked Japan, Vietnam (28th), and Hong Kong (108th). This assignment comes after the official draw took place on May 28th in Tianjin, China.
The upcoming tournament, scheduled from August 21st to August 30th in Tianjin, will feature 12 teams divided into three preliminary groups. The stakes are high, with the champion securing a direct berth to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Furthermore, the top three finishers will earn qualification for the 2027 International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) World Cup.
In Pool A, host nation China (7th) will contend with Taiwan (38th), Iran (42nd), and Iraq (world ranking not available). Pool B sees defending champions Thailand (17th) matched against Kazakhstan (39th), Indonesia (60th), and Australia (90th). Advancing to the quarterfinals requires a top-two finish in each group, or being one of the two best third-place teams.
Korea has a long history in the Asian Championship, participating since the inaugural event in 1975. However, the team notably missed the semifinals for the first time in the 2023 tournament, finishing in sixth place. Under the guidance of coach Cha Sang-hyun, the team will participate in the 2026 East Asian Championship, commencing on July 11th in Hong Kong, as a final preparation for the Asian Championship.
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