Asian Men's Volleyball Championship

The Asian Men's Volleyball Championship is an international volleyball competition in Asia and Oceania contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), the sport's continent governing body. The initial gap between championships was four years, but since 1987 they have been awarded every two years. The top three teams qualified for the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship. The current champion is Japan, which won its tenth title at the 2023 tournament.

Asian Men's Volleyball Championship

Most recent season or competition: 2023 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship
Sport	Volleyball
Founded	1975; 50 years ago (1975)
First season	1975
No. of teams	16
Continents	Asia and Oceania (AVC)
Most recent champion(s)	Japan (10th title)
Most titles	Japan (10 titles)

History

The first tournament was held in 1975 with the participation of seven national teams. Japan captured the first gold. The next edition was held in 1979, were won by China and Wang Jiawei hailed as the first ever MVP of the tournament. However, in 1980s Japan managed to return at first position. They captured another Asian gold in 1983 and repeated this success at next edition in 1987. In 1989, twice runners-up South Korea won its maiden Asian title at the home tournament. The three teams from East Asia dominated the tournament for next three decades.

The domination of East Asian teams was ceased in 2007 when Australia unprecedentally won their first ever title. The next tournament was won again by Japan. In 2011, Iran took their first ever title at the home tournament and repeated this success at the next edition in 2013.

The 2015 Asian Championship took place again in Tehran, Iran. It was won by Japan who managed to beat home favorites – Iran – in 3–1 victory. They also won the next tournament.

The 2019 Asian Championship was hosted by Iran for the fourth time and they won and captured their 3rd title after defeating Australia in 3–0 victory. For the first time in the tournament, the 2021 edition was held in two venues in Japan. In the final match held in Chiba, Iran finally took their revenge against home favorites – Japan – in 3–0 victory and won their fourth Asian title.

The 2023 Asian Championship was held in Iran for the fifth time. However, the host and two-time defending champions failed to defend their title, having defeated by a young Japanese squad who had just captured historic bronze medal in the 2023 Nations League.

The 22 Asian Championship tournaments have been won by five different national teams. Japan have won ten times. The other Asian Championship winners are South Korea and Iran, with four titles each; China, with three titles; and Australia, with one title.

China, Japan, and South Korea co-holds record for the participation at the Asian Championships (22 times).

Starting in 2026, the tournaments will now be held every even year, conforming to the 2025–28 Volleyball Calendar of the FIVB.^[1]

Results summary

Year	Host		Final				3rd place match				Teams
			Champions	Score	Runners-up		3rd place	Score	4th place
1975 Details	Melbourne		Japan	Round-robin	South Korea		China	Round-robin	Australia		7
1979 Details	Manama		China	Round-robin	South Korea		Japan	Round-robin	Australia		15
1983 Details	Tokyo		Japan	Round-robin	China		South Korea	Round-robin	Chinese Taipei		11
1987 Details	Kuwait City		Japan	3–0	China		South Korea	3–0	Kuwait		17
1989 Details	Seoul		South Korea	3–0	Japan		China	3–2	Pakistan		19
1991 Details	Perth		Japan	Round-robin	South Korea		China	Round-robin	Australia		15
1993 Details	Nakhon Ratchasima		South Korea	3–0	Kazakhstan		Japan	3–2	China		16
1995 Details	Seoul		Japan	Round-robin	China		South Korea	Round-robin	Iran		14
1997 Details	Doha		China	Round-robin	Japan		Australia	Round-robin	Chinese Taipei		17
1999 Details	Tehran		China	Round-robin	Australia		South Korea	Round-robin	Japan		14
2001 Details	Changwon		South Korea	3–1	Australia		Japan	3–1	China		12
2003 Details	Tianjin		South Korea	Round-robin	China		Iran	Round-robin	Australia		15
2005 Details	Suphan Buri		Japan	3–0	China		South Korea	3–1	India		18
2007 Details	Jakarta		Australia	Round-robin	Japan		South Korea	Round-robin	China		17
2009 Details	Manila		Japan	3–1	Iran		South Korea	3–1	China		18
2011 Details	Tehran		Iran	3–1	China		South Korea	3–1	Australia		16
2013 Details	Dubai		Iran	3–0	South Korea		China	3–1	Japan		21
2015 Details	Tehran		Japan	3–1	Iran		China	3–2	Qatar		16
2017 Details	Gresik		Japan	3–1	Kazakhstan		South Korea	3–0	Indonesia		16
2019 Details	Tehran		Iran	3–0	Australia		Japan	3–1	South Korea		16
2021 Details	Chiba / Funabashi		Iran	3–0	Japan		China	3–0	Chinese Taipei		16
2023 Details	Urmia		Japan	3–0	Iran		Qatar	3–0	China		17

Teams reaching the top four

Team	Champions	Runners-up	3rd place	4th place
Japan	10 (1975, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2017, 2023)	4 (1989, 1997, 2007, 2021)	4 (1979, 1993, 2001, 2019)	2 (1999, 2013)
South Korea	4 (1989, 1993, 2001, 2003)	4 (1975, 1979, 1991, 2013)	9 (1983, 1987, 1995, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2017)	1 (2019)
Iran	4 (2011, 2013, 2019, 2021)	3 (2009, 2015, 2023)	1 (2003)	1 (1995)
China	3 (1979, 1997, 1999)	6 (1983, 1987, 1995, 2003, 2005, 2011)	6 (1975, 1989, 1991, 2013, 2015, 2021)	5 (1993, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2023)
Australia	1 (2007)	3 (1999, 2001, 2019)	1 (1997)	5 (1975, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2011)
Kazakhstan		2 (1993, 2017)
Qatar			1 (2023)	1 (2015)
Chinese Taipei				3 (1983, 1997, 2021)
Kuwait				1 (1987)
Pakistan				1 (1989)
India				1 (2005)
Indonesia				1 (2017)

Champions by region

Federation (Region)	Champion(s)	Number
EAVA (East Asia)	Japan (10), South Korea (4), China (3)	17 titles
CAVA (Central Asia)	Iran (4)	4 titles
OZVA (Oceania)	Australia (1)	1 title

Hosts

List of hosts by number of championships hosted.

Times Hosted	Nations	Year(s)
5	Iran	1999, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023
3	South Korea	1989, 1995, 2001
2	Australia	1975, 1991
	Japan	1983, 2021
	Thailand	1993, 2005
	Indonesia	2007, 2017
1	Bahrain	1979
	China	2003
	Kuwait	1987
	Philippines	2009
	Qatar	1997
	United Arab Emirates	2013

Medal summary

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Japan	10	4	4	18
2	South Korea	4	4	9	17
3	Iran	4	3	1	8
4	China	3	6	6	15
5	Australia	1	3	1	5
6	Kazakhstan	0	2	0	2
7	Qatar	0	0	1	1
Totals (7 entries)		22	22	22	66

Participating nations

Legend

• 1st – Champions
• 2nd – Runners-up
• 3rd – Third place
• 4th – Fourth place
•  •  – Did not enter / Did not qualify
•    – Hosts
• Q – Qualified for the forthcoming tournament

Year Team	1975 (7)	1979 (15)	1983 (11)	1987 (17)	1989 (19)	1991 (15)	1993 (16)	1995 (14)	1997 (17)	1999 (14)	2001 (12)	2003 (15)	2005 (18)	2007 (17)	2009 (18)	2011 (16)	2013 (21)	2015 (16)	2017 (16)	2019 (16)	2021 (16)	2023 (17)	Total
Afghanistan	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	15th	20th	•	•	•	•	14th	3
Australia	4th	4th	6th	11th	10th	4th	6th	5th	3rd	2nd	2nd	4th	8th	1st	7th	4th	5th	5th	8th	2nd	6th	•	21
Bahrain	•	14th	•	8th	16th	•	•	•	10th	10th	•	13th	10th	•	•	•	12th	12th	•	•	10th	8th	11
Bangladesh	•	•	•	•	17th	•	16th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	15th	3
China	3rd	1st	2nd	2nd	3rd	3rd	4th	2nd	1st	1st	4th	2nd	2nd	4th	4th	2nd	3rd	3rd	6th	6th	3rd	4th	22
Chinese Taipei	•	•	4th	6th	9th	5th	10th	6th	4th	7th	6th	9th	13th	8th	8th	13th	9th	6th	7th	5th	4th	6th	20
Hong Kong	•	•	10th	•	14th	•	•	•	•	•	12th	•	18th	•	17th	•	•	•	16th	16th	14th	16th	9
India	•	5th	5th	5th	6th	10th	9th	•	9th	9th	7th	5th	4th	9th	9th	6th	7th	11th	•	8th	9th	11th	19
Indonesia	6th	•	9th	•	•	6th	•	•	•	6th	•	•	11th	7th	6th	11th	•	•	4th	12th	•	9th	11
Iran	•	6th	•	10th	8th	7th	5th	4th	6th	5th	5th	3rd	6th	5th	2nd	1st	1st	2nd	5th	1st	1st	2nd	20
Iraq	•	8th	•	9th	7th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	13th	•	13th	•	•	12th	6
Japan	1st	3rd	1st	1st	2nd	1st	3rd	1st	2nd	4th	3rd	6th	1st	2nd	1st	5th	4th	1st	1st	3rd	2nd	1st	22
Jordan	•	•	•	17th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Kazakhstan	•	•	•	•	•	•	2nd	14th	•	11th	9th	8th	•	10th	5th	9th	10th	9th	2nd	10th	11th	13th	14
Kuwait	•	7th	7th	4th	5th	•	14th	13th	•	14th	•	•	•	17th	•	•	17th	14th	•	15th	16th	•	12
Lebanon	•	13th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	11th	•	8th	•	•	•	•	•	3
Macau	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	13th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Maldives	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	16th	18th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2
Myanmar	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	10th	•	18th	•	•	•	•	•	2
Nepal	•	•	11th	•	18th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2
New Zealand	7th	11th	8th	12th	12th	12th	11th	12th	•	•	•	14th	15th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	10
North Korea	•	•	•	•	•	11th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Oman	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	19th	15th	•	13th	•	•	3
Pakistan	•	•	•	7th	4th	8th	8th	8th	7th	8th	•	7th	9th	13th	•	7th	•	10th	12th	7th	7th	7th	16
Philippines	5th	•	•	•	•	•	15th	11th	14th	•	•	•	14th	•	15th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	6
Qatar	•	•	•	•	19th	•	12th	10th	8th	13th	11th	11th	7th	11th	14th	12th	11th	4th	9th	9th	5th	3rd	17
Samoa	•	•	•	•	•	15th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Saudi Arabia	•	9th	•	13th	•	13th	•	•	12th	•	8th	12th	•	12th	•	•	21st	•	15th	•	12th	•	10
Singapore	•	12th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
South Korea	2nd	2nd	3rd	3rd	1st	2nd	1st	3rd	5th	3rd	1st	1st	3rd	3rd	3rd	3rd	2nd	7th	3rd	4th	8th	5th	22
Sri Lanka	•	•	•	•	13th	•	13th	9th	15th	12th	•	•	•	14th	16th	8th	15th	13th	14th	14th	•	•	12
Syria	•	10th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1
Thailand	•	•	•	14th	15th	9th	7th	7th	11th	•	•	10th	5th	6th	13th	10th	6th	8th	11th	11th	15th	10th	17
Turkmenistan	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	14th	•	16th	•	•	•	•	2
United Arab Emirates	•	•	•	15th	11th	14th	•	•	17th	•	10th	15th	17th	•	•	•	14th	•	•	•	•	•	8
Uzbekistan	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	16th	•	•	•	16th	•	•	16th	16th	•	•	•	13th	17th	6
Vietnam	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	12th	15th	12th	•	•	•	10th	•	•	•	4
Discontinued team
South Yemen	•	15th	•	16th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	2

Debut of teams

Year Debutants Total 1975  Australia 7  China  Indonesia  Japan  New Zealand  Philippines  South Korea 1979  Bahrain 10  India  Iran  Iraq  Kuwait  Lebanon  Saudi Arabia  Singapore  South Yemen  Syria 1983  Chinese Taipei 3  Hong Kong    Nepal 1987  Jordan 4  Pakistan  Thailand  United Arab Emirates 1989  Bangladesh 3  Qatar  Sri Lanka 1991  North Korea 2  Samoa 1993  Kazakhstan 1 1995 None 0 1997  Macau 2  Uzbekistan 1999 None 0

Year Debutants Total 2001 None 0 2003 2005  Vietnam 1 2007  Maldives 1 2009  Myanmar 1 2011  Afghanistan 2  Turkmenistan 2013  Oman 1 2015 None 0 2017 2019 2021 2023

Most valuable player by edition

• 1975 – Not awarded
• 1979 –  Wang Jiawei (CHN)
• 1983 to 1997 – Not awarded
• 1999 –  Behnam Mahmoudi (IRI)
• 2001 –  Shin Jin-sik (KOR)
• 2003 –  Yejju Subba Rao (IND)
• 2005 –  Marcos Sugiyama (JPN)
• 2007 –  Dan Howard (AUS)
• 2009 –  Tatsuya Fukuzawa (JPN)
• 2011 –  Arash Kamalvand (IRI)
• 2013 –  Saeid Marouf (IRI)
• 2015 –  Kunihiro Shimizu (JPN)
• 2017 –  Yūki Ishikawa (JPN)
• 2019 –  Thomas Edgar (AUS)
• 2021 –  Saber Kazemi (IRI)
• 2023 –  Yūki Ishikawa (JPN)

See also

• Women's Asian Volleyball Championship
• Volleyball at the Asian Games
• Asian Men's Volleyball Cup
• AVC Men's Challenge Cup
• Asian Men's U23 Volleyball Championship
• Asian Men's U20 Volleyball Championship
• Asian Men's U18 Volleyball Championship
• Asian Boys' U16 Volleyball Championship