New attendance record set as Team Kento beats Team Taito in men’s All-Star Game in Japan

A new SV.League All-Star Game attendance record was set again on Sunday, as 9,342 spectators enjoyed the men’s show at the Glion Arena in Kobe, so Saturday’s record of 8,320 fans set at the women’s event lasted for just about 24 hours. The spectacle was also bought live to volleyball fans worldwide by VBTV and the replay is already available for on-demand viewing on the platform. Team Kento beat Team Taito in straight sets while Japanese international star opposite Yuji Nishida picked up the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

• Watch Japan's SV.League All-Star Game on VBTV

For a second straight day, the audience at the Glion Arena cheered on enthusiastically as the men’s Daido Life SV.League stars on the court took their turn in captivating the fans’ attention with a spectacular show, a combination of top-caliber volleyball with fun through special rules and individual challenges.

Team Kento, captained by the 26-year-old opposite of Wolfdogs Nagoya and the Japanese national team Kento Miyaura and guided by Suntory Sunbirds Osaka’s French head coach Olivier Lecat, won the All-Star Game against Team Taito, captained by Wolfdogs Nagoya’s 24-year-old outside hitter Taito Mizumachi and coached by Wolfdogs Nagoya’s Italian coach Valerio Baldovin, in straight sets, 3-0 (25-21, 15-11, 25-21).

Four individual awards were presented at the end of the show. The other opposite of the Japanese national team, Osaka Bluteon’s 26-year-old star Yuji Nishida, who played for the winning side in the first two sets, but then made a mid-match transfer to Team Taito for the third, was honored with the MVP recognition.

“I'm very happy that we were able to put this together. The league will resume next week, and I think we'll be able to show an even higher level of volleyball. Please come to the venues,” Yuji Nishida said.

Team Taito’s captain Mizumachi received the Fighting Spirit award.

“Although we are foes when we return to the league, I'm really glad that we had the opportunity to enjoy today together as players competing in the same league," the outside hitter commented.

The Speed ​​King award was shared by Mizumachi and 28-year-old American outside hitter of Team Kento and JTEKT Stings Aichi Torey DeFalco. They each registered a serve speed of 124.1 km/h in this match.

The Best Entertainment award went to Team Kento and Hiroshima Thunders’ 27-year-old middle blocker Keigo Nishimoto.

Once again, the Es Con Field in Hokkaido was confirmed as the venue of next year's All-Star Game, with both the men's and the women's games to be held on January 30, 2027.

The men’s SV.League regular season will resume next weekend with a set of four double headers on Saturday and Sunday, February 7 and 8.

Men’s SV.League 2025-2026 14^th leg:
Feb 07, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Voreas Hokkaido v Wolfdogs Nagoya
Feb 07, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Nagano Tridents v Toray Arrows Shizuoka
Feb 07, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): JTEKT Stings Aichi v Suntory Sunbirds Osaka
Feb 07, 16:05 local (07:05 UTC): Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers v Osaka Bluteon
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Voreas Hokkaido v Wolfdogs Nagoya
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Nagano Tridents v Toray Arrows Shizuoka
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Nippon Steel Sakai Blazers v Osaka Bluteon
Feb 08, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): JTEKT Stings Aichi v Suntory Sunbirds Osaka

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