Twenty-four of the world's most promising young volleyball teams are set to begin their pursuit of global glory on Thursday as the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Girls' U17 World Championship opens across Santiago, San Felipe and Los Andes.
FIVB Volleyball Girls' U17 World Championship 2026
Chile welcomes world's rising stars for Girls' U17 World Championship
Twenty-four teams compete across three Chilean cities for Girls' U17 world title from 6 to 16 August
Published 03:00, 06 Aug 2026
- Watch the Girls' U17 World Championship on Volleyball World's YouTube channel
Defending champions China return to defend the title they won at the inaugural edition in Lima in 2024, while an expanded field from all five Continental Confederations underlines the continued growth of the championship. Ten nations, including hosts Chile, will make their debut at the global event, with the South American nation also staging its first volleyball World Championship at any age or gender category.
The opening day features matches across all three venues. Hosts Chile face Czechia in Santiago after Egypt meet the United States and Argentina take on Poland. In San Felipe, China begin their title defense against the Philippines following Mexico's clash with Venezuela, while Los Andes hosts Puerto Rico against Korea and Chinese Taipei against the Dominican Republic.
The Preliminary Round consists of four pools of six teams, with each side playing five matches. The top four teams in each pool will advance to the Round of 16, while the remaining teams continue in classification matches to determine the final standings.
Pool A features hosts Chile alongside Czechia, Egypt, Thailand, Türkiye and the United States. Pool B comprises China, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Tunisia and Venezuela. Brazil, Argentina, Croatia, Japan, Poland and Spain contest Pool C, while Algeria, Chinese Taipei, the Dominican Republic, Italy, Korea and Puerto Rico make up Pool D.
Pool play runs through 11 August before the Round of 16 takes place on 12 August. The tournament then moves to Santiago for the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal matches, with the 2026 Girls' U17 world champions to be crowned at the National Stadium Park on 16 August.