May 31st Live Link/s s (US PST)

Serbia 3-1 Russia
Netherlands 3-0 Korea (25-19, 28-26, 25-23)
France 3-0 Japan
Portugal 3-1 Czech Republic

May 30th Results

Brazil 0-3 Poland (24-26, 26-28, 21-25)
Italy 3-0 Iran (25-19, 25-22, 25-23)

Serbia 3-2 Russia (25-20, 25-17, 22-25, 19-25, 15-13)

May 29th Results

Brazil 3-0 Poland (25-23, 29-27, 25-19)

May 25th Results

May 25th Results

France 3-0 Argentina (26-24, 25-18, 25-22)
Belgium 3-1 Australia (23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 25-16)

May 24th Results

Argentina 3-2 France (20-25, 25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 15-12)
USA 3-1 Bulgaria (19-25,25-22,27-25,25-17)

Germany 3-2 Japan (25-23, 25-21, 27-29, 21-25, 15-9)
Italy 3-1 Brazil (25-17, 24-26, 25-23, 25-20)

May 23rd Results

USA 3-2 Bulgaria (19-25, 22-25, 27-25, 25-19, 15-12)
Brazil 1-3 Italy (19-25, 25-27, 25-22, 21-25)

What you need to know about this match…

Bulgaria and USA have met 11 times before in the World League. Bulgaria have won eight matches and USA have three wins. Bulgaria are making their 17th appearance in the World League. Despite never making the podium, they have finished fourth on five different occasions. Last season, Erik Shoji was the World League’s most prolific digger with 118 (average of 3.03 per set).

Italy 3-1 Brazil (25-19, 27-25, 22-25, 25-21)

What you need to know about this match…

These teams have not met in a World League match since 2006. Brazil won that most recent encounter. This is a rematch of the World League gold medal matches from 1995, 2001 and 2004. Brazil and opponents Italy are the only ever presents in the World League. Both will enter their 25th season in the competition.

Belgium 3-0 Australia (30-28, 25-19, 25-21)

What you need to know about this match…

Belgium will make their World League debut, meaning this will be the first World League meeting between these teams. Belgium’s Florian Malisse (14-12-1997) is the youngest player in all of the 2014 World League squads. He could face Australia’s Arshdeep Dosanjh (30-07-1996) in this match, the fifth youngest player in the 2014 teams. Age wise, only Cuba has three different players between these two. Australia will participate in the World League for the second time, after finishing in 10th place in 1999.

Germany 3-0 Japan (28-26, 25-19, 25-16)

What you need to know about this match…

Germany and Japan have each won four of their eight matches against each other. Germany can win three matches in a row against Japan for the first time. Japan have won three in a row against Germany once before (1993). Georg Grozer will not be playing in this year’s World League. He won the FIVB Men’s Club World Championships with his Russian club Belogorie Belgorod this month.

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The FIVB World League Media Guide

28 Teams Compete!!!

The FIVB World League Council confirmed during its annual one-day meeting at the FIVB head office in Lausanne, Switzerland on Sunday an exciting and ground breaking structure for the FIVB Volleyball World League 2014 with the FIVB’s premier annual men’s volleyball event expanding from 18 countries to 28 for the first time ever.

“This is an historic moment for the FIVB and the World League,” FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° said to the 28 federations represented in the meeting. “This new direction is all about growing volleyball and providing opportunities for federations to play.

“It is very clear for me, the future is today and we are doing something different. This is the new era and I would like to congratulate the new countries who are involved, who now have an opportunity to play on the world stage.”

The 28 teams have been split into seven pools.

() Numbers in brackets denotes world ranking
* First time in World League

Pool A features two of the most successful countries in the 24-year history of the World League with world No. 1 and nine-time champions Brazil along with eight time winners Italy, 2012 champions Poland and the rapidly improving Iran.

In Pool B are defending champions Russia, 2012 silver medallists USA, this year’s fourth-placed team Bulgaria and four-time runner’s up Serbia.

Pool C features first time participants Belgium along with Canada, Australia and Finland while Argentina, Germany, France and Japan are in Pool D. Pool E features the Netherlands, Korea, the Czech Republic – who return to the World League after making their only previous appearance in 2003 – and Portugal.

Last year’s 13th place finishers Cuba are joined in Pool F by World League debutants Tunisia, Turkey and Mexico whilst Pool G sees Puerto Rico return after making their only appearance in 2011, China and Spain return after last appearing in 2010 and 2008 respectively while Slovakia will make their World League debut.

During the Intercontinental Round, Pools A to E will play double home and away matches, for a total of 12 matches per team. Pool F & G will feature two stand-alone tournaments per pool involving the four teams in the pool.

The World League Intercontinental Round will start on the weekend of May 23 to 25 with Pool A & B holding a Final Six – the top two teams in each pool (A & B), the hosts and the winner from the Final Four from Pools C, D and E – on the week of July 16 to 20.

Pools C, D and E will also have six rounds before their Final 4 on the weekend of July 4 to 6.

The Final Four for Pools F & G is expected to take place on June 27 to 29.

The last ranked team of Pool A & B after the Intercontinental Round could be relegated if the winner of the Final Four of Pools C, D and E can meet the promotion requirements set by the FIVB.

Provisional Intercontinental Round calendar

This year the World League featured 18 teams for the first time having had 16 teams from 2001-2003 and 2006-2012. The World League featured eight teams in its inaugural year in 1990, 10 in 1991 and then 12 from 1992-2000 and 2004-05.

The next FIVB meeting is the FIVB World Grand Prix Council on Monday.

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(images: FIVB)