1998 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship

Last updated September 07, 2025

1998 FIVB World Championship
Tournament details

Host nation	Japan
Dates	13–29 November
Teams	24
Venue(s)	11 (in 11 host cities)
Officially opened by	Akihito
Champions	Italy (3rd title)
Tournament awards
MVP	Rafael Pascual
Official website
1998 World Championship
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The 1998 FIVB Men's World Championship was the fourteenth edition of the tournament, organised by the world's governing body, the FIVB. It was held from 13 to 29 November 1998 in Fukuoka, Kobe, Sendai, Sapporo, Kawasaki, Uozu, Hiroshima, Osaka, Chiba, Hamamatsu, and Tokyo, Japan.

Contents

Teams
Qualification
Squads
Venues
Results
First round
Second round
Final round
Final standing
Awards
External links

Teams

Pool A	Pool B	Pool C	Pool D	Pool E	Pool F
Japan South Korea Spain Egypt	Italy United States Canada Thailand	Netherlands China Czech Republic Ukraine	Cuba Argentina Poland Iran	Brazil Bulgaria Greece Algeria	Russia Yugoslavia Australia Turkey

Qualification

Africa (CAVB)	Asia and Oceania (AVC)	Europe (CEV)	North America (NORCECA)	South America (CSV)
Pool A Winners: Algeria Pool B Winners: Egypt	Host Country: Japan Pool C Winners: South Korea Pool C Runners-up: Thailand Pool D Winners: China Pool D Runners-up: Iran Pool E Winners: Australia	Pool F Winners: Italy Pool F Runners-up: Turkey Pool G Winners: Netherlands Pool G Runners-up: Ukraine Pool H Winners: Russia Pool H Runners-up: Poland Pool I Winners: Spain Pool I Runners-up: Bulgaria Pool J Winners: Yugoslavia Pool J Runners-up: Greece Pool K Winners: Czech Republic	Pool L Winners: Canada Pool M Winners: United States Playoff Winners: Cuba	Pool N Winners: Brazil Pool N Runners-up: Argentina

Squads

Venues

Marine Messe Fukuoka, Fukuoka – Pool A
Kobe Green Arena, Kobe – Pool B
Sendai City Gymnasium, Sendai – Pool C
Makomanai Indoor Stadium, Sapporo – Pool D
Todoroki Arena, Kawasaki – Pool E
Uozu Techno Sports Dome, Uozu – Pool F
Hiroshima Green Arena, Hiroshima – Pool G
Namihaya Dome, Osaka – Pool G
Makuhari Messe, Chiba – Pool H
Hamamatsu Arena, Hamamatsu – Pool H
Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo – Final round

Results

First round

Pool A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	Pts	SW	SL	SR	SPW	SPL	SPR	Qualification
1	Spain	3	3	0	6	9	4	2.250	179	150	1.193	Second round
2	Japan	3	2	1	5	6	3	2.000	123	97	1.268
3	South Korea	3	1	2	4	5	6	0.833	130	134	0.970
4	Egypt	3	0	3	3	2	9	0.222	107	158	0.677

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
13 Nov	15:30	South Korea	3–0	Egypt	15–10	15–7	15–6			45–23
13 Nov	18:30	Spain	3–0	Japan	15–11	15–9	15–13			45–33
14 Nov	15:30	South Korea	2–3	Spain	15–7	6–15	15–13	13–15	14–16	63–66
14 Nov	18:40	Egypt	0–3	Japan	9–15	12–15	9–15			30–45
15 Nov	12:00	Spain	3–2	Egypt	9–15	13–15	15–9	15–1	16–14	68–54
15 Nov	15:00	Japan	3–0	South Korea	15–8	15–12	15–2			45–22

Pool B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	Pts	SW	SL	SR	SPW	SPL	SPR	Qualification
1	Italy	3	3	0	6	9	1	9.000	147	63	2.333	Second round
2	United States	3	2	1	5	7	4	1.750	130	121	1.074
3	Canada	3	1	2	4	4	6	0.667	121	108	1.120
4	Thailand	3	0	3	3	0	9	0.000	29	135	0.215

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
13 Nov	14:15	Canada	0–3	Italy	10–15	13–15	2–15			25–45
13 Nov	17:15	United States	3–0	Thailand	15–3	15–9	15–1			45–13
14 Nov	14:15	Thailand	0–3	Italy	0–15	2–15	3–15			5–45
14 Nov	16:00	United States	3–1	Canada	6–15	15–9	16–14	15–13		52–51
15 Nov	14:15	Canada	3–0	Thailand	15–3	15–7	15–1			45–11
15 Nov	16:00	Italy	3–1	United States	15–4	15–7	12–15	15–7		57–33

Pool C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	Pts	SW	SL	SR	SPW	SPL	SPR	Qualification
1	Netherlands	3	3	0	6	9	2	4.500	157	108	1.454	Second round
2	China	3	2	1	5	7	4	1.750	146	131	1.115
3	Ukraine	3	1	2	4	4	6	0.667	119	121	0.983
4	Czech Republic	3	0	3	3	1	9	0.111	86	148	0.581

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
13 Nov	14:00	China	3–1	Ukraine	14–16	15–13	15–12	15–8		59–49
13 Nov	18:00	Czech Republic	1–3	Netherlands	9–15	15–13	13–15	4–15		41–58
14 Nov	14:00	Ukraine	0–3	Netherlands	8–15	10–15	7–15			25–45
14 Nov	17:00	China	3–0	Czech Republic	15–9	15–9	15–10			45–28
15 Nov	11:00	Czech Republic	0–3	Ukraine	5–15	6–15	6–15			17–45
15 Nov	14:00	Netherlands	3–1	China	9–15	15–11	15–7	15–9		54–42

Pool D

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	Pts	SW	SL	SR	SPW	SPL	SPR	Qualification
1	Cuba	3	3	0	6	9	0	MAX	135	68	1.985	Second round
2	Argentina	3	2	1	5	6	4	1.500	128	100	1.280	Second round
3	Poland	3	1	2	4	4	6	0.667	111	119	0.933
4	Iran	3	0	3	3	0	9	0.000	48	135	0.356

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
13 Nov	15:00	Argentina	3–0	Iran	15–9	15–3	15–7			45–19
13 Nov	18:00	Poland	0–3	Cuba	10–15	9–15	11–15			30–45
14 Nov	13:00	Iran	0–3	Cuba	2–15	5–15	7–15			14–45
14 Nov	16:00	Argentina	3–1	Poland	14–16	15–5	15–7	15–8		59–36
15 Nov	12:00	Poland	3–0	Iran	15–5	15–2	15–8			45–15
15 Nov	15:00	Cuba	3–0	Argentina	15–7	15–8	15–9			45–24

Pool E

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	Pts	SW	SL	SR	SPW	SPL	SPR	Qualification
1	Brazil	3	3	0	6	9	0	MAX	135	59	2.288	Second round
2	Bulgaria	3	2	1	5	6	5	1.200	130	140	0.929
3	Greece	3	1	2	4	5	7	0.714	147	159	0.925
4	Algeria	3	0	3	3	1	9	0.111	94	148	0.635

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
13 Nov	15:30	Bulgaria	3–0	Algeria	15–6	15–12	15–13			45–31
13 Nov	18:30	Greece	0–3	Brazil	6–15	13–15	6–15			25–45
14 Nov	15:30	Algeria	0–3	Brazil	2–15	8–15	6–15			16–45
14 Nov	18:30	Bulgaria	3–2	Greece	15–11	10–15	16–14	11–15	15–9	67–64
15 Nov	15:30	Greece	3–1	Algeria	15–9	15–11	13–15	15–12		58–47
15 Nov	18:30	Brazil	3–0	Bulgaria	15–4	15–8	15–6			45–18

Pool F

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	Pts	SW	SL	SR	SPW	SPL	SPR	Qualification
1	Yugoslavia	3	3	0	6	9	2	4.500	165	103	1.602	Second round
2	Russia	3	2	1	5	8	3	2.667	154	113	1.363	Second round
3	Australia	3	1	2	4	3	8	0.375	106	152	0.697
4	Turkey	3	0	3	3	2	9	0.222	96	153	0.627

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
13 Nov	14:00	Yugoslavia	3–0	Australia	16–14	15–5	15–4			46–23
13 Nov	16:30	Turkey	0–3	Russia	6–15	7–15	6–15			19–45
14 Nov	13:00	Australia	0–3	Russia	4–15	7–15	9–15			20–45
14 Nov	15:30	Yugoslavia	3–0	Turkey	15–7	15–3	15–6			45–16
15 Nov	13:00	Turkey	2–3	Australia	8–15	15–9	15–9	13–15	10–15	61–63
15 Nov	15:30	Russia	2–3	Yugoslavia	16–14	16–14	6–15	12–15	14–16	64–74

Second round

Pool G

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	Pts	SW	SL	SR	SPW	SPL	SPR	Qualification
1	Brazil	7	7	0	14	21	3	7.000	351	210	1.671	Finals
2	Cuba	7	6	1	13	18	8	2.250	348	289	1.204	Finals
3	Spain	7	4	3	11	17	12	1.417	367	344	1.067	5th–8th places
4	Bulgaria	7	4	3	11	14	14	1.000	361	365	0.989	5th–8th places
5	Canada	7	3	4	10	11	16	0.688	291	362	0.804	9th–12th places
6	Argentina	7	2	5	9	11	16	0.688	320	334	0.958	9th–12th places
7	South Korea	7	2	5	9	7	18	0.389	266	340	0.782
8	Japan	7	0	7	7	9	21	0.429	358	418	0.856

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
18 Nov	10:00	Spain	3–0	South Korea	15–7	15–6	15–11			45–24
18 Nov	12:30	Canada	0–3	Brazil	6–15	9–15	3–15			18–45
18 Nov	15:30	Bulgaria	1–3	Cuba	12–15	16–17	15–13	4–15		47–60
18 Nov	18:30	Japan	1–3	Argentina	12–15	12–15	15–12	10–15		49–57
19 Nov	10:00	Cuba	3–1	Canada	15–10	10–15	15–12	15–5		55–42
19 Nov	12:50	Argentina	2–3	Bulgaria	8–15	17–16	7–15	15–10	9–15	56–71
19 Nov	15:50	South Korea	0–3	Brazil	13–15	5–15	9–15			27–45
19 Nov	18:30	Spain	3–2	Japan	15–5	13–15	15–8	11–15	15–12	69–55
21 Nov	10:00	Bulgaria	0–3	Spain	15–17	4–15	11–15			30–47
21 Nov	12:30	Canada	3–1	Argentina	15-11	10-15	15-4	15-6		55-36
21 Nov	15:00	South Korea	0–3	Cuba	13–15	6–15	7–15			26–45
21 Nov	18:00	Japan	0–3	Brazil	11–15	9–15	13–15			33–45
22 Nov	10:00	Argentina	3–0	South Korea	15–13	15–10	15–5			45–28
22 Nov	12:30	Spain	2–3	Canada	15–11	9–15	15–12	14–16	16–18	69–72
22 Nov	15:45	Brazil	3–1	Bulgaria	16–17	15–7	15–5	15–12		61–41
22 Nov	19:05	Cuba	3–1	Japan	15–9	12–15	15–10	17–16		59–50
24 Nov	10:00	Spain	3–1	Argentina	6–15	15–6	17–15	15–5		53–41
24 Nov	12:50	Cuba	0–3	Brazil	11–15	7–15	2–15			20–45
24 Nov	15:30	Canada	0–3	Bulgaria	6–15	9–15	12–15			27–45
24 Nov	18:30	South Korea	3–2	Japan	15–13	15–8	8–15	9–15	15–12	62–63
25 Nov	10:00	Spain	2–3	Cuba	15–12	4–15	5–15	15–7	12–15	51–64
25 Nov	12:30	Brazil	3–1	Argentina	15–11	7–15	15–2	15–10		52–38
25 Nov	15:30	Bulgaria	3–1	South Korea	11–15	15–10	15–8	16–14		57–47
25 Nov	18:30	Japan	1–3	Canada	15–11	8–15	9–15	9–15		41–56
26 Nov	10:00	Cuba	3–0	Argentina	15–12	15–4	15–12			45–28
26 Nov	12:30	Spain	1–3	Brazil	4–15	15–13	5–15	9–15		33–58
26 Nov	15:30	South Korea	3–1	Canada	7–15	15–9	15–11	15–5		52–40
26 Nov	18:30	Japan	2–3	Bulgaria	15–10	15–17	12–15	15–13	10–15	67–70

Pool H

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	Pts	SW	SL	SR	SPW	SPL	SPR	Qualification
1	Yugoslavia	7	6	1	13	19	4	4.750	323	201	1.607	Finals
2	Italy	7	6	1	13	18	4	4.500	319	165	1.933	Finals
3	Russia	7	6	1	13	19	8	2.375	365	299	1.221	5th–8th places
4	Netherlands	7	4	3	11	12	10	1.200	260	243	1.070	5th–8th places
5	United States	7	2	5	9	10	15	0.667	282	314	0.898	9th–12th places
6	Ukraine	7	2	5	9	8	18	0.444	279	338	0.825	9th–12th places
7	Greece	7	1	6	8	6	19	0.316	214	351	0.610
8	China	7	1	6	8	5	19	0.263	218	349	0.625

Source: ^{[ citation needed ]}

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
18 Nov	10:00	United States	2–3	Russia	15–13	13–15	15–12	7–15	7–15	57–70
18 Nov	13:45	Greece	0–3	Netherlands	2–15	8–15	4–15			14–45
18 Nov	15:30	China	0–3	Yugoslavia	4–15	5–15	4–15			13–45
18 Nov	18:30	Ukraine	0–3	Italy	7–15	12–15	3–15			22–45
19 Nov	10:00	Yugoslavia	3–1	Greece	11–15	15–3	15–9	15–5		56–32
19 Nov	12:30	Russia	3–1	China	15–8	16–17	17–16	15–9		63–50
19 Nov	15:30	Netherlands	3–1	Ukraine	14–16	15–11	15–8	16–14		60–49
19 Nov	18:30	Italy	3–0	United States	15–6	15–2	15–12			45–20
21 Nov	10:00	Greece	1–3	Russia	15–12	6–15	11–15	6–15		38–57
21 Nov	12:30	Ukraine	0–3	Yugoslavia	9–15	10–15	1–15			20–45
21 Nov	15:00	United States	0–3	Netherlands	12–15	6–15	11–15			29–45
21 Nov	18:00	China	0–3	Italy	5–15	4–15	5–15			14–45
22 Nov	10:00	Yugoslavia	3–0	United States	15–6	15–10	15–8			45–24
22 Nov	12:30	Russia	3–0	Ukraine	17–15	15–6	15–6			47–27
22 Nov	15:00	Italy	3–0	Greece	15–5	15–13	15–1			45–19
22 Nov	18:00	Netherlands	3–0	China	15–5	15–3	15–8			45–16
24 Nov	10:00	Yugoslavia	3–0	Netherlands	15–9	15–4	15–13			45–26
24 Nov	12:30	Greece	3–1	China	12–15	15–11	15–8	15–12		57–46
24 Nov	15:30	Ukraine	3–2	United States	15–12	4–15	15–12	6–15	15–8	55–62
24 Nov	18:30	Italy	3–1	Russia	15–3	15–8	11–15	15–9		56–35
25 Nov	10:00	United States	3–0	Greece	15–9	15–11	15–11			45–31
25 Nov	12:35	China	3–1	Ukraine	15–10	10–15	15–10	16–14		56–49
25 Nov	15:30	Italy	0–3	Yugoslavia	12–15	13–15	13–15			38–45
25 Nov	18:30	Netherlands	0–3	Russia	6–15	12–15	11–15			29–45
26 Nov	10:00	United States	3–0	China	15–11	15–8	15–4			45–23
26 Nov	12:30	Ukraine	3–1	Greece	15–3	12–15	15–3	15–2		57–23
26 Nov	15:30	Russia	3–1	Yugoslavia	3–15	15–13	15–3	15–11		48–42
26 Nov	18:30	Italy	3–0	Netherlands	15–2	15–7	15–1			45–10

Final round

9th–12th places

	9th–12th semifinals				9th place

	28 November – Tokyo

	Argentina	2
					29 November – Tokyo
	United States	3
					United States	3
	28 November – Tokyo
					Ukraine	0
	Canada	0

	Ukraine	3
					11th place

					29 November – Tokyo

					Argentina	3

					Canada	0

9th–12th semifinals

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
28 Nov	12:00	Argentina	2–3	United States	10–15	11–15	15–11	15–13	9–15	60–69
28 Nov	15:15	Canada	0–3	Ukraine	11–15	13–15	11–15			35–45

11th place match

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
29 Nov	10:00	Argentina	3–0	Canada	15–7	15–10	15–6			45–23

9th place match

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
29 Nov	16:00	United States	3–0	Ukraine	16–14	15–12	15–10			46–36

5th–8th places

	5th–8th semifinals				5th place

	28 November – Tokyo

	Spain	2
					29 November – Tokyo
	Netherlands	3
					Netherlands	0
	28 November – Tokyo
					Russia	3
	Bulgaria	0

	Russia	3
					7th place

					29 November – Tokyo

					Spain	1

					Bulgaria	3

5th–8th semifinals

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
28 Nov	12:00	Bulgaria	0–3	Russia	13–15	2–15	7–15			22–45
28 Nov	15:00	Spain	2–3	Netherlands	15–13	17–16	12–15	10–15	10–15	64–74

7th place match

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
29 Nov	15:00	Spain	1–3	Bulgaria	11–15	7–15	15–12	11–15		44–57

5th place match

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
29 Nov	12:00	Netherlands	0–3	Russia	7–15	12–15	12–15			31–45

Finals

	Semifinals				Final

	29 November – Tokyo

	Yugoslavia	3
					29 November – Tokyo
	Cuba	1
					Yugoslavia	0
	28 November – Tokyo
					Italy	3
	Brazil	2

	Italy	3
					3rd place

					29 November – Tokyo

					Cuba	3

					Brazil	1

semifinals

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
28 Nov	18:00	Yugoslavia	3–1	Cuba	15–3	15–12	14–16	15–10		59–41
28 Nov	19:05	Brazil	2–3	Italy	10–15	15–13	11–15	15–10	10–15	61–68

3rd place match

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
29 Nov	15:00	Cuba	3–1	Brazil	12–15	15–6	15–11	15–12		57–44

Final

Date	Time		Score		Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5	Total
29 Nov	18:00	Yugoslavia	0–3	Italy	12–15	5–15	10–15			27–45

Final standing

Rank	Team
	Italy
	Yugoslavia
	Cuba
4	Brazil
5	Russia
6	Netherlands
7	Bulgaria
8	Spain
9	United States
10	Ukraine
11	Argentina
12	Canada
13	Greece
13	South Korea
15	China
15	Japan
17	Australia
17	Poland
19	Algeria
	Czech Republic
	Egypt
	Iran
	Thailand
	Turkey

1998 Men's World champions
Italy 3rd title

Team roster

Marco Bracci, Mirko Corsano, Alessandro Fei, Andrea Gardini, Andrea Giani, Ferdinando De Giorgi, Pasquale Gravina, Marco Meoni, Samuele Papi, Michele Pasinato, Simone Rosalba, Andrea Sartoretti

Head coach

Awards

Most valuable player
Rafael Pascual
Best scorer
Rafael Pascual
Best spiker
Marcos Milinkovic
Best blocker
Gustavo Endres
Best server
Goran Vujević
Best setter
Raúl Diago
Best digger
Erik Sullivan
Best receiver
Rodolfo Sánchez
Best coach
Bebeto de Freias (Italy)
Most Creative Coach
Vincenzo Di Pinto (Spain)

External links

Federation Internationale de Volleyball
Official website (Archived 2009-05-11)

v t e FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship
Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB)
Tournaments	Czechoslovakia 1949 Soviet Union 1952 France 1956 Brazil 1960 Soviet Union 1962 Czechoslovakia 1966 Bulgaria 1970 Mexico 1974 Italy 1978 Argentina 1982 France 1986 Brazil 1990 Greece 1994 Japan 1998 Argentina 2002 Japan 2006 Italy 2010 Poland 2014 Italy / Bulgaria 2018 Poland / Slovenia 2022 Philippines 2025
Qualifications	1949 1952 1956 1960 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2025
Finals	2025
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