After more than a month of competition, the concerns of Thai volleyball fans have finally occurred when the national team fell to the bottom of the rankings after the 11th round of the VNL 2025 group stage.
Unable to show their mettle against a highly rated opponent, the Thai women's team lost 0-3 to the Dominican Republic.
This defeat was not only a shock, but also pushed them down to the bottom of the table when the South Korean team - a direct competitor - unexpectedly won two sets against Bulgaria, despite still losing 2-3 in the end.
Thailand and Korea have only won 1 match since the beginning of the tournament, but the secondary index has changed after the recent series of matches.
While Thailand has only won a total of 9 matches, Korea has risen to 11, thereby surpassing the Southeast Asian team in the total group.
Hopefully, only a little bit will be brightly lit for Thailand when this afternoon (July 13), South Korea lost completely to France in their final match in the tournament.
This opens up Thailand's last chance in a life-and-death confrontation with Canada on the morning of July 14.
If they win at least 2 games, Thailand will have the opportunity to reclaim 17th place and stay with the VNL playground next season.
However, things will not be easy. Canada is not a big force but is no longer a minor opponent. In the last 5 confrontations, Thailand has won 2 victories.
In the most recent encounter, Canada defeated Thailand with a score of 3-1. The North American team currently has 2 wins in the tournament, currently ranked 16th out of 18.
More importantly, their declining performance and pressured spirit are becoming the biggest barriers for Thai girls.
From 2025, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) will change the format when the tournament expands to 18 teams and begins to apply the relegation mechanism for the bottom team in the group stage.
If they fall into that position, Thailand will lose their place in VNL 2026. The chance to return only comes when they reach the world top 18, while they are now far behind this target.
