Pool B is one of eight pools of the preliminary round of the 2025 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship. The pool consists of the current Olympic champion Italy as well as Belgium, Cuba, and Slovakia. Teams will play one another in a round-robin, where the top two teams advancing to the final round.
Teams
The following four teams will compete in Pool B for the tournament, listed by their position in the pool.
| Position | Country | Confederation | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous appearances | Previous best performance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | First | Last | ||||||
| B1 |  Italy
|
CEV | 2023 European 4th placers | 30 August 2023 | 12 | 1978 | 2022 | Champions (2002) |
| B2 |  Belgium
|
CEV | 3rd World ranked non-qualified team | 30 August 2024 | 4 | 1956 | 2022 | 9th place (2022) |
| B3 |  Cuba
|
NORCECA | 9th World ranked non-qualified team | 30 August 2024 | 13 | 1970 | 2018 | Champions (1978, 1994, 1998) |
| B4 |  Slovakia
|
CEV | 13th World ranked non-qualified team | 30 August 2024 | 0 | None | None | |
- Notes
- Finished at the European Championship as the 4th placers. Its spot was reallocated from Serbia, after qualified as the defending champion.
World Rankings
The following four teams are ranked in the FIVB World Rankings at the draw, the beginning and the final day of the tournament.
| Position | Country | FIVB World Rankings | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draw | Before | After | ||
| B1 | Italy
|
1 (437.03) | ||
| B2 | Belgium
|
14 (190.98) | ||
| B3 | Cuba
|
23 (145.17) | ||
| B4 | Slovakia
|
26 (137.47) | ||
- Notes
- The FIVB World Ranking at the end of August 2024.
- The FIVB World Ranking before the first game on 22 August 2025.
- The FIVB World Ranking after the final game on 7 September 2025.
Standings
The following four teams are ranked based on the pool standing procedure.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | Advanced to final round |
| 2 | Belgium
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 3 | Cuba
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 4 | Slovakia
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — |
Rules for classification: Pool standing procedure
- The winners of Pool B will advance to play the runners-up of Pool G.
- The runners-up of Pool B will advance to play the winners of Pool G.
Matches
All times are Thailand Standard Time (UTC+07:00).The following six matches of Pool B will play at the Phuket Municipal Stadium, Phuket.
Belgium vs Cuba
The teams recently faced each other in the 2014 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship, where Belgium won 3–0. This is the second game between Belgium and Cuba in the World Championship.
| Belgium
|
v | Cuba
|
Phuket Municipal Stadium, Phuket | |
Italy vs Slovakia
The teams recently faced each other in the 2021 Women's European Volleyball Championship, where Italy won 3–1. This is the first game between Italy and Slovakia in the World Championship, marking Slovakia's debut in the tournament.
| Italy
|
v | Slovakia
|
Phuket Municipal Stadium, Phuket | |
Belgium vs Slovakia
The teams recently faced each other in an official match during the European qualification of the 2012 Summer Olympics, where Belgium won 3–0. They also played a friendly match in 2023, with Belgium winning 3–1. This is the first game between Belgium and Slovakia in the World Championship.
| Belgium
|
v | Slovakia
|
Phuket Municipal Stadium, Phuket | |
Italy vs Cuba
The teams recently faced each other in the 2018 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship, where Italy won 3–0. This is the sixth game between Italy and Cuba in the World Championship. Cuba has won three of the previous meetings in 1998, 2002, and 2010, while Italy has won two in 2006 and 2018.
| Italy
|
v | Cuba
|
Phuket Municipal Stadium, Phuket | |
Cuba vs Slovakia
The teams have never met before. This is the first game between Cuba and Slovakia in any tournament, including the World Championship.
| Cuba
|
v | Slovakia
|
Phuket Municipal Stadium, Phuket | |
Italy vs Belgium
The teams will face each other in the 2025 FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League ahead of the tournament. This is the fourth game between Italy and Belgium in the World Championship. Italy has won all three of the previous meeting in 1978, 2014, and 2022.
| Italy
|
v | Belgium
|
Phuket Municipal Stadium, Phuket | |
References
- "2025 Women's World Championship pool-play duels determined". Volleyball World (Press release). 17 December 2024. Archived from the original on 17 December 2024. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- "FIVB Volleyball Women's World Champ 2025 Competition Format". Volleyball World. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- "FIVB Women's Volleyball World Ranking". Volleyball World. 30 August 2024. Archived from the original on 8 October 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
External links
| 2025 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship | |
|---|---|
| Rounds | |
| Teams | |
| Venues |
|
| General information | |
