TEHRAN – Iran lost the best Asian team position to Japan in the updated FIVB men's world rankings.

Iran national volleyball team lost to Japan 3-0 on Friday in the opening match of the 2021 Volleyball Nations League (VNL).

Iran moved down to ninth place, while Japan moved up one spot to eighth place.

The changes are based on results from the ongoing VNL games. According to volleyball's world governing body FIVB, the new dynamic ranking system will respond in real time after each competition day.

Brazil, Poland, the U.S., Russia, France, Germany, Japan and Serbia all tasted victory on Friday, the first day of the men's competitions.