Iran Federation Confirms Piazza Through 2026 Asian Championship
Iran's federation president confirms Roberto Piazza will remain head coach through the 2026 Asian Championship, with hopes to extend through 2028.
Roberto Piazza will stay in charge of Iran's men's national volleyball team through the 2026 Asian Championship. The confirmation came from Iranian Volleyball Federation president Milad Taghavi, speaking on the program "Sports and People."
Taghavi explained that Piazza's current contract runs until the end of the continental tournament. Only after that event will the federation review his results and decide on the coach's future. Taghavi added that the long-term plan is to keep Piazza in charge through the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, provided the team's performance meets expectations.
The federation president also addressed pressure on Piazza, saying the wider volleyball community is not yet ready to accept an Iranian head coach, and he asked critics to ease their criticism of the Italian.
The announcement follows comments Piazza made to his squad after the Volleyball Nations League, where he pointed to mental toughness, not technical quality, as the team's biggest weakness. Piazza took over the Iran squad ahead of the 2026 season. The Asian Championship will be his first major tournament in charge.
