Peru were defeated 3-2 by Argentina in a five-set match at the 2026 Girls' U17 Volleyball World Championship on Thursday.
The Peruvian youth team, known as the Matadorcitas, took an early lead by winning a high-scoring opening set 29-27. However, Argentina responded strongly to take the next two sets 25-16 and 25-18, before Peru pushed the tie to a fifth set by claiming the fourth 25-18. Argentina secured victory by taking the deciding set 15-11.
The match was played in the classification round for ninth place in the international tournament. Across all five sets, Argentina scored a total of 113 points compared to 99 points scored by Peru.
Tournament Bracket and Path
Both South American sides entered the ninth-place bracket following defeats in the round of 16. Peru, coached by Brazilian manager Marcello Bencardino, had dropped out of main contention after losing 3-0 against Italy. Argentina entered the fixture after being defeated by the United States in their round of 16 match.
Following the defeat to Argentina, Peru will conclude their participation in the U17 World Championship against the loser of the match between the Czech Republic and the Dominican Republic.
Team Reactions and Media Coverage
The national team's performance comes amidst discussion surrounding the squad's progress. Peruvian volleyball player Aixa Vigil publicly backed teammate Kiara Montes, criticizing detractors of the national team as hypocrites who never show their faces during difficult moments.
The fixture between Peru and Argentina was broadcast live in Peru on Latina TV on channel 2 and channel 702 in high definition. Online streaming was made available through the Latina TV application and Volleyball World's VBTV platform, with match updates provided by La Republica Deportes.
The match started at 10:00 a.m. local time in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. For viewers in Mexico, the match started at 9:00 a.m., while fans in Bolivia, Chile, and Venezuela tuned in at 11:00 a.m. The fixture commenced at 12:00 p.m. in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and at 5:00 p.m. in Spain.
Background of Peruvian Volleyball
Youth volleyball holds significant cultural importance in Peru, where national age-group teams are affectionately dubbed the Matadorcitas. The moniker derives from the senior women's national team, known as Las Matadoras, which achieved international prominence after earning the silver medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.
The FIVB Girls' U17 Volleyball World Championship is organized by the International Volleyball Federation, bringing together top international youth teams to compete at the highest level of age-group volleyball.
