The FIVB Women's World Volleyball Championship has reached the penultimate round, with four of the world's best teams set to battle each other for a spot to the final. On Saturday, September 6th in Bangkok, Thailand, two highly anticipated semi-final ties will determine who presses on their quest for the world title. The first is a highly anticipated matchup between two of the world's best, Brazil and Italy, in a rematch of the VNL final. The second is a clash of styles as rugged Japan takes on gigantic Turkey.
The winners will go on to play in the final, with a possible chance to claim the world title, and the losing teams will meet in the third-place playoff. The matches are truly a test of the will, skill, and nerves of a team and will come with large world rankings and future implications for women's volleyball.
Brazil vs. Italy Preview
Match Details
Date: Saturday, September 6th, 2025
Kick-off Time: 12.30 PM (UTC)
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Event: FIVB Women's World Volleyball Championship, Semi-Final
Team Form & Tournament Performance

Brazil’s playmaker Roberta in action (Image Source: Click Here)
Brazil (The Seleção) has had a good tournament, but their passage has come through a gritting five-set win over Japan in the quarter-final. They have shown immense strength and courage, but their five-set win over Japan indicates that they are vulnerable. The team will have to be at their best to beat a strong Italian side.

Paola Egonu scored 20 points to lead Italy back into the semifinals (Image Source: Click Here)
Italy (The Azzurre) enters this with a crushing 3-0 win over Poland in the quarter final. They are Olympic champions and have been impeccable throughout the tournament so far, defeating USA, Cuba, and Belgium. Italy is not to be underestimated, with a record of 12-0 in the preliminary round of the VNL 2025. They have had the upper hand, and they will be a strong contender to win the title.
Brazil's Quarter-Final Match Highlights
A Titanic Duel: Brazil had a thrilling five-set victory against Japan in the quarter-final.
Comeback Victory: They lost 0-2 to Japan but came back to achieve a 3-2 victory, which was evidence of their mental resilience.
Best Players: Team captain Gabi and opposite hitter Julia Bergmann were key factors, with Bergmann leading the team with 17 points.
Italy's Quarter-Final Match Highlights
Sweeping Victory: Italy swept 3-0 against Poland in the quarter final.
Impeccable Performance: The team was dominant from start to finish, showing their tactical supremacy and mighty offence.
Teamwork: The win reflected the team's ongoing success as well as their no-nonsense approach to the tournament.
Head-to-Head History & Key Stats
Italy has the historical advantage over Brazil. In the VNL 2025, Italy beat Brazil 3-1 in the final match.
Statistic | Brazil | Italy |
---|---|---|
All-Time Matches | 10 | 10 |
All-Time Wins | 5 | 5 |
VNL 2025 Final | 1-3 Loss | 3-1 Win |
Key Player Matchups & Tactical Battle
Brazil's Strategy: Brazil will rely on the leadership of their captain Gabi, as well as on the aggressive spiking by their attackers in attempting to flood the Italian defense. They will need to improve their block for the sake of stifling Italy's powerful offense.
Italy's Game Plan: Italy will be relying on their power offense, led by the stars Paola Egonu and Myriam Sylla. Their plan of play will be to pour it on in the net with their formidable blocking and to use their potent defense to unsettle Brazil into committing mistakes.
Key Matchups:
Paola Egonu (Italy) vs. Brazil's Blockers: The game depends on whether Brazil can come up with a way to slow down Egonu, ranked one of the best attackers in the world.
Gabi (Brazil) vs. Italian Defense: Brazil's defense, led by Gabi, will be tested by the Italian defense.
Japan vs. Turkey Preview
Match Details
Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
Kick-off Time: 8.30 AM (UTC)
Venue: Bangkok, Thailand
Competition: FIVB Women's World Volleyball Championship, Semi-Final
Team Form & Tournament Performance

Japan outplayed the Netherlands mainly in attack, which delivered 75 points, against only 61 from the Dutch spikers in the quarterfinals. (Image Source: Click Here)
Japan has performed well in the tournament, but they had a tough five-setter against the Netherlands quarter-final. They demonstrated that they can triumph in tough conditions, and they will try to seek revenge from Turkey, a team that beat them in a five-set encounter in the VNL 2025.

Ebrar Karakurt and Melissa Vargas combined to produce 44 points in Turkey's victory in the quarterfinals against the USA. (Image Source: Click Here)
Turkey (The Sultans of the Net) have performed strongly in the tournament, but their path thus far has involved a hard-fought five-set win over China in the quarter-final. They also fought a demanding five-set encounter with Poland in the VNL 2025. Turkey is an energetic and effective team, but their lengthy matches indicate they are susceptible to break-downs. They will require to be at their best in order to overcome a tough Japanese team.
Japan's Quarter-Final Match Highlights
Close Call: Japan battled a challenging five-set quarter-final match against the Netherlands but emerged victorious at 3-2.
Top Performers: Mayu Ishikawa and Yukiko Wada collectively earned 45 attack points that charged Japan's good performance in front of the net.
Mental Toughness: Japan showed incredible mental toughness and resilience as they reversed from losing 0-2 to clinching the match.
Turkey's Quarter-Final Match Highlights
A Five-Set Thriller: Turkey found it tough to complete five sets with China in the quarter-final.
Top Performers: Melissa Vargas was a key player in the game, topping the team in strong offense.
Effective Play: Despite the game being long, Turkey was able to find the key to victory, showing how effective they are and how they can win in difficult situations.
Head-to-Head History & Key Stats
Turkey holds a thin historical advantage over Japan. The search results show that there is a recent 3-2 victory of Turkey in the VNL 2025, but an earlier match was won by Japan 3-2.
Statistic | Japan | Turkey |
---|---|---|
All-Time Matches | 10 | 10 |
All-Time Wins | 5 | 5 |
Recent H2H Win | 3-2 (VNL 2025) | 3-2 (VNL 2025) |
Key Player Matchups & Tactical Battle
Japan's Strategy: Japan will rely on their defense and quickness to overcome this game. They will attempt to utilize their defense and blockers to deter Turkey's offense.
Turkey's Strategy: Turkey will rely on their strong offense and combination of young stars and old experience veterans. They will attempt to exploit any hole in Japan's defense
Current Odds as of Stake.com
Winner Odds for the match between Brazil and Italy
Brazil: 3.40
Italy: 1.28

Winner Odds for the match between Japan and Turkey
Japan: 3.10
Turkey: 1.32

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Prediction & Conclusion
Brazil vs. Italy Prediction
This is a classic confrontation of two of the world's best teams. Italy's peak performance and win in the VNL final give them a clear edge. But the mental strength and playing acumen of Brazil in difficult situations cannot be discounted. We expect a tight game, but Italy's power and reliability would be enough to propel them into the final.
Final Score Prediction: Italy 3 - 1 Brazil
Japan vs. Turkey Prediction
This is a close one to call, given the last five-set thrillers between these two clubs. Both squads have a great deal at stake in this one, and they will be desperate to put their hands on the victory. Japan's grit and tenacity will be pitted against Turkey's potent offense. We view this as a long, close-out contest that could go five sets. But Japan's knack for winning close games and their recent triumph over Turkey provide them with the advantage.
Final Score Prediction: Japan 3 - 2 Turkey