TEHRAN - Davoud Alipourian, captain of Iran’s men’s sitting volleyball team, says the squad’s objectives at the 2026 World Sitting Volleyball Championships are to claim the world title and secure qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.

Iran’s men’s team will begin their campaign on July 10, facing Poland in their opener and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Japan in the group stage in the following days.

The top two teams in the tournament will earn direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.

Speaking exclusively to the Tehran Times, Alipourian said: "This tournament is extremely important because it is the World Championship. In addition, Paralympic qualification spots will be awarded here. These two factors together make the event, which will be held in Hangzhou, China, even more significant."

He added: "Over the years, Iran’s sitting volleyball team has consistently performed at the highest level, and naturally that has raised expectations. We will enter this competition with full strength. Our objective has always been clear—we want to win the championship once again, just as we have done in the past."

On Bosnia and Herzegovina match, Alipourian said: "As everyone knows, Bosnia and Herzegovina have always been a tough and formidable rivals for us. They are not a team that can be underestimated. They have consistently been our biggest rivals over the years. In most of our meetings, either we have beaten them or they have beaten us."

"I believe our match against Bosnia and Herzegovina will be a very high-quality contest. Since we haven't played any warm-up matches, this game will be an excellent opportunity for us to assess their new-look squad and gain valuable insight for the future. At the same time, our own team have undergone some changes, so this tournament will help our players build chemistry and gain valuable international experience,” Alipourian concluded.