DOHA – Action continued in the preliminary round of the FIVB Volleyball Boys' U17 World Championship – Qatar 2026 on Sunday, with Brazil producing a commanding performance to sweep Argentina 3-0 in their third-round Pool C encounter, taking the sets 25-19, 25-15, 25-21 at the Women's Sports Arena.
Meanwhile, in Pool E, Iran asserted its superiority over Chinese Taipei, completing a comfortable 3-0 victory in the preliminary round. Iran took the three sets 25-15, 25-21, 25-17 at the Women's Sports Hall in Aspire Zone.
In Pool B, defending champions Italy continued their impressive campaign, overcoming Cuba in straight sets 25-22, 25-10, 26-24 in a commanding performance at Al Arabi Sports Club Arena.
In Pool D, Egypt continued their campaign by booking their place in the Round of 16 following an exciting 3-2 victory over Spain in a marathon five-set encounter, with the sets ending 18-25, 25-21, 25-27, 25-19, 15-10, at Al Arabi Sports Club.
Tunisia secured a place in the Round of 16 after defeating Qatar 3-0 in Pool A, winning the sets 25-15, 25-18, 25-17 at the Women's Sports Arena in Aspire Zone. The result brought Team Qatar's campaign to an end.
Speaking to Team Qatar's U17 volleyball players after the match, Ali Ghanim Al Kuwari, President of the Qatar Volleyball Association and Chairman of the Championship Organizing Committee, expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the players and the technical and administrative staff, praising the performance they delivered throughout the championship. He emphasized that this international experience represents a valuable addition to the players' development, helping them sharpen their skills, raise their performance levels and gain invaluable experience through competing against some of the world's leading teams, further enhancing their readiness for upcoming continental and international competitions.
For his part, Saeed Salem Al-Jumaani, Assistant Secretary-General of the Qatar Volleyball Association and Chairman of the Media Committee for the FIVB Volleyball Boys' U17 World Championship – Qatar 2026, praised Qatar's firmly established standing on the global sporting map, emphasizing that the country's world-class sports infrastructure and facilities, coupled with decades of accumulated expertise in organizing major international competitions, have been fundamental to its success in hosting major sporting events.
Al Jumaani paid tribute to the visionary leadership and steadfast support of His Highness the Amir, which, by the grace of God, have laid the foundations for Qatar's sustained sporting progress, strengthened its standing on the global stage and cemented Doha's reputation as a sporting capital and a trusted destination for some of the world's most prestigious championships and major sporting events.
Al Jumaani emphasized that hosting the current championship represents far more than a sporting event; it is a valuable platform for testing and evaluating the organizational, administrative and technical framework, drawing lessons and identifying requirements with precision, thereby reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement and turning every observation and challenge into an opportunity to advance and develop.
He further noted that the Qatar Volleyball Association, under President Ali Ghanim Al Kuwari, Secretary-General Yousuf Ahmed Kano, and Board Members Mohammed Salem Al Kuwari, Ibrahim Mohammed Al Namaa, Saed Jumah Al-Hitmi and Amna Al Kuwari, will leverage the experience gained from this championship to prepare for the 2029 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, aspiring to deliver a landmark edition that showcases Qatar's accumulated organizational expertise and creates a lasting impression for athletes, participants and fans.
The FIVB Volleyball Boys' U17 World Championship – Qatar 2026 is witnessing intense competition among 20 national teams divided into five pools, with four teams in each. Pool A features hosts Qatar alongside Tunisia, France and Venezuela, while Pool B brings together Italy, Cuba, India and Romania.
The competition continues in Pool C, featuring Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Poland, while Spain, Egypt, Bulgaria and Türkiye contest Pool D. Iran, Chinese Taipei, Pakistan and Algeria complete the field in Pool E, setting up an intense battle for qualification to the knockout phase.