Alas Pilipinas faces Tunisia in World Championship opener on Sept 12

The Alas Pilipinas men's volleyball team will face Tunisia in their first match of the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship on September 12.

Despite being a strong contender with 11 African championships, Tunisia won't field its star player Wassim Ben Tara due to a prior commitment.

Tunisia still boasts a formidable lineup featuring players like Hamza Nagga and Elyes Karamosli, who were key contributors in the Tokyo Olympics.

Both teams have Italian coaches: Camillo Placi for Tunisia and Angiolino Frigoni for the Philippines.

The tournament kicks off at 6 p.m. on September 12 with an opening ceremony featuring Korean pop group BOYNEXTDOOR and Filipino singer Karencitta.

Tunisia, ranked 42nd in the world, is one of the highest-ranked teams among those who did not qualify directly for the championship.

The event is organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and supported by various sponsors including PLDT, Mwell, Meralco, Rebisco, Asics, Senoh, Mikasa, Cignal, Honda, BMW, Philippine Sports Commission, and Philippine Olympic Committee.