ALAS Pilipinas will have to earn every inch of ground if it hopes to turn silver into gold in the 2026 AVC Women’s Nations Cup from June 6 to 14 in Candon City.
The official draw held on Friday sets up a loaded Pool A for the Philippines, placing the reigning silver medalists in a gauntlet that features regional heavyweights South Korea and Chinese Taipei, along with Australia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
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Coming in as the reigning silver medalist after a finals loss to Vietnam last year, the Filipinos will need to navigate a group that features multiple teams ranked ahead of them.
As confirmed by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), incoming head coach Tai Bundit's first tournament in charge will feature the same roster that finished fourth in the 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games last December, before he gets to make changes to the national team pool.
Alas is currently at No. 46 in the world, putting it behind two key Pool A rivals. Chinese Taipei is ranked 37th, while South Korea is at 40th, making both immediate obstacles in the hosts’ path to a strong finish.
That sets up a crucial early test, particularly against South Korea, a program with a long-standing pedigree in Asian volleyball, and a gritty Chinese Taipei side, which the Philippines had to fend off in a tight five-set semifinals duel in last year's tournament.
Pool B, meanwhile, is bannered by defending champion Vietnam, which enters as the highest-ranked team in the tournament at No. 28.
The key difference, however, is the expected absence of reigning MVP Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen who withdrew from the Vietnamese's recent international forays in light of gender-related issues.
Kazakhstan also looms as a major contender at No. 35, giving that group its own share of heavyweight matchups.
Iran, ranked No. 47, is just within striking distance of the Filipinos in the global standings, adding further intrigue to the race for the knockout phase.
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