Day 5: Spotlight on France v Greece and Pool D action

The fifth competition day at the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in Thailand is offering the third-leg matches in Pools A, B, C and D that will wrap up action in these pools and shape up the final pool standings on Tuesday. Eight teams from these four groups will advance to the eighthfinals and six of them are already known. France and Greece will get into a direct duel for another spot, while Argentina, Czechia and Slovenia will engage in a three-way race for the last one.

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Pool A

On a 2-0 win-loss record each, the Netherlands and hosts Thailand have already secured their advancement to the next round and will now go head to head for the first place in Pool A and a better position in the playoff bracket. No doubt, the stands in Bangkok will be packed for that match.

Before that, World Championship rookies Sweden will try to garnish their debut campaign with at least one win as they take on African underdogs Egypt, who are also keen not to go home empty-handed.

Pool B

The situation in Pool B is quite similar. Eighthfinals-bound Italy and Belgium will lock horns for the first place in the pool and at least one of them will have to lose their first sets of the tournament.

Cuba, one of the most decorated nations in the history of the women’s World Championships, and absolute rookies Slovakia will face each other in a battle for first and last victory at this competition. They are yet to win a set in Phuket and this will happen for at least one of the two teams on Tuesday.

Pool C

France and Greece will take to the court in Chiang Mai in one of Tuesday’s opening games, starting at 16:00 local time (09:00 UTC). They are on a 1-1 win-loss record each and only the winner of that crucial clash will secure a top-two finish in Pool C, book a spot in the next round and join current pool leaders Brazil into the eighthfinals.

Undoubtedly, France, as a way more experienced and higher ranked team, are the favorites in this match, especially after showing a great performance against Brazil in their previous match and giving the mighty South Americans quite a scare by winning the first two sets. Greece are enjoying their first World Championship participation in 23 years and winning their previous game against Puerto Rico was already an important success for the southern European team. However, appetite comes with eating and coach Apostolos Oikonomou and captain Olga Strantzali have already stated their full intentions to beat Helena Cazaute and her teammates and advance in the tournament. The last time these two teams met was in a CEV European Championship fixture six years ago. Then, Greece hammered out an emphatic shutout of their western European opponents.

Later in the day, undefeated Brazil and winless Puerto Rico will bring the pool to a conclusion. The South Americans will try to stay that way and secure the first place in the pool, while the girls from the Caribbean will fight to end their campaign on a high note.

Pool D

Pool D leaders USA, on a 2-0 win-loss record and 6 points, are sure to play in the eighthfinals. All of the other three teams – Argentina (1-1 and 3), Czechia (1-1 and 2) and Slovenia (0-2 and 1) – are still in the running for the pool’s other ticket to the next round.

Tuesday’s program in Nakhon Ratchasima will open with a game between Argentina and World Championship rookies Slovenia. The European team must win three points to keep its hopes for advancement alive and root for a US victory over Czechia later in the day. Should the South Americans take the three points from that match, they can already celebrate their eighthfinal berth. If they win by 3-2, however, they will leave the door open for the Czechs. In that case, a 3-0 win over the Americans will propel the central European squad to the playoffs, while a 3-1 win will leave it to the point ratios to determine the last eighthfinalist between Czechia and Argentina.

FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship schedule for Tuesday, August 26, 2025
16:00 local (09:00 UTC): France v Greece
16:00 local (09:00 UTC): Argentina v Slovenia
17:00 local (10:00 UTC): Sweden v Egypt
17:00 local (10:00 UTC): Italy v Belgium
19:30 local (12:30 UTC): Brazil v Puerto Rico
19:30 local (12:30 UTC): USA v Czechia
20:30 local (13:30 UTC): Thailand v Netherlands
20:30 local (13:30 UTC): Cuba v Slovakia

2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship: full schedule and results

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