Marck Espejo and Alas Pilipinas during the national team Invitationals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas coach Angiolino Frigoni and his players are calling on Filipino fans to rally behind men’s volleyball as the country prepares to both host and compete in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025 from September 12 to 28 at Mall of Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Fresh from strong support during the Alas Pilipinas Invitationals — highlighted by a five-set win over Thailand on Independence Day — Frigoni underscored the value of a passionate home crowd.
READ: Despite Alas’ perfect run, there’s room for growth says coach
“Listen, I am very happy with the supporters. You know, they give us a lot of energy,” Frigoni said.
“I hope that there will be more. We played against the Japanese last year, and most of the fans were cheering for Japan and not for us. You know what I mean? And I said to them last year, please cheer for the Philippines, because we need your help.”
Coach Angiolino Frigoni’s assessment after Alas Pilipinas’ three-game sweep of the #AlasPilipinasInvitationals @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/obA3YdK8t4
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) June 12, 2025
Frigoni was referring to last year’s friendly against Osaka Bluteon, a Japanese club team led by star Yuji Nishida.
READ: Alas Pilipinas rekindles magic vs Thailand after six years
Alas captain Marck Espejo, who erupted for 30 points against Thailand to complete a sweep of the four-team Invitationals, welcomed the growing attention on the men’s game — momentum that had been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic after their breakthrough silver-medal finish in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
“We all know that here in the Philippines, women’s volleyball usually gets more attention. But now, men’s volleyball is really starting to rise, and it’s not just because of us — it’s also because of the fans who continue to support us,” said the five-time UAAP MVP out of Ateneo in Filipino.
“With the upcoming World Championships, we’re really hoping for your full support. Thank you so much. Win or lose, it’s always a victory for the Philippines.”
Marck Espejo urges for continuous support for Philippine men’s volleyball ahead of the FIVB #MWCH2025 #AlasPilipinasInvitationals @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/bOueUyQ4rx
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) June 12, 2025
Recent domestic tournaments have fueled that rise. The Spikers’ Turf Open Conference finals between Cignal and Criss Cross and the epic UAAP Season 87 title series between National University and Far Eastern University broke crowd records. The UAAP finals set a new Philippine men’s volleyball attendance record with 14,517 fans at Mall of Asia Arena.
After sweeping Thailand national team and clubs from South Korea and Indonesia, the Filipino Spikers are flying to Bahrain on Sunday for the AVC Men’s Nations Cup from June 17 to 24.
The World No.59 Philippines, which played in Japan, is facing the No. 16 Iran, No. 22 Egypt, and No. 39 Tunisia in the World Championship.
