TEHRAN – Iran defeated Pakistan in straight sets (25-23, 25-22, 25-18) at the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U17 World Championship in Doha, Qatar on Friday.

Sina Hazrati and Arash Ashrafi scored 16 points each for Iran, while Muhammad Waleed Khan accumulated seven points for Pakistan.

Iran, who had previously defeated Algeria 3-0 in their opening match, will face Chinese Taipei on Sunday.

The competition has brought 24 of the world’s best young volleyball teams in Doha, Qatar from Aug. 19 to 29. The tournament represents an important opportunity for the next generation of players to gain experience on the international stage and establish themselves as future stars of the sport.

Iran is among the teams looking to make a deep run in the competition. The Iranian U17 side, coached by Arash Sadeghiani, have been placed in Pool E along with Algeria, Chinese Taipei, and Pakistan.

The 24 teams have been divided into six pools of four, with the top two teams from each pool automatically advancing to the Round of 16. The four best third-placed teams will also progress, meaning that every match in the preliminary phase could prove crucial in determining the knockout-stage lineup.

Iran have traditionally enjoyed considerable success in age-group volleyball, making their participation in the U17 World Championship particularly significant. The inaugural edition in 2024 was won by Italy, who defeated Argentina in the final, while Iran will now aim to challenge the strongest teams and secure a place in the medal rounds.