TEHRAN - Iran’s national volleyball team left Moscow on Monday to travel to Japan for the 2026 Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship, which also serves as the first stage of qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The tournament will take place in Fukuoka, Japan, from September 4 to 13.
Before their departure, the Iranian squad completed an intensive two-hour training session at the Dynamo Moscow facility, following a morning weight-training workout. The coaching staff emphasized high-intensity tactical drills and ball work to maintain peak physical condition during the two-day transit, as no team practice will be possible until their arrival.
The delegation departed Moscow for Abu Dhabi at 10:50 a.m. local time on Monday. From Abu Dhabi, the team will fly to Tokyo before taking a domestic connection to Fukuoka, where they are scheduled to arrive at 7:20 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
Head coach Roberto Piazza has named a 14-player roster for the championship: Arshia Behnezhad, Ilshen Davoudypour, Seyed Eisa Naseri, Muhammad Nima Bateni, Muhammad Valizadeh, Ali Hajipour, Amin Esmaeilnezhad, Morteza Sharifi, Pouriya Hussein Khanzadeh, Ali Haqparast, Esmaeil Mosafer, Mobin Nasri, Muhammad Reza Hazratpour, and Hussein Hajikelateh.
The coaching and support staff includes Morteza Ghanbar Afjehei (Team Manager), Roberto Piazza (Head Coach), Tomas Totolo, Rahman Muhammadirad, and Ali Fattahi (Assistant Coaches), Amin Shakeri (Analyst), Hussein Kord (Physiotherapist), Vahid Bagheri (Fitness Coach), and Sajjad Nouri (Masseur).