TEHRAN - The schedule for the 2026 World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball World Championships has been confirmed, with 32 teams set to compete in Hangzhou, China, from 10 to 17 July.

The tournament will be the first opportunity for teams to secure qualification for the LA28 Paralympic Games, with the men’s and women’s champions earning direct qualification places.

The World Championships, hosted at the World ParaVolley Development Centre, will feature 16 men’s teams and 16 women’s teams. The competition opens with a three-day pool stage from 10 to 12 July, with teams divided into four pools of four in each tournament. All teams will then progress to the Round of 16 on 13 July.

The knockout phase begins on 14 July, with teams continuing to compete for both championship honors and final placings. Semifinals are scheduled for 15 July, followed by bronze medal matches and classification contests on 16 July. The men’s final will be played on 17 July at 11:00 local time, with the women’s final following at 14:00.

The event will be the first edition of the Sitting Volleyball World Championships to be held in China and will also introduce an official video challenge system at a World Championships for the first time.

The competition pools were confirmed earlier this year, but the release of the schedule now provides a clearer picture of the opening path facing many of the tournament favorites.

Reigning men’s world and Paralympic champions Iran begin their title defense against Poland on 10 July before facing Bosnia and Herzegovina and Japan. The meeting between Iran and Bosnia and Herzegovina on 11 July brings together the finalists from both the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and the 2022 World Championships.