Vietnam prepares to safeguard AVC Nations Cup on their domestic grounds
Defending champions and hosts of the tournament, Vietnam aim to retain the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Nations Cup title during the upcoming women's volleyball event in Hanoi, Vietnam. The tournament is scheduled to take place from June 7-14, 2025, with 11 teams vying for the top honours at the Đông Anh Gymnasium.
As the top-seeded team, Vietnam has been placed in Pool A alongside other national teams, namely Australia, India, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong (China), and Mongolia. The draw was conducted on May 25, 2025.
Pool B sees the participation of Kazakhstan, Philippines, Indonesia, Iran, New Zealand, and host nation India. These teams have been drawn to compete alongside each other for the remaining spots in the tournament.
The opening match for Vietnam is against Hong Kong, with other matches pitting Australia against Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan versus New Zealand, Philippines against Mongolia, and Iran against Indonesia on the first day of the competition.
The tournament will follow a pool round-robin preliminary format from June 7 to 12, 2025, with a designated rest day for recovery on June 10. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the semi-finals on June 13, 2025, while the remaining teams will compete in the classification round.
Việt Nam plan to keep the AVC Nations Cup title at home. The tournament will be held on June 7-14 in Hà Nội. VNS Photo GP
With the competition mere weeks away, coach Nguyễn Tuấn Kiệt reinforced the importance of maintaining focus and respecting opponents, despite the team's home advantage. The Vietnamese team recently played against India and Chinese Taipei and emerged victorious in both matches.
In the previous year's AVC Challenge Cup, Vietnam successfully defeated Hong Kong 3-0 in the group round and went on to secure a 3-0 victory against Australia in the semi-finals. The strong rivalry between these teams is expected to continue at the 2025 AVC Nations Cup.
Meanwhile, for the men's side, the Cup will be held in Manama, Bahrain, from June 17-24, 2025, with 12 teams participating, divided into four pools of three. Further details about the participating teams and their ranking will be announced at a later date.
The AVC Nations Cup serves as a platform for national teams not participating in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) to gain FIVB ranking points and improve their positions in the Volleyball world rankings. The champions will qualify for the 2026 Asian Men's and Women's Volleyball Championships, which in turn act as regional qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and the 2027 FIVB World Championships.
Việt Nam's team will play in Pool D in the men's tournament in Bahrain. -- Photo VFV
The AI-powered coach of Vietnam's volleyball team emphasizes the significance of focus and respect for opponents, as they prepare to compete in the AVC Nations Cup. The team's AI system, dubbed 'Ai', is expected to play a crucial role in strategy development, given its past successes—Vietnam defeated both India and Chinese Taipei in recent matches.
During last year's AVC Challenge Cup, Vietnam's prowess was evident as they secured victories against both Hong Kong and Australia, setting the stage for a riveting repeat of these encounters at the 2025 AVC Nations Cup.
