Alas Pilipinas men, women face tough Asian Games volleyball draws

Alas Pilipinas will face a challenging path in the volleyball tournament of the Nagoya-Aichi 2026 Asian Games after both the men’s and women’s national teams were drawn into difficult groups during the official draw for the September competition.

The Philippine women’s team, currently ranked No. 61 in the FIVB World Rankings, landed in Group B alongside continental powerhouse China, the world No. 7 squad, and No. 39 Kazakhstan.

The men’s team also received a difficult assignment after being placed in Group D. Ranked No. 96 in the world, Alas Men will compete against No. 26 South Korea, No. 35 China, and No. 60 Chinese Taipei for a place in the next round.

Both national teams enter the Asian Games draw while continuing their preparations for the competition. The men’s squad is currently participating in the second leg of the 2026 SEA V.League, while the women’s team is set to begin its own SEA V.League campaign later this month.

In the women’s tournament, host Japan, ranked No. 6 in the world, headlines Group A along with No. 60 Indonesia and No. 69 Nepal.

Group C features No. 17 Thailand, No. 38 Chinese Taipei, No. 99 Kyrgyzstan, and No. 111 Mongolia, while Group D consists of No. 28 Vietnam, No. 30 South Korea, No. 109 Hong Kong, and unranked Qatar.

The men’s competition will also feature strong teams across all groups. World No. 4 Japan leads Pool A, which includes No. 46 Pakistan, No. 63 Kazakhstan, and No. 124 Uzbekistan.

Pool B is led by No. 19 Iran, with No. 42 Indonesia, No. 61 Thailand, and No. 76 Kyrgyzstan completing the group.

Pool C features No. 24 Qatar, No. 44 India, No. 66 Vietnam, and No. 92 Hong Kong.

With the groupings finalized, both Alas Pilipinas teams now have a clearer view of the challenges ahead as they continue preparations for one of Asia’s biggest multi-sport competitions.