Men’s World Championship Pool Previews: Pool E

Just five days after the new world champions were crowned among the women, the 32 men’s teams that will compete in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship will get to start their journeys in the tournament, which is set to begin on Friday.

For the first time in history, volleyball-loving the Philippines will host the World Championship, having the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the SM Mall of Asia Arena, both located in the metro area of the country’s capital Manila, as the venues for the 66 matches that will be held from September 12-28.

• Watch the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship on VBTV

The 21^st edition of the tournament will be the first in the new era, which will have the world title put in dispute every two years and 32 national teams fighting for it.

The 32 participating teams were split into eight pools of four and will face each of their three opponents during pool play from September 12-18. The top two national teams in each pool will advance to the elimination rounds. The Round of 16 will go from September 20-23, with the quarterfinals following on September 24-25, the semifinal being held on September 27 and the medal matches ending the event on September 28.

With fans from all over the world preparing to tune in on VBTV and enjoy the matches, we’ll preview each of the eight pools.

Pool E

Match Schedule

September 13 – Germany vs. Bulgaria – 17:30 local time (9:30 GMT)
September 13 – Slovenia vs. Chile – 21:00 local time (13:00 GMT)
September 15 – Germany vs. Chile – 13:30 local time (5:30 GMT)
September 15 – Slovenia vs. Bulgaria – 17:30 local time (9:30 GMT)
September 17 – Bulgaria vs. Chile – 13:30 local time (5:30 GMT)
September 17 – Slovenia vs. Germany - 21:00 local time (13:00 GMT)

Slovenia

Slovenia earned the right to compete at the World Championship by taking silver in the 2023 European Championship and claiming one of the continent’s three spots in the event. A rising force in international volleyball, they will make just their third appearance in the event after ranking 12^th in their debut in 2018 and finishing fourth in 2022.

Currently in seventh place in the FIVB World Ranking, the Slovenians have a new coach in 2025 in Italian Fabio Soli. One of their most exciting young stars, outside hitter Rok Možič won’t be with the team in the Philippines as he recovers from a knee injury. The Slovenians, however, continue to have a strong and experienced core with setter Gregor Ropret, opposite Tonček Štern, outside hitter Tine Urnaut and middle blocker Jan Kozamernik.

Germany

Germany were the top-ranked among the 15 national teams that qualified for the World Championship via the FIVB World Ranking. The team has played in 12 of the previous editions of the tournament, having made their debut back in 1956, and won gold in 1970 and bronze in 2014.

The Europeans occupy eighth place in the FIVB World Ranking and are working under the guidance of former Polish player Michał Winiarski for a fourth season in 2025. After having most of their key players resting or playing limited minutes in the Volleyball Nations League, the Germans will be back at full force in the Philippines, having veteran opposite György Grozer, middle blockers Anton Brehme and Tobias Krick and setter Jan Zimmermann as their main stars.

Bulgaria

The third European team in the pool, Bulgaria also secured their spot at the World Championship thanks to their FIVB World Ranking position. The Bulgarians have a rich tradition in the tournament, having made it to the podium in the first-ever edition, in 1949, when they won bronze, and claimed four other medals (silver in 1970 and bronze in 1952, 1986 and 2006) in ten appearances.

The 15^th-best team on the planet according to the FIVB World Ranking, the Bulgarians are led by second-year Italian head coach Gianlorenzo Blengini. Arguably the most talented players to emerge in the country in several years, the Nikolov brothers Aleksandar (outside hitter) and Simeon (setter) are central in the team’s game plan. Other important pieces are outside hitter Martin Atanasov and middle blocker Aleks Grozdanov.

Chile

Chile were among the top 15 teams in the FIVB World Ranking not qualified for the World Championship at the end of the qualification period and earned a spot in the tournament. With that, the South Americans are set to make their return to the event 43 years after their first and only appearance so far, in 1982, when they finished 23^rd.

Ranked 27^th in the FIVB World Ranking, the Chileans have Argentine Daniel Nejamkin as their head coach since 2011. Inside the court, the team heavily relies on its outside hitter duo formed by captain Dusan Bonacic and Vicente Parraguirre. Tomás Gago is their most seasoned middle blocker, while Matías Banda is typically the main option at setter.

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