Who won the 2025 Men's Volleyball World Championship?

Italy won in Manila, retaining the title it won in 2022. Bulgaria took silver and Poland won bronze.

How often are the Volleyball World Championships held?

They were held every four years up to 2022. From 2025 the championship is held every two years, in odd years.

How does the 32-team World Championship format work?

Eight round-robin groups of four open the event, and the top two of each group reach the round of 16. From there sixteen teams play a knockout.

What is the record crowd for a volleyball match?

Reports give around 62,000 fans for Poland's 3-0 win over Serbia in the National Stadium in Warsaw, which opened the 2014 World Championship. That figure is a record for an official volleyball match.

Which women's teams have won the World Championship since 2014?

The United States won in 2014, Serbia in 2018 and 2022, and Italy in 2025.

Which country has the most men's world titles?

The Soviet Union won six men's titles. Italy's men have five, in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2022 and 2025.

Where were the 2025 World Championships held?

The Philippines hosted the men's event in Manila and Thailand hosted the women's.

Volleyball · Level 10: Professional · Sub-level 10.1

The World Championships

10 tests · 100 facts · updated 25 October 2026 · markdown

The FIVB Volleyball World Championships are the sport's oldest world title. They were held every four years until 2022, with a field of 24 teams. From 2025 the event is held every two years, in odd years, with 32 teams: eight round-robin groups of four, after which the top two of each group play a sixteen-team knockout.

Recent men's titles went to Poland and Italy. Poland won at home in 2014, ending Brazil's run of three straight titles, with the opening match against Serbia played before around 62,000 fans in Warsaw's National Stadium, reported as a record for an official volleyball match. Poland retained the title in 2018, in an event shared by Italy and Bulgaria, again beating Brazil in the final. Italy, champions in 1990, 1994 and 1998, beat Poland in the 2022 final and kept the title in Manila in 2025, ahead of Bulgaria. Among the women, the United States, coached by Kiraly, won their first title in 2014, Serbia won in 2018 and 2022, and Italy beat Turkey in the 2025 final in Thailand, so Italy held both world titles at once.

The facts below cover each men's and women's championship from 2014 to 2025, the 32-team format, the hosts in Asia and Europe and the championship records.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1Poland 2014Take a test

Poland won its home championship in 2014.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Brazil, the three-time defending champions, took silver.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Germany won the bronze medal in Poland.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Poland played Serbia in the National Stadium before more than 60,000 fans.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Reports give around 62,000, a record for an official volleyball match.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Poland won the opener against Serbia 3-0.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Brazil won in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Brazil's run ended with Poland's home title.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Gold, silver and bronze in 2014.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
The 2014 World Championship opened in Warsaw's National Stadium.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Test 2Poland again in 2018Take a test

Italy and Bulgaria shared the 2018 event.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Poland retained its world title.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Brazil again finished second.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The United States took bronze.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Poland won in 2014 and again in 2018.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The championships were then held every four years.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Bulgaria hosted in 1970, when East Germany won.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Three world titles over 44 years.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Gold, silver and bronze in 2018.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Poland beat Brazil in the 2014 and 2018 finals.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Test 3Italy in 2022Take a test

Italy beat the hosts Poland in the final.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The event moved to Poland and Slovenia.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Poland took silver at home.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Brazil won bronze.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy's previous title was in 1998.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Poland had won in 2014 and 2018.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy had won in 1990, 1994 and 1998.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Three in the 1990s, then 2022.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
2014, 2018 and 2022.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Italy beat Poland in the 2022 final.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Test 4Manila 2025Take a test

Manila staged the 2025 men's championship.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy retained its title.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Bulgaria took silver.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Poland won bronze.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The field grew from 24 to 32 teams.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy won in 2022 and 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
From 2025 the championship is held every two years in odd years.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Two Polish titles, then two Italian ones.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Gold, silver and bronze in 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Italy won the 2025 title in Manila.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Test 5The US women in 2014Take a test

The United States beat China in the final.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy staged the 2014 women's event.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
China took silver.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Brazil took bronze.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
2014 was the first.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Russia won in 2006 and 2010.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Kiraly was head coach of the US women.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Russia's two titles, then the USA's first.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Gold, silver and bronze in 2014.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
The United States beat China in the 2014 final.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Test 6Serbia's doubleTake a test

Serbia beat Italy in the final.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Japan staged the 2018 women's event.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy took silver.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
China took bronze.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Serbia retained its title.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The 2022 event was shared by the Netherlands and Poland.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Brazil took silver.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
2014, 2018 and 2022.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Gold, silver and bronze in 2022.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Serbia won the 2018 and 2022 women's titles.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Test 7Italy's women in 2025Take a test

Thailand staged the 2025 women's event.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy beat Turkey in the final.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Turkey took silver.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Brazil took bronze.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy won in 2002 and 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Silver in 2018, bronze in 2022, gold in 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The women's field also grew to 32.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
2018, 2022 and 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Gold, silver and bronze in 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Italy beat Turkey in the 2025 final.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Test 8The 32-team formatTake a test

They moved from four-yearly to biennial.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The new cycle uses odd years, starting in 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The field had 24 teams until 2022.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Eight round-robin groups of four open the event.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The top two of each group reach the round of 16.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Sixteen teams play a knockout from there.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
More places give more nations a chance to play.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Groups first, then knockouts.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Four years to 2022, then every two years in odd years.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
The 32-team World Championships use this format.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Test 9Hosts in Asia and EuropeTake a test

Japan staged the 2006 men's event, won by Brazil.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Japan had hosted before; the Philippines brought it to South-East Asia.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy staged the 2010 men's event.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Japan has been a frequent women's host.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Big audiences in Asia make strong hosts.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
The Philippines and Thailand hosted in 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Poland shared both 2022 events.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
2014, 2018, 2022 and 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
2014, 2018, 2022 and 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
The Philippines hosted the men and Thailand the women.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Test 10Championship recordsTake a test

The Soviet Union won six men's titles.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Five women's titles: 1952, 1956, 1960, 1970 and 1990.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Brazil won in 2002, 2006 and 2010.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
1990, 1994, 1998, 2022 and 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Italy's men and women both won in 2025.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Japan and Cuba each have three titles.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Poland finished third in Manila.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · recall
Four of Italy's five titles.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Serbia's double, then Italy.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied
Italy won both 2025 titles.
Source: Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports · applied

Questions people ask

Who won the 2025 Men's Volleyball World Championship?: Italy won in Manila, retaining the title it won in 2022. Bulgaria took silver and Poland won bronze.
How often are the Volleyball World Championships held?: They were held every four years up to 2022. From 2025 the championship is held every two years, in odd years.
How does the 32-team World Championship format work?: Eight round-robin groups of four open the event, and the top two of each group reach the round of 16. From there sixteen teams play a knockout.
What is the record crowd for a volleyball match?: Reports give around 62,000 fans for Poland's 3-0 win over Serbia in the National Stadium in Warsaw, which opened the 2014 World Championship. That figure is a record for an official volleyball match.
Which women's teams have won the World Championship since 2014?: The United States won in 2014, Serbia in 2018 and 2022, and Italy in 2025.
Which country has the most men's world titles?: The Soviet Union won six men's titles. Italy's men have five, in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2022 and 2025.
Where were the 2025 World Championships held?: The Philippines hosted the men's event in Manila and Thailand hosted the women's.

Sources

FIVB, Volleyball World and Olympic results records; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered FIVB rules belong to the Rules category.

Wikipedia, FIVB Men's and Women's Volleyball World Championship; event reports100