Nine out of sixteen European teams competing in the 2025 FIVB Women`s Volleyball World Championship have successfully advanced to the knockout stage. Seven European nations, however, were eliminated after failing to secure a top-two finish in their respective pools.
The pool phase was marked by dramatic upsets and thrilling contests. Reigning European champions Türkiye and Italy stood out, conceding the fewest sets; Türkiye achieved three dominant 3:0 victories, while Italy dropped only one set.
Türkiye showcased their dominance with straight-set wins over Spain (25:18; 25:20; 25:23), Bulgaria (25:23; 25:19; 25:13), and Canada (25:21; 27:25; 25:13). Coach Daniele Santarelli skillfully managed his team`s rotations, evidenced by top scorer Melissa Vargas ranking 13th overall with 50 points, indicating a balanced offensive effort.
Italy, fresh off a flawless 2025 FIVB Volleyball Nations League campaign, continued their strong form. They recorded three victories: a 3:0 sweep against Slovakia (25:20; 25:14; 25:17), another 3:0 against Cuba (25:9; 25:8; 25:16), and a 3:1 win over Belgium (25:16; 25:16; 21:25; 25:18).
From these pools, Spain, Bulgaria, and Slovakia were eliminated, finishing in the bottom spots. Belgium, however, advanced to the next round, securing their qualification with straight-set wins against Cuba and Slovakia.
Defending world champions Serbia began their Pool H campaign strongly with straight-set victories over Ukraine (25:21; 25:19; 25:17) and Cameroon (25:16; 25:17; 25:12). However, a challenging loss to Japan complicated their pursuit of a consecutive title.
In their match against Japan, Serbia dropped the first two sets (23:25, 28:30) but rallied to win the third (25:23) before ultimately losing the fourth set (18:25). A significant blow to Serbia`s campaign was the absence of two-time World Championship MVP, Tijana Bošković, who was sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained against Cameroon.
Serbia`s next challenge in the Round of 16 will be against the Netherlands. The Dutch team topped Pool A after a hard-fought 3:2 victory over Sweden (25:27; 25:11; 25:21; 21:25; 15:9), a match where Isabelle Haak, the reigning CEV Champions League Women MVP, scored an impressive 31 points.
The Netherlands also secured a 3:0 win against Egypt and triumphed 3:2 against host nation Thailand, clinching the decider 16:14. Conversely, Sweden`s 0:3 loss to Thailand (18:25; 20:25; 22:25) meant their elimination, as they finished third in their pool.
Pool D saw the most intense fight for qualification. While the USA dominated with three straight wins against Slovenia, Czechia, and Argentina, the remaining three teams all finished with identical 1-2 records. Qualification was then determined by points.
Slovenia advanced with four points, followed by Argentina with three, and Czechia with two. Notably, Slovenia progressed despite a 3:2 loss to Czechia, after initially leading two sets to none. A crucial 3:0 victory over Argentina ultimately secured Slovenia`s historic qualification in their debut World Championship appearance, setting up a Round of 16 clash with Türkiye.
In Pool G, Poland and Germany comfortably defeated Kenya and Vietnam. Poland ultimately claimed the top spot after a thrilling 3:2 victory over Germany (21:25; 25:15; 19:25; 28:26; 19:17 in the decider). Meanwhile, France also secured progression from Pool C, despite Brazil clinching first place with a 3:2 win against the French.
Sweden`s Isabelle Haak was the standout individual performer of the pool phase, leading all scorers with an impressive 95 points.
With the Round of 16 set to take place in Bangkok between August 29 and September 1, four European teams are guaranteed to reach the quarter-finals. Key matchups include Netherlands vs. Serbia, Türkiye vs. Slovenia, Italy vs. Germany, and Poland vs. Belgium.
