TEHRAN – The 2026 Sitting Para Volley World Championships for men and women will take place in Hangzhou, China, from July 11 to 21.

The winners in both categories will earn direct qualification for the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

“Iran’s men’s sitting volleyball team will compete as defending champions,” said Hadi Rezaei, head coach of Iran’s sitting volleyball team, to Iran’s National Paralympic Committee (NPC).

“The women’s team, currently participating in the 2025 ParaVolley Asia Oceania Zonal Championships (PVAO), will have the opportunity to qualify through that competition.”

He added: “If the women’s team finish as one of the top three teams in the tournament, they will qualify for the World Championship.”

The PVAO will feature teams from Iran, China, Mongolia, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, and Australia.

The Iranian women’s national team will face Australia in their first preliminary match on Monday.