The 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship brought together 32 teams, months of preparation, and weeks of drama. In the end, Italy proved unstoppable, Bulgaria stunned the world with their first final in 55 years, and Poland showed their resilience by grabbing bronze.
Champions & Podium
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Gold: Italy
Italy defended their crown in dominant style, beating Bulgaria 3–1 in the final (25-21, 25-17, 17-25, 25-10). It’s their second consecutive world title (2022 + 2025) and their fifth overall. Alessandro Michieletto was named MVP, while Simone Giannelli (Best Setter) and Fabio Balaso (Best Libero) also earned Dream Team honors. -
Silver: Bulgaria
Bulgaria returned to the elite by reaching the final for the first time since 1970. Aleksandar Nikolov was the tournament’s top scorer (173 points) and carried his side past Czechia in the semifinal before falling to Italy. -
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Bronze: Poland
The reigning European champions fell short of the final but rebounded to claim bronze, beating Czechia 3–1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21). Wilfredo León’s 26 points powered Poland to their first-ever World Championship bronze. -
Fourth: Czechia
Their fairytale run ended just outside the medals, but Czechia’s semifinal berth was one of the surprises of the tournament.
Italy’s Golden Era
Italy’s men’s team are in the midst of one of the most dominant streaks in volleyball history. In just 14 months, they have captured:
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Volleyball Nations League 2024
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Paris Olympics 2024
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Volleyball Nations League 2025
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FIVB Men’s World Championship 2025
That haul has come with a jaw-dropping 36-match winning streak, cementing Italy as the undisputed powerhouse of the men’s game.
The dominance extends beyond the men’s side — the Italian women’s team also lifted the 2024 World Championship, underscoring the nation’s all-round volleyball strength.
Tournament Storylines
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Italy’s Dynasty: With back-to-back world titles and a historic streak, Italy are writing one of the greatest eras in volleyball history.
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Bulgaria’s Revival: After 55 years away from a world final, Bulgaria’s silver shows their rise back to elite status.
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Poland’s Resilience: As EuroVolley champs, Poland added another medal to their collection, showing their staying power.
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Global Growth: The 32-team format brought wider representation, with strong participation from Africa, Asia, and South America, even if none broke into the final four.
Final Standings
Top 8
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Italy
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Bulgaria
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Poland
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Czechia
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United States
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Türkiye
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Belgium
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Iran
Round of 16 (9th–16th)
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Argentina
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Brazil
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Serbia
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Canada
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Slovenia
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Portugal
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Netherlands
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Finland
Group Stage Exits (17th–32nd)
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Tunisia, Egypt, Cameroon, China, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Germany, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, France, Montenegro, Croatia, Australia
Group Winners & Runners-Up
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Pool A: Tunisia (1), Iran (2)
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Pool B: Poland (1), Netherlands (2)
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Pool C: Argentina (1), Finland (2)
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Pool D: USA (1), Portugal (2)
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Pool E: Bulgaria (1), Slovenia (2)
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Pool F: Belgium (1), Italy (2)
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Pool G: Türkiye (1), Canada (2)
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Pool H: Serbia (1), Czechia (2)
Final Word
From Italy’s golden run to Bulgaria’s revival and Poland’s bronze, the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship will be remembered as the moment volleyball’s balance of power crystallized. Italy now stand as the sport’s modern dynasty, with a winning streak and trophy haul that feels unstoppable.