VNL, Asian events to decide Piazza’s fate as Iran’s Olympic path gets underway
With the start of a hectic 2026 international season right around the corner, a significant clause in head coach Roberto Piazza’s contract with the Iranian men’s national volleyball team has officially been activated.
When Piazza was appointed to the job midway through 2024, the Iranian Volleyball Federation signed a 2+2-year contract with the Italian, meaning his team’s results and performance in the first two years of his tenure would determine the future of his spell with the Asian powerhouse.
Piazza enjoyed a promising first year in charge, as Iran – having finished in the bottom three of the 18-team table in the two previous editions – staged a late surge in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) preliminaries to place eighth with six wins from 12 matches.
Piazza’s rejuvenated team, playing without the so-called ‘Golden Generation’ of Iranian volleyball, ultimately missed out on a first quarterfinal spot in three attempts, as China’s host status secured the Asian team a place in the VNL Finals despite finishing second from bottom.
Iran still built on the impressive VNL run to deliver a decent campaign at the World Championship in the Philippines later in the year, progressing to the last eight before falling in four sets to the surprise package of the tournament, Czechia.
And now, Piazza – who brought the curtain down on his seven-year tenure at Power Volley Milano in his home country – gears up for the 2026 season, which features two decisive tournaments that will not only shape Iran’s status in the FIVB World Rankings but also impact the team’s path to the Olympic Games, the national governing body’s main objective when the Italian was hired.
Iran’s first serious test will be the upcoming Volleyball Nations League – a competition of particular importance due to its impact on world ranking points. Iran urgently needs to secure points to improve its ranking, which, should the team fail to qualify directly for the Olympics, would keep alive the team’s hopes of earning a spot through ranking criteria.
The Asian heavyweight will get its VNL campaign underway with a daunting task against Brazil in Brasília on June 10 – a rematch of last year’s opening day in the Brazilian capital, which the South American powerhouse won in straight sets.
Tricky games will come thick and fast in Week 1 of the preliminaries for Piazza’s men, who will take on Bulgaria – a World Championship finalist – on June 11, before facing Argentina and Belgium later in the week at the Nilson Nelson Gymnasium.
Iran will then visit Orléans, France, for the second week of action, starting with a mammoth task against the host and reigning Olympic champion France at the CO’Met Arena on June 24. This will be followed by matches against the United States (June 25), Japan (June 26), and Cuba (June 28).
The third and final week of the preliminaries will see the Iranian men go head-to-head with Ukraine in Belgrade on July 15, with further outings against Germany (July 16), Slovenia (July 17), and Türkiye (July 19).
Even more important than the VNL will be the following Asian Championship, starting September 4 in Fukuoka, Japan, where Iran will be chasing a fifth title in eight editions, looking to make amends for a final setback against Japan on home soil in 2023 in a possible showdown between the two continental giants.
This year’s tournament carries double significance, as for the first time, the Asian champion earns a direct slot for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, allowing for long-term planning and preparation for the sporting extravaganza in two years’ time.
Another potential meeting between Iran and Japan could follow at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, which begin on September 19, where Piazza’s side will look to secure a fourth consecutive men’s gold medal.
While the Iranian Volleyball Federation retains the right to part ways with Piazza if the team’s performance does not meet expectations, strong results could trigger a two-year extension, helping the Italian achieve his ultimate goal of “a constant place among the top eight teams in the world” for Iran, as he insisted in his first interview after taking the job.
All eyes are now on the national team to see if they can rise to the occasion – or if major changes await Iran’s bench.