FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2022 Live Free – Quarter-finals: Preview, schedule, how to watch

Following the Round of 16 phase, just 8 of the best men’s volleyball teams remain in the hunt for the 2022 World Championship title.

Barely a year after the Olympic Games competition concluded, the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship Poland Slovenia 2022, is down to the quarterfinal stage, with two electrifying matches on Wednesday 7 September in Ljubljana and another two on Thursday 8 September in Gliwice.

At the Arena Stozice on Wednesday, reigning Olympic and VNL champions France will face neighbours Italy, who claimed the European crown last summer. It will be followed by Slovenia v Ukraine, with both teams vying for their first-ever semifinal berth in the competition.

On Thursday in Gliwice, Argentina and Pool B winners Brazil will feature in a classic South American derby, while co-hosts Poland will play the United States as they chase their third consecutive World championships title, the fourth overall.

FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2022 – Quarter-finals schedule
Wednesday 7 September

18:00 – Quarter-finals, Ljubljana – Italy v France
21:00 – Quarter-finals, Ljubljana – Slovenia v Ukraine
Thursday 8 September

17:30 – Quarter-finals, Gilwice – Argentina v Brazil
21:00 – Quarter-finals, Gilwice – Poland v United States

Originally due to be held in Russia, the event was switched to Poland and Slovenia who stepped in to host after war in Ukraine broke out. It is the second time Poland has hosted the competition after 2014; Slovenia has never before staged it.

Co-hosts Poland are the two-time defending champions, having won in Katowice in 2014 and Turin, Italy, in 2018. They came through top of Pool C with 9 points from 3 group matches, and remain among the favourites to win the title.

Ranking points earned during this tournament are counted towards qualification for the 2023 Olympic Qualifier Tournament, where several of the 12 berths available for men’s teams at the Paris 2024 Olympics are due to be decided.

READ MORE: How to qualify for volleyball at Paris 2024

2022 men’s volleyball world championship: Group stage final rankings, venues, and teams to watch
Three host cities in the two countries welcomed the 24 teams, who were split across six groups for the initial phase of the tournament.

The top two teams from each pool after the single-round-robin stage, as well as the best four third-placed teams, progressed to the single-elimination direct knockout Final Stage. The remaining eight teams have been eliminated.

This replaces the old format, which in 2018 saw three separate round-robin group stages before a semi-final and final, making it easier for fans to follow the action.

The Arena Stozice in Ljubljana hosted four groups – Pools B, D, E, and F – with its 12,500 capacity, as well as four last-16 and two quarter-final matches.

Meanwhile, the 11,000-capacity Spodek indoor arena, named for its flying-saucer shape, welcomed the eight teams in Pools A and C to Katowice. Spodek was also the host arena for the 2014 World Championships, the last time Poland hosted the event. It will also host both semi-finals and medal matches during this tournament.

One of the largest indoor arenas in Poland, the Gliwice Arena will host the other four last-16 and two quarter-final matches.

Final group standings. Each team played 3 matches:

Pool A (played in Katowice)

Serbia. 9 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Ukraine. 6 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Tunisia. 3 Points – Qualified for round of 16 as a best third-placed team.
Puerto Rico. 0 Points.
Pool B (played in Ljubljana)

Brazil. 8 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Japan. 6 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Cuba. 4 Points – Qualified for round of 16 as a best third-placed team.
Qatar. 0 Points
Pool C (played in Katowice)

Poland (co-hosts). 9 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
United States. 6 Points
Mexico. 2 Points.
Bulgaria. 1 Point.
Pool D (playing in Ljubljana)

France. 8 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Slovenia (co-hosts). 7 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Germany. 3 Points. – Qualified for round of 16 as a best third-placed team.
Cameroon. 0 Points.
Pool E (playing in Ljubljana)

Italy. 9 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Turkey. 6 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Canada. 3 Points
China. 0 Points.
Pool F (playing in Ljubljana)

Netherlands. 8 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Iran. 5 Points – Qualified for round of 16 automatically.
Argentina. 4 Points – Qualified for round of 16 as a best third-placed team.
Egypt. 1 Point.
With co-hosts Poland the two-time defending champions, on paper they are favourites to win a third straight (and fourth overall) world title on home soil. However, they are having to do it without their talismanic powerhouse Wilfredo León. The Cuban-born outside hitter has been ruled out as he has not fully recovered from knee surgery in June.

The United States came through Group C and are the 2018 bronze medallists. However, the Americans’ fortunes have varied wildly in recent years and they finished a disappointing 10th at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

France topped Group D which featured co-hosts Slovenia, and are the surprise reigning Olympic champions. They have reached the semi-finals of the World Championships twice, finishing third in 2002 and fourth the last time the tournament was held in Katowice in 2014. Will they be able to continue that run this year?

Italy and Brazil are perennial heavyweights in the sport and both finished top of their groups. The Brazilians have played in the last five World Championship finals dating back to 2002 and it would be a surprise if they did not make it as far again.

Medal Moment | Tokyo 2020: Volleyball Men’s Team (FRA)
FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship Poland Slovenia 2022: Knockout final phase schedule
All times Central European Summer Time / CEST (UTC/GMT +2 hours)

Saturday 3 September

17:30 – Round of 16, Ljubljana – Slovenia beat Germany 3-1
21:15 – Round of 16, Ljubljana – Italy beat Cuba 3-1
Sunday 4 September

17:30 – Round of 16, Gilwice – USA beat Turkey 3-2
21:00 – Round of 16, Gilwice – Poland beat Tunisia 3-0
Monday 5 September

17:30 – Round of 16, Ljubljana – Ukraine beat Netherlands 3-0
21:00 – Round of 16, Ljubljana – France beat Japan 3-2
Tuesday 6 September

17:30 – Round of 16, Gilwice – Argentina beat Serbia 3-0
21:00 – Round of 16, Gilwice – Brazil beat Iran 3-0
Wednesday 7 September

18:00 – Quarter-finals, Ljubljana – Italy v France
21:00 – Quarter-finals, Ljubljana – Slovenia v Ukraine
Thursday 8 September

17:30 – Quarter-finals, Gilwice – Argentina v Brazil
21:00 – Quarter-finals, Gilwice – Poland v United States
Fixtures and timings of semi-finals will be confirmed once the quarter-final matches conclude.

Saturday 10 September

18:00 – Semi-finals, Katowice
21:00 – Semi-finals, Katowice
Sunday 11 September

18:00 – Bronze-medal final, Katowice
21:00 – Gold-medal final, Katowice