2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship final
Volleyball game
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The 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship final was the final match of the 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship, the 21st edition of FIVB's competition for men's national volleyball teams. The match was played at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, on 28 September 2025, between Bulgaria and Italy.[1][2]
The SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City hosted the match | ||||||||||||||||
| Event | 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship | |||||||||||||||
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| Italy won in four sets | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date | 28 September 2025 | |||||||||||||||
| Venue | SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay | |||||||||||||||
| Referees | Simonovic Vladimir (SUI), Mokry Juraj (SVK) | |||||||||||||||
Background
Italy are the defending champions having won the 2022 edition.[3] The four-time champions also won three-consecutive titles; in 1990, 1994, and 1998.[4] For Bulgaria, this is their first finals appearance since the 1970 edition.[5]
Italy's only defeat in the tournament was to Belgium in the group stage while Bulgaria has won all of their games prior to the final.[6][7]
Italy was ranked 2nd, while Bulgaria came in 9th.[3]
Route to the final
 Bulgaria |
Round |  Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Opponent | Result | Preliminary round | Opponent | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Germany |
0–3 | Match 1 |  Algeria |
3–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Slovenia |
2–3 | Match 2 |  Belgium |
2–3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Chile |
3–0 | Match 3 |  Ukraine |
3–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Final standings |
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| Opponent | Result | Final round | Opponent | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Portugal |
3–0 | Round of 16 |  Argentina |
3–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 United States |
3–2 | Quarterfinals | Belgium |
3–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Czech Republic |
3–1 | Semifinals |  Poland |
3–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Match details
The final held on 28 September 2025 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay was attended by 16,429 people and became the most attended men's volleyball match in the Philippines.[7][8] Italy won the final after four sets, with Bulgaria stealing the third set.[6]
| 28 September 2025 18:30 |
Bulgaria |
1–3 | Italy |
SM Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City Attendance: 16,429 Referees: Vladimir Simonovic (SUI), Juraj Mokry (SVK) |
| (21–25, 17–25, 25–17, 10–25) P2 Report | ||||
| Scoring leaders | ||||
| A. Nikolov (23/56) | Total | Romanò (22/47) | ||
| A. Nikolov (21/36) | Attack | Romanò (16/23) | ||
| Grozdanov (1/11) | Block | Russo (2/8) | ||
| Atanasov (2/12) | Serve | Bottolo (7/25) | ||
