Schedule, results, standings: 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men

MANILA, Philippines – Following a historic Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup bronze-medal win by the Alas Pilipinas women’s team, it is the men’s turn to show what they have on foreign soil as the men’s tournament begins in Isa Town, Bahrain this June 2 to 9 (June 2 to 10, Manila time).

Divided into four pools, 12 of Asia’s best teams will clash round-robin style within their own divisions first before the pool leaders advance to the knockout playoffs, eventually culminating in the gold medal match that awards a seat to the 2024 FIVB Challenger Cup in Linyi, China this July 4 to 7.

To advance further in the four-pool Challenge Cup, teams must not fall any lower than second place in their respective groups, as the last-place squads of each pool will only be relegated to the 9th to 12th-place classifications.

Meanwhile, the top two teams of Pool A will clash with the top squads of Pool C, and the best two of Pool B will battle Pool D’s lead pair in the round-robin quarterfinals.

The top four then make up the knockout semifinals, before the last two teams battle for the Challenger Cup berth. However, if Challenger Cup host China makes it to the final two, then its gold-medal match foe automatically gets a Challenger Cup seat as well, regardless of the KO final’s result.

Here is the latest schedule of the continental tournament, with results and standings to follow as the matches get underway.

FINAL RANKINGS

• Champion: Qatar
• 2nd:  Pakistan
• 3rd: South Korea
• 4th: Kazakhstan
• 5th: China
• 6th: Vietnam
• 7th: Bahrain
• 8th: Australia
• 9th: Thailand
• 10th: Philippines
• 11th: Indonesia
• 12th: Chinese Taipei

SCHEDULE, RESULTS

(all times Manila time)

FINALS

• June 10, Monday, 12 am – Qatar def. Pakistan, 25-22, 25-20, 25-19

BATTLE FOR 3RD

• June 9, Sunday, 9:30 pm – South Korea def. Kazakhstan, 27-25, 19-25, 27-25, 32-20

SEMIFINALS

• June 8, Saturday, 9:30 pm – Qatar def. Kazakhstan, 25-16, 19-25, 25-19, 25-16
• June 9, Sunday, 12 am – Pakistan def. South Korea, 25-22, 24-26, 25-22, 25-22

5TH PLACE MATCH

• June 8, Saturday, 7 pm – China def. Vietnam, 25-19, 25-21, 26-28, 25-21

7TH PLACE MATCH

• June 8, Saturday, 4:30 pm – Bahrain def. Australia, 25-17, 25-22, 25-20

9TH PLACE MATCH

• June 7, Friday, 7 pm – Thailand def. Philippines, 25-20, 23-25, 25-22, 25-20

11TH PLACE MATCH

• June 7, Friday, 4:30 pm – Indonesia def. Chinese Taipei, 26-24, 25-21, 27-25

5TH-8TH CLASSIFICATION
(WINNERS TO 5TH PLACE MATCH, LOSERS TO 7TH PLACE MATCH)

• June 7, Friday, 9:30 pm – China def. Australia, 21–25, 25–21, 23–25, 25–19, 17–15
• June 8, Saturday, 12 am – Vietnam def. Bahrain, 25-22, 24-26, 25-21, 25-21

QUARTERFINALS

• June 6, Thursday, 4:30 pm – Qatar def. China, 25-19, 25-19, 25-19
• June 6, Thursday, 7 pm – Kazakhstan def. Australia, 21–25, 25–23, 25–18, 25–21
• June 6, Thursday, 9:30 pm – Pakistan def. Vietnam, 19–25, 27–25, 25–23, 21–25, 15–12
• June 7, Friday, 12 am – South Korea def. Bahrain, 26-24, 32-30, 22-25, 22-25, 15-12

9TH-12TH CLASSIFICATION
(WINNERS TO 9TH PLACE MATCH, LOSERS TO 11TH PLACE MATCH)

• June 5, Wednesday, 9:30 pm – Philippines def. Indonesia, 25-23, 23-25, 25-14, 25-22 (Marck Espejo – 20 points | Kim Malabunga – 12 points (6 blocks)
• June 6, Thursday, 12 am – Thailand def. Chinese Taipei, 25-17, 25-25, 25-20

ELIMINATION ROUND RESULTS

POOL A

• June 3, Monday, 12 am – China def. Philippines, 25-19, 25-22, 25-22 (Jau Umandal, Leo Ordiales – 10 points | Marck Espejo – 8 points)
• June 4, Tuesday, 12 am – Bahrain def. Philippines, 25-18, 25-23, 25-20 (Jau Umandal – 9 points | Marck Espejo, Kim Malabunga – 8 points)
• June 5, Wednesday, 12 am – China def. Bahrain, 25-20, 25-22, 25-16

POOL B

• June 2, Sunday, 4:30 pm – Pakistan def. Kazakhstan, 25-19, 25-19, 25-21
• June 3, Monday, 7 pm – Pakistan def. Thailand, 25-22, 25-14, 25-21
• June 4, Tuesday, 4:30 pm – Kazakhstan def. Thailand, 25–21, 22–25, 25–23, 19–25, 15–13

POOL C

• June 2, Sunday, 9:30 pm – South Korea def. Indonesia, 25-11, 25-16, 25-9
• June 3, Monday, 9:30 pm – South Korea def. Qatar, 25-16, 19-25, 25-16, 22-25, 20-18
• June 4, Tuesday, 7 pm – Qatar def. Indonesia, 25-17, 25-15, 25-17

POOL D

• June 2, Sunday, 7 pm – Australia def. Chinese Taipei, 25-21, 25-17, 25-17
• June 3, Monday, 4:30 pm – Australia def. Vietnam, 25-18, 25-17, 28-26
• June 4, Tuesday, 9:30 pm – Vietnam def. Chinese Taipei, 25-15, 25-22, 25-14

ELIMINATION ROUND STANDINGS

* quarterfinalist

POOL A

• *China :: 2-0
• *Bahrain :: 1-1
• Philippines :: 0-2

POOL B

• *Pakistan :: 2-0
• *Kazakhstan :: 1-1
• Thailand :: 0-2

POOL C

• *South Korea :: 2-0
• *Qatar :: 1-1
• Indonesia :: 0-2

POOL D

• *Australia :: 2-0
• *Chinese Taipei :: 0-2
• Vietnam :: 1-1

– Rappler.com