MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas’ first opponent, Tunisia, will miss its star player Wassim Ben Tara for its FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025 campaign.

Tara, the team’s leading scorer in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, isn’t part of Tunisia’s official roster due to prior commitments.

READ: Alas Pilipinas men grind in Europe ahead of volleyball worlds

It will still be a tough assignment for Alas Pilipinas with Tunisia having the likes of Hamza Nagga and Elyes Karamosli at its disposal in their opener on September 12 at Mall of Asia Arena.

Nagga, a 6-foot-2 opposite spiker, and 6-foot-4 outside hitter Karamosli backstopped Tara in their 2021 African Men’s Volleyball Championship to extend their record as the most successful African nation with 11 titles. 

Tunisia also has a new coach in Camillo Placi, an Italian who had served as deputy for Russia when it won the bronze medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Tunisia, currently the World No. 42, placed 16th in the 2022 World Championship hosted by Slovenia and Poland.

Alas Pilipinas will also face the No. 23 Egypt in Pool A along with No. 13 Iran in the 32-team world championship, organized by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC).

The K-pop group BOYNEXTDOOR and Karencitta will perform on opening day after the Alas-Tunisia match. Tickets are available via the official website philippineswch2025.com.