Doha: Qatar's men's national volleyball team lost their opening match against the Netherlands, 3-1, in the second group stage of the FIVB Volleyball World Championship, which kicked off yesterday in the Philippines and will run until September 28. A total of 32 teams are participating in the tournament.

According to Qatar News Agency, the set scores were in favor of the Netherlands, with results of (25-18, 25-23, 25-23), while Qatar secured one set with a score of 28-26. This loss marks Qatar's first defeat in the championship, where they are participating for the second time after making their debut in the 2022 edition held in Poland and Slovenia.

Qatar is scheduled to play their second match against Poland on Monday, before concluding the group stage with a match against Romania on Wednesday. In the same group, Poland, ranked No. 1 in the world, defeated Romania 3-0.

Meanwhile, the United States began their campaign in Group D with a 3-0 victory over Colombia. In the same group, Portugal won against Cuba 3-1. In Group E, Bulgaria defeated Germany 3-0, while in Group G, Turkiye triumphed over Japan 3-0, and Canada beat Libya 3-1.

The tournament follows a group-stage format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout rounds. The Round of 16 matches will take place from September 20 to 23, followed by the quarterfinals on September 24 and 25. The semifinals are scheduled for September 27, and the championship will conclude with the medal matches on September 28.