source: WorldOfVolley

Australia and Korea secured semifinal berths at the 2026 AVC Men's Volleyball Championship on September 10, according to WorldofVolley, with contrasting performances at Kitakyushu City Gymnasium in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Australia dispatched Thailand in straight sets, while Korea needed four sets to edge China in a match that stretched deep into the final set.

Both nations are now two wins away from the continental title, with the Asian champion earning the region's qualification berth for the men's volleyball tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Teams finishing in the top three will also secure spots in the 2027 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Cup.

Australia Sweeps Thailand in the Opener

Australia controlled the match against Thailand, winning 3-0 (25-22, 26-24, 25-19) in the afternoon quarterfinal. Outside hitter Lorenzo Pope led all scorers with 17 points, and Lincoln Alexander Williams contributed 15.

The second set was the tightest of the match, but Australia never relinquished control.

That result capped a strong tournament run for Australia, which had gone unbeaten through pools before entering the knockout round as Pool A runners-up.

Thailand, which had topped Pool C with three wins and handed Korea its only group-stage defeat, could not sustain that form against a composed Australian side.

Korea Comes Back to Beat China

Korea's path was considerably harder. China took the opening set 25-17 and appeared set to advance, but Korea steadied and claimed the next two sets 25-21 and 25-22, then survived a nerve-wracking fourth set, closing it out 29-27 to win the match 3-1.

Donghyeok Im and Subong Heo each finished with 21 points for Korea.

China, which had beaten Korea 3-1 in the 2023 Asian Championship group stage, produced a tournament-high 17 blocks on the night, with Li Yongzhen and Wang Bin each tallying 16 points for the losing side.

Korea had recorded eighth place in 2021 and fifth in 2023, failing to reach the semifinals in both tournaments, Chosunbiz reported ahead of the match.

Breaking that run was the main challenge Korean coach Isanaye Ramirez's squad faced, particularly against China's size advantage in the middle.

What the Semifinal Bracket Means

Korea will face Iran in the next round after Iran defeated Chinese Taipei in the other quarterfinal. Australia is set to face Iran in their semifinal fixture as well, per the bracket published by WorldofVolley.

Japan beat India 3-0 in Thursday's late quarterfinal and will factor into the opposite side of the draw.

Korea's victory also carries weight for the broader Asian volleyball picture. India's run through the preliminary rounds earlier in the week illustrated the depth of the field.