The tournament represents an important opportunity for the next generation of players to gain experience on the international stage and establish themselves as future stars of the sport.

Iran will be among the teams looking to make a deep run in the competition. The Iranian U17 side, coached by Arash Sadeghiani, have been placed in Pool E and will begin their campaign on Wednesday against Algeria. The match is scheduled for 14:00 local time in Doha and will provide Iran with an immediate opportunity to make a positive start to the tournament.

Iran's group-stage opponents also include Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, and Algeria. 

The competition features a revised format in 2026. The 24 teams have been divided into six pools of four, with the top two teams from each pool automatically advancing to the Round of 16. The four best third-placed teams will also progress, meaning that every match in the preliminary phase could prove crucial in determining the knockout-stage lineup.

For Sadeghiani's young squad, the opening encounter against Algeria offers the perfect opportunity to build momentum. Iran have already shown promising form during their preparations in Doha, defeating Italy 3-1 in a warm-up match shortly before the tournament. The result followed another victory in their preparation schedule and provided the team with confidence ahead of their opening World Championship fixture.

Iran have traditionally enjoyed considerable success in age-group volleyball, making their participation in the U17 World Championship particularly significant. The inaugural edition in 2024 was won by Italy, who defeated Argentina in the final, while Iran will now aim to challenge the strongest teams and secure a place in the medal rounds.

MNA