Pakistan U16 Volleyball Team Gears Up for Asian Championship

Pakistan’s under-16 volleyball squad is preparing to compete in the Asian Men’s U16 Volleyball Championship, which will be hosted in Thailand from July 12-19. The team aims to secure a spot in the 2026 FIVB U17 World Championship through this competition.

The Asian Volleyball Confederation is organising the tournament in Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi. It will feature sixteen teams, distributed into four groups.

The top four teams in the tournament will automatically qualify for the expanded 2026 FIVB U17 World Championship, which will include 24 teams, a rise from the 16 teams that participated in the previous edition.

Pakistan finds itself in Pool D along with South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Chinese Taipei, the bronze medalists from 2023.

The team is scheduled to commence its campaign on July 12 against South Korea. Subsequently, they will face Saudi Arabia on July 13, followed by their final group stage match against Chinese Taipei on July 14.

The Pakistan Volleyball Federation has also named a preliminary squad of 19 players for the upcoming tournament.

The extended roster includes players such as Abid Mehmood, Asad Ullah, Azhar Mehmood, Faizan Khalid, Faizan Ullah, Faraz Ahmad, Hayat Sher Khan, Muhammad Abbas Mastaan, Muhammad Faizan, Muhammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan, Muhammad Junaid, Muhammad Naseem Haider, Muhammad Talha Mehar, Muhammad Umar, Muhammad Waleed Khan, Saran Baig, Usman Ali, and Wahab Abdullah.

The final lineup will be chosen from this group of players prior to the start of the competition.

During the previous championship, which was held in Uzbekistan in 2023, Pakistan finished fourth after a close 3-2 loss to Chinese Taipei in the battle for the bronze medal.

Despite this loss, Pakistan still managed to qualify for the 2024 U17 World Championship in Bulgaria, where Chinese Taipei ultimately claimed third place.

The tournament structure includes a round-robin group phase. The top two teams from each group will proceed to the next stages. The semi-finals and finals are scheduled for July 19, where the champions of the continent will be determined.