The 2025 Men’s Volleyball World Championship is taking place from September 12 to September 28 in the Philippines. This marks the 21st edition of the tournament, bringing together the world’s best national volleyball teams, including Serbia. 32 teams will compete for glory in matches held in the host cities of Pasay and Quezon City.
Top favorites include Poland, Italy, Brazil, and France, though there’s always the possibility of an underdog surprising everyone and claiming a medal. For volleyball fans and those tracking Merkur Xtip betting odds, this tournament promises excitement and unpredictable outcomes.
Tournament Format
The 32 teams are divided into eight groups, each containing four teams. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16.
Group A
- Teams: Philippines (host), Iran, Egypt, Tunisia
- Match Schedule:
- Round 1: Philippines vs. Tunisia, Iran vs. Egypt
- Round 2: Iran vs. Tunisia, Philippines vs. Egypt
- Round 3: Egypt vs. Tunisia, Philippines vs. Iran
Group B
- Teams: Poland, Netherlands, Qatar, Romania
- Match Schedule:
- Round 1: Netherlands vs. Qatar, Poland vs. Romania
- Round 2: Netherlands vs. Romania, Poland vs. Qatar
- Round 3: Qatar vs. Romania, Poland vs. Netherlands
Poland enters as the heavy favorite in this group, and anything less than first place would be a major shock.
Group C
- Teams: France, Argentina, Finland, South Korea
- Match Schedule:
- Round 1: Argentina vs. Finland, France vs. South Korea
- Round 2: Argentina vs. South Korea, France vs. Finland
- Round 3: Finland vs. South Korea, France vs. Argentina
The France vs. Argentina matchup is expected to be the group’s highlight and a popular pick for sports betting.
Group D
- Teams: USA, Cuba, Portugal, Colombia
- Match Schedule:
- Round 1: USA vs. Colombia, Cuba vs. Portugal
- Round 2: Cuba vs. Colombia, USA vs. Portugal
- Round 3: Portugal vs. Colombia, USA vs. Cuba
The USA is the clear favorite to win this group and secure a more favorable opponent in the knockout stage.
Group E
- Teams: Slovenia, Germany, Bulgaria, Chile
- Match Schedule:
- Round 1: Germany vs. Bulgaria, Slovenia vs. Chile
- Round 2: Germany vs. Chile, Slovenia vs. Bulgaria
- Round 3: Bulgaria vs. Chile, Slovenia vs. Germany
The final-round clash between Slovenia and Germany is expected to be especially popular among sports bettors.
Group F
- Teams: Italy, Ukraine, Belgium, Algeria
- Match Schedule:
- Round 1: Ukraine vs. Belgium, Italy vs. Algeria
- Round 2: Ukraine vs. Algeria, Italy vs. Belgium
- Round 3: Belgium vs. Algeria, Italy vs. Ukraine
Italy is strongly favored to dominate this group and finish first without major challenges.
Group G
- Teams: Japan, Canada, Turkey, Libya
- Match Schedule:
- Round 1: Canada vs. Libya, Japan vs. Turkey
- Round 2: Turkey vs. Libya, Japan vs. Canada
- Round 3: Canada vs. Turkey, Japan vs. Libya
Group H
- Teams: Serbia, Brazil, Czech Republic, China
- Match Schedule:
- Round 1: Serbia vs. Czech Republic, Brazil vs. China
- Round 2: Serbia vs. China, Brazil vs. Czech Republic
- Round 3: Serbia vs. Brazil, Czech Republic vs. China
Serbian National Team
Head coach George Krecu has selected the following roster for Serbia’s World Championship campaign:
- Setters: Nikola Jovović, Vuk Todorović
- Opposite Hitters: Dražen Luburić, Dušan Nikolić
- Libero: Stefan Negić
- Middle Blockers: Aleksandar Nedeljković, Nemanja Mašulović, Aleksandar Stefanović, Vladimir Gajović
- Outside Hitters: Marko Ivović, Miran Kujundžić, Pavle Perić, Veljko Mašulović, Nikola Brborić
This squad includes nine players making their debut at a major international tournament. Because of this, it’s difficult to predict Serbia’s exact potential.
Advancing to the knockout round would be considered a solid achievement, especially if they manage to deliver a standout performance in the group stage — one that could attract plenty of attention from live betting enthusiasts. Any additional wins would be a testament to the progress under the new head coach.
A Tough Start for Serbia
Unfortunately, Serbia’s campaign started on a difficult note. In their opening match, they suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to the Czech Republic, leaving them with plenty to improve upon ahead of their next games against China and group favorites Brazil.
