# Asian Men's Volleyball Championship

The Asian Men's Volleyball Championship is an international volleyball competition in Asia and Oceania contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), the sport's continent governing body. The initial gap between championships was four years, but since 1987 they have been awarded every two years. The top three teams qualified for the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship. The current champion is Japan, which won its tenth title at the 2023 tournament.

## History

The first tournament was held in 1975 with the participation of seven national teams. Japan captured the first gold. The next edition was held in 1979, were won by China and Wang Jiawei hailed as the first ever MVP of the tournament. However, in 1980s Japan managed to return at first position. They captured another Asian gold in 1983 and repeated this success at next edition in 1987. In 1989, twice runners-up South Korea won its maiden Asian title at the home tournament. The three teams from East Asia dominated the tournament for next three decades.
The domination of East Asian teams was ceased in 2007 when Australia unprecedentally won their first ever title. The next tournament was won again by Japan. In 2011, Iran took their first ever title at the home tournament and repeated this success at the next edition in 2013.
The 2015 Asian Championship took place again in Tehran, Iran. It was won by Japan who managed to beat home favorites – Iran – in 3–1 victory. They also won the next tournament.
The 2019 Asian Championship was hosted by Iran for the fourth time and they won and captured their 3rd title after defeating Australia in 3–0 victory. For the first time in the tournament, the 2021 edition was held in two venues in Japan. In the final match held in Chiba, Iran finally took their revenge against home favorites – Japan – in 3–0 victory and won their fourth Asian title.
The 2023 Asian Championship was held in Iran for the fifth time. However, the host and two-time defending champions failed to defend their title, having defeated by a young Japanese squad who had just captured historic bronze medal in the 2023 Nations League.
The 22 Asian Championship tournaments have been won by five different national teams. Japan have won ten times. The other Asian Championship winners are South Korea and Iran, with four titles each; China, with three titles; and Australia, with one title.
China, Japan, and South Korea co-holds record for the participation at the Asian Championships (22 times).
Starting in 2026, the tournaments will now be held every even year, conforming to the 2025–28 Volleyball Calendar of the FIVB.

## Results summary

| Year | Host | Final | Final | Final | 3rd place match | 3rd place match | 3rd place match | Teams |
| Year | Host | Champions | Score | Runners-up | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | Teams |
| 1975 Details | Melbourne | Japan | Round-robin | South Korea | China | Round-robin | Australia | 7 |
| 1979 Details | Manama | China | Round-robin | South Korea | Japan | Round-robin | Australia | 15 |
| 1983 Details | Tokyo | Japan | Round-robin | China | South Korea | Round-robin | Chinese Taipei | 11 |
| 1987 Details | Kuwait City | Japan | 3–0 | China | South Korea | 3–0 | Kuwait | 17 |
| 1989 Details | Seoul | South Korea | 3–0 | Japan | China | 3–2 | Pakistan | 19 |
| 1991 Details | Perth | Japan | Round-robin | South Korea | China | Round-robin | Australia | 15 |
| 1993 Details | Nakhon Ratchasima | South Korea | 3–0 | Kazakhstan | Japan | 3–2 | China | 16 |
| 1995 Details | Seoul | Japan | Round-robin | China | South Korea | Round-robin | Iran | 14 |
| 1997 Details | Doha | China | Round-robin | Japan | Australia | Round-robin | Chinese Taipei | 17 |
| 1999 Details | Tehran | China | Round-robin | Australia | South Korea | Round-robin | Japan | 14 |
| 2001 Details | Changwon | South Korea | 3–1 | Australia | Japan | 3–1 | China | 12 |
| 2003 Details | Tianjin | South Korea | Round-robin | China | Iran | Round-robin | Australia | 15 |
| 2005 Details | Suphan Buri | Japan | 3–0 | China | South Korea | 3–1 | India | 18 |
| 2007 Details | Jakarta | Australia | Round-robin | Japan | South Korea | Round-robin | China | 17 |
| 2009 Details | Manila | Japan | 3–1 | Iran | South Korea | 3–1 | China | 18 |
| 2011 Details | Tehran | Iran | 3–1 | China | South Korea | 3–1 | Australia | 16 |
| 2013 Details | Dubai | Iran | 3–0 | South Korea | China | 3–1 | Japan | 21 |
| 2015 Details | Tehran | Japan | 3–1 | Iran | China | 3–2 | Qatar | 16 |
| 2017 Details | Gresik | Japan | 3–1 | Kazakhstan | South Korea | 3–0 | Indonesia | 16 |
| 2019 Details | Tehran | Iran | 3–0 | Australia | Japan | 3–1 | South Korea | 16 |
| 2021 Details | Chiba / Funabashi | Iran | 3–0 | Japan | China | 3–0 | Chinese Taipei | 16 |
| 2023 Details | Urmia | Japan | 3–0 | Iran | Qatar | 3–0 | China | 17 |

### Teams reaching the top four

| Team | Champions | Runners-up | 3rd place | 4th place |
| Japan | 10 (1975, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2017, 2023) | 4 (1989, 1997, 2007, 2021) | 4 (1979, 1993, 2001, 2019) | 2 (1999, 2013) |
| South Korea | 4 (1989, 1993, 2001, 2003) | 4 (1975, 1979, 1991, 2013) | 9 (1983, 1987, 1995, 1999, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2017) | 1 (2019) |
| Iran | 4 (2011, 2013, 2019, 2021) | 3 (2009, 2015, 2023) | 1 (2003) | 1 (1995) |
| China | 3 (1979, 1997, 1999) | 6 (1983, 1987, 1995, 2003, 2005, 2011) | 6 (1975, 1989, 1991, 2013, 2015, 2021) | 5 (1993, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2023) |
| Australia | 1 (2007) | 3 (1999, 2001, 2019) | 1 (1997) | 5 (1975, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2011) |
| Kazakhstan | | 2 (1993, 2017) | | |
| Qatar | | | 1 (2023) | 1 (2015) |
| Chinese Taipei | | | | 3 (1983, 1997, 2021) |
| Kuwait | | | | 1 (1987) |
| Pakistan | | | | 1 (1989) |
| India | | | | 1 (2005) |
| Indonesia | | | | 1 (2017) |

### Champions by region

| Federation (Region) | Champion(s) | Number |
| EAZVA (East Asia) | Japan (10), South Korea (4), China (3) | 17 titles |
| CAZVA (Central Asia) | Iran (4) | 4 titles |
| OZVA (Oceania) | Australia (1) | 1 title |

## Hosts

List of hosts by number of championships hosted.
| Times Hosted | Nations | Year(s) |
| 5 | Iran | 1999, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023 |
| 3 | South Korea | 1989, 1995, 2001 |
| 2 | Australia | 1975, 1991 |
| 2 | Japan | 1983, 2021 |
| 2 | Thailand | 1993, 2005 |
| 2 | Indonesia | 2007, 2017 |
| 1 | Bahrain | 1979 |
| 1 | China | 2003 |
| 1 | Kuwait | 1987 |
| 1 | Philippines | 2009 |
| 1 | Qatar | 1997 |
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | 2013 |

## Medal summary

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Japan | 10 | 4 | 4 | 18 |
| 2 | South Korea | 4 | 4 | 9 | 17 |
| 3 | Iran | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 4 | China | 3 | 6 | 6 | 15 |
| 5 | Australia | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 | Kazakhstan | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Qatar | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (7 entries) | Totals (7 entries) | 22 | 22 | 22 | 66 |

## Participating nations
### Legend

* 1st – Champions
* 2nd – Runners-up
* 3rd – Third place
* 4th – Fourth place
* • – Did not enter / Did not qualify
* – Hosts
* Q – Qualified for the forthcoming tournament
| YearTeam | 1975 (7) | 1979 (15) | 1983 (11) | 1987 (17) | 1989 (19) | 1991 (15) | 1993 (16) | 1995 (14) | 1997 (17) | 1999 (14) | 2001 (12) | 2003 (15) | 2005 (18) | 2007 (17) | 2009 (18) | 2011 (16) | 2013 (21) | 2015 (16) | 2017 (16) | 2019 (16) | 2021 (16) | 2023 (17) | Total |
| Afghanistan | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 15th | 20th | • | • | • | • | 14th | 3 |
| Australia | 4th | 4th | 6th | 11th | 10th | 4th | 6th | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 4th | 8th | 1st | 7th | 4th | 5th | 5th | 8th | 2nd | 6th | • | 21 |
| Bahrain | • | 14th | • | 8th | 16th | • | • | • | 10th | 10th | • | 13th | 10th | • | • | • | 12th | 12th | • | • | 10th | 8th | 11 |
| Bangladesh | • | • | • | • | 17th | • | 16th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 15th | 3 |
| China | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 6th | 6th | 3rd | 4th | 22 |
| Chinese Taipei | • | • | 4th | 6th | 9th | 5th | 10th | 6th | 4th | 7th | 6th | 9th | 13th | 8th | 8th | 13th | 9th | 6th | 7th | 5th | 4th | 6th | 20 |
| Hong Kong | • | • | 10th | • | 14th | • | • | • | • | • | 12th | • | 18th | • | 17th | • | • | • | 16th | 16th | 14th | 16th | 9 |
| India | • | 5th | 5th | 5th | 6th | 10th | 9th | • | 9th | 9th | 7th | 5th | 4th | 9th | 9th | 6th | 7th | 11th | • | 8th | 9th | 11th | 19 |
| Indonesia | 6th | • | 9th | • | • | 6th | • | • | • | 6th | • | • | 11th | 7th | 6th | 11th | • | • | 4th | 12th | • | 9th | 11 |
| Iran | • | 6th | • | 10th | 8th | 7th | 5th | 4th | 6th | 5th | 5th | 3rd | 6th | 5th | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 5th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 20 |
| Iraq | • | 8th | • | 9th | 7th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 13th | • | 13th | • | • | 12th | 6 |
| Japan | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | 6th | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 5th | 4th | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 22 |
| Jordan | • | • | • | 17th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1 |
| Kazakhstan | • | • | • | • | • | • | 2nd | 14th | • | 11th | 9th | 8th | • | 10th | 5th | 9th | 10th | 9th | 2nd | 10th | 11th | 13th | 14 |
| Kuwait | • | 7th | 7th | 4th | 5th | • | 14th | 13th | • | 14th | • | • | • | 17th | • | • | 17th | 14th | • | 15th | 16th | • | 12 |
| Lebanon | • | 13th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 11th | • | 8th | • | • | • | • | • | 3 |
| Macau | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 13th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1 |
| Maldives | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 16th | 18th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 2 |
| Myanmar | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 10th | • | 18th | • | • | • | • | • | 2 |
| Nepal | • | • | 11th | • | 18th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 2 |
| New Zealand | 7th | 11th | 8th | 12th | 12th | 12th | 11th | 12th | • | • | • | 14th | 15th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 10 |
| North Korea | • | • | • | • | • | 11th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1 |
| Oman | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 19th | 15th | • | 13th | • | • | 3 |
| Pakistan | • | • | • | 7th | 4th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 7th | 8th | • | 7th | 9th | 13th | • | 7th | • | 10th | 12th | 7th | 7th | 7th | 16 |
| Philippines | 5th | • | • | • | • | • | 15th | 11th | 14th | • | • | • | 14th | • | 15th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 6 |
| Qatar | • | • | • | • | 19th | • | 12th | 10th | 8th | 13th | 11th | 11th | 7th | 11th | 14th | 12th | 11th | 4th | 9th | 9th | 5th | 3rd | 17 |
| Samoa | • | • | • | • | • | 15th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1 |
| Saudi Arabia | • | 9th | • | 13th | • | 13th | • | • | 12th | • | 8th | 12th | • | 12th | • | • | 21st | • | 15th | • | 12th | • | 10 |
| Singapore | • | 12th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1 |
| South Korea | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 5th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 7th | 3rd | 4th | 8th | 5th | 22 |
| Sri Lanka | • | • | • | • | 13th | • | 13th | 9th | 15th | 12th | • | • | • | 14th | 16th | 8th | 15th | 13th | 14th | 14th | • | • | 12 |
| Syria | • | 10th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 1 |
| Thailand | • | • | • | 14th | 15th | 9th | 7th | 7th | 11th | • | • | 10th | 5th | 6th | 13th | 10th | 6th | 8th | 11th | 11th | 15th | 10th | 17 |
| Turkmenistan | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 14th | • | 16th | • | • | • | • | 2 |
| United Arab Emirates | • | • | • | 15th | 11th | 14th | • | • | 17th | • | 10th | 15th | 17th | • | • | • | 14th | • | • | • | • | • | 8 |
| Uzbekistan | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 16th | • | • | • | 16th | • | • | 16th | 16th | • | • | • | 13th | 17th | 6 |
| Vietnam | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 12th | 15th | 12th | • | • | • | 10th | • | • | • | 4 |
| Discontinued team ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Yemen | • | 15th | • | 16th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 2 |

### Debut of teams

| Year | Debutants | Total |
| 1975 | Australia | 7 |
| 1975 | China | 7 |
| 1975 | Indonesia | 7 |
| 1975 | Japan | 7 |
| 1975 | New Zealand | 7 |
| 1975 | Philippines | 7 |
| 1975 | South Korea | 7 |
| 1979 | Bahrain | 10 |
| 1979 | India | 10 |
| 1979 | Iran | 10 |
| 1979 | Iraq | 10 |
| 1979 | Kuwait | 10 |
| 1979 | Lebanon | 10 |
| 1979 | Saudi Arabia | 10 |
| 1979 | Singapore | 10 |
| 1979 | South Yemen | 10 |
| 1979 | Syria | 10 |
| 1983 | Chinese Taipei | 3 |
| 1983 | Hong Kong | 3 |
| 1983 | Nepal | 3 |
| 1987 | Jordan | 4 |
| 1987 | Pakistan | 4 |
| 1987 | Thailand | 4 |
| 1987 | United Arab Emirates | 4 |
| 1989 | Bangladesh | 3 |
| 1989 | Qatar | 3 |
| 1989 | Sri Lanka | 3 |
| 1991 | North Korea | 2 |
| 1991 | Samoa | 2 |
| 1993 | Kazakhstan | 1 |
| 1995 | None | 0 |
| 1997 | Macau | 2 |
| 1997 | Uzbekistan | 2 |
| 1999 | None | 0 |
| Year | Debutants | Total |
| 2001 | None | 0 |
| 2003 | None | 0 |
| 2005 | Vietnam | 1 |
| 2007 | Maldives | 1 |
| 2009 | Myanmar | 1 |
| 2011 | Afghanistan | 2 |
| 2011 | Turkmenistan | 2 |
| 2013 | Oman | 1 |
| 2015 | None | 0 |
| 2017 | None | 0 |
| 2019 | None | 0 |
| 2021 | None | 0 |
| 2023 | None | 0 |

## Most valuable player by edition

* 1975 – Not awarded
* 1979 – Wang Jiawei (CHN)
* 1983 to 1997 – Not awarded
* 1999 – Behnam Mahmoudi (IRI)
* 2001 – Shin Jin-sik (KOR)
* 2003 – Yejju Subba Rao (IND)
* 2005 – Marcos Sugiyama (JPN)
* 2007 – Dan Howard (AUS)
* 2009 – Tatsuya Fukuzawa (JPN)
* 2011 – Arash Kamalvand (IRI)
* 2013 – Saeid Marouf (IRI)
* 2015 – Kunihiro Shimizu (JPN)
* 2017 – Yūki Ishikawa (JPN)
* 2019 – Thomas Edgar (AUS)
* 2021 – Saber Kazemi (IRI)
* 2023 – Yūki Ishikawa (JPN)