Bahrain begin Asian volleyball title defence in India

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s senior men’s volleyball team will begin their AVC Men’s Cup 2026 campaign this Saturday in Ahmedabad, India, returning to continental competition as reigning champions.

The tournament, scheduled from 20 to 28 June, marks the start of Bahrain’s title defence following their historic triumph last year on home soil — a breakthrough victory that delivered the kingdom its first-ever Asian Volleyball Confederation crown.

That landmark success came after a four-set win over Pakistan in the final and secured Bahrain qualification for the AVC Men’s Continental Championship later this year in Fukuoka, Japan.

Coached by former Olympian Arnaud Josserand, Bahrain face a demanding week in Pool A, where they will meet hosts India, Australia, Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan and New Zealand in the preliminary stage.

Their campaign opens against Chinese Taipei on 20 June at 12:30pm, followed by a quick turnaround versus New Zealand on 21 June at 9:30am. A key clash with hosts India comes on 23 June at 6:30pm, before meetings with Kazakhstan on 25 June at 3:30pm and Australia on 26 June at 6:30pm complete their group-stage schedule.

Bahrain’s path is widely regarded as challenging, with Australia among the strongest sides in the pool, India boosted by home support, and both Kazakhstan and New Zealand bringing physical, experienced squads.

Despite the difficulty ahead, Bahrain arrive in confident form after a strong recent run and a clear upward trajectory in Asian volleyball. That momentum was reinforced last month when they claimed gold at the 4th GCC Games in Qatar, winning every match in straight sets en route to the title.

The AVC Men’s Cup 2026, the seventh edition of the competition, features 12 teams split into two pools. Traditional Asian powerhouses such as Japan, Iran, and China are absent due to their participation in the FIVB Nations League, leaving a notably more open field than usual.