AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship: India Beat New Zealand 3-0, Moves Closer To Quarterfinals

India’s men’s volleyball team defeated New Zealand in three straight games at the 2026 AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship in Kitakyushu, Japan. In the latest sports news, India won its first match of Pool B with set scores of 25-22, 25-22, 25-21, after losing to China and Iran 0-3 in the championship.

Indian volleyball team entered the court with two back-to-back losses. However, the game turned in India’s favour after the team snatched the opening two sets with the same score of 25-22 from New Zealand. The third and final set also went to Team India, sealing their first victory of the tournament. India claimed three points from three pool matches with two defeats and one win. China and Iran went unbeaten in Pool B and will face each other for the top spot on Wednesday.

India can’t directly reach the quarterfinals. Only the top two teams from each pool will qualify for the quarterfinals. However, India can make it to the top eight via the third-place qualification. Among all participating nations, the best two teams to finish in third place in their respective pools can secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 AVC Men’s Volleyball Continental Championship in Kitakyushu, Japan. Currently, India’s biggest hurdle is Chinese Taipei, which also has three points. The third-best-placed team from Pool A will be decided after Oman and Bahrain meet on September 9.

India won a bronze medal at the 2026 AVC Men’s Volleyball Cup in Ahmedabad in June, which was their first medal in the competition. India entered the Continental Championship as representatives of the CAVA zone and finished as runners-up in the 2025 CAVA Nations League.