India beat New Zealand but fate hinges on Oman-Bahrain; Japan crush Australia at Asian Championship 2026

Fukuoka, Japan – India secured their first victory at the 2026 AVC Men's Volleyball Asian Championship by sweeping New Zealand 25-22, 25-18, 25-21. But even that convincing win does not guarantee a quarterfinal berth. Their fate now depends entirely on the Pool A match between Oman and Bahrain. Captain and opposite Jerome Vinith Charles scored a match-high 19 points with two kill blocks. Chirag Yadav added 14 points and Amit Balwan Singh 13 as India finished Pool B in third place with a 1-2 record. New Zealand, who got 15 points from Seth Dylan Grant, were eliminated. In the late match in Kitakyushu, Japan fueled by 6,500 fans took down Australia 25-20, 25-13, 25-21. Yuji Nishida delivered 16 points at 82% efficiency, Ran Takahashi added 13 with five aces. Australia finished second in Pool A. Korea completed the night with a 25-20, 25-19, 25-15 win over Qatar, led by Jaeyoung Lim's 15 points. Mubarak Musa Thiik Madut was the match top scorer with 17 points for Qatar. The 2026 AVC Men's Asian Championship is a qualifying event for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and a pathway to the 2027 FIVB Men's World Cup.