ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Volleyball devider FIVB world stint success spurs SM MOA Arena's position as home of the world champions

FIVB world stint success spurs SM MOA Arena's position as home of the world champions

Published Nov 20, 2025 01:14 pm

At A Glance

  • Following the success of the 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena last September 28, fans have witnessed a glorious victory in the history of volleyball sports and another chapter in the venue's legacy.
Following the success of the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena last September 28, fans have witnessed a glorious victory in the history of volleyball sports and another chapter in the venue’s legacy.
Team Italy defends its FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship title.
Team Italy defends its FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship title.

https://www.facebook.com/moaarena/videos/2262995274204206

The 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship finals ended on a high note, celebrating a new chapter in sporting history.
A Historic Championship
The championship match between Italy and Bulgaria set a historic record as the highest-attended World Championship finals in the 21st century, with 16,429 fans filling the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The event became a global celebration of athleticism, unity, and sportsmanship — transforming the venue into a symbol of passion and pride.
Team Italy defends its FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship title.
Team Italy defends its FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship title.

https://www.tiktok.com/@moa.arena/video/7554708858757762322

Polish fans come to support their national team during the semifinals.
Filipinos proudly cheer on Alas Pilipinas during their match with Egypt.
Filipinos proudly cheer on Alas Pilipinas during their match with Egypt.
Some of the milestones that the venue celebrated was the return of the National Team, Alas Pilipinas, to the World Championship with their first-ever win against Egypt as they finished 19th overall. Bulgaria’s young squad also raised their flags high as they reached the finals for the first time in 55 years, led by the talented Mikolov siblings, Aleksandar and Simeon.
Alas Pilipinas makes a historic milestone during their battle with Egypt. Photo Source: Alas Pilipinas Volley at Facebook.com
Alas Pilipinas makes a historic milestone during their battle with Egypt. Photo Source: Alas Pilipinas Volley at Facebook.com

https://www.tiktok.com/@moa.arena/video/7554696512660458760

Bulgaria gets into the finals after a victory against Czechia.
Home of International Sporting Excellence
Long before hosting the 2025 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship, the SM Mall of Asia Arena has made its name for global sporting events in the country — including NBA Global Games (2013), UFC Fight Night Manila and International Premier Tennis League (2015), Southeast Asian Games Men’s Basketball (2019), FIBA Basketball World Cup (2023), and Volleyball Nations League (2024).
FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The venue has undergone remarkable transformations in every event, consistently tailored to meet the highest global standards for every event. From its adaptable setups to the uplifted design of its concourse areas, every detail reflects versatility and world-class excellence while proudly embedding Filipino values through a dedicated workforce, professionally trained staff, and continuous training designed to manage large-capacity crowds with efficiency and security.
A sweeping crowd shot of the venue during the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship finals. Photo Source: Volleyball World at Facebook.com
A sweeping crowd shot of the venue during the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship finals. Photo Source: Volleyball World at Facebook.com
These efforts not only showcase the Philippines’ capability to host premier international events but also play a vital role in boosting national tourism, attracting 20,000 people of foot traffic with every event, positioning the venue as a premier destination for large-scale global events and a benchmark for customer service excellence.
About SM Mall of Asia Arena
SM Mall of Asia Arena is the preferred venue, offering world-class services and facilities, to provide the best in international and local live entertainment and thrilling sports event experiences. For more information, visit www.mallofasia-arena.com or follow @moaarena on social media. Tickets for upcoming events can be purchased online at www.smtickets.com or at any authorized SM Tickets outlet nationwide.
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.