Alas Pilipinas to face Tunisia without star Wassim Ben Tara in FIVB Men's World Championship opener

The Alas Pilipinas Men’s team will kick off its 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship campaign next month against a shorthanded Tunisia, which will be without star spiker Wassim Ben Tara.

The 29-year-old ace winger will not be suiting up for Tunisia due to an undisclosed prior commitment—a welcome development for host nation Philippines.

Tara, a veteran opposite spiker, emerged as Tunisia’s top scorer during their run at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics where they finished 11th in the 12-team field.

He currently plays in Italy’s top-tier SuperLega, where he shares the court with other international standouts such as Japan’s Yuki Ishikawa and Argentina’s Agustín Loser.

Still, even without him, Tunisia remains a formidable foe with veterans Hamza Nagga and Elyes Karamosli spearheading Africa’s second-best squad.

The 6-foot-2 Nagga and 6-foot-4 Karamosli played alongside Tara during Tunisia’s record-extending 11th title win at the 2021 African Men’s Volleyball Championship.

They will take on the Philippines on opening day on September 12 at the Mall of Asia Arena, with the Filipinos hoping to pull off a major upset against world No. 42 Tunisia.

Alas Pilipinas will then face Egypt on September 16 and Iran on September 18.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News