With Brazil hosting the 2016 Olympics, there’s no need for their national teams to compete at the World Cup.
The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) is pleased to confirm the qualification process for the 12 teams per gender participating in the FIVB Volleyball World Cup Japan 2015.
Hosts Japan will be joined by the world champions and two teams from each of the five continental confederations for both the women’s event, which will take place from August 22 to September 6, and the men’s competition which runs from September 8-23.
Teams participating:
– Hosts Japan
– World champions Poland (Men) and USA (Women)
– Two teams from each continental confederation
China and Korea will join the women’s competition from Asia, while the two teams representing the Asian Volleyball Confederation in the men’s competition will be Iran and Australia. Europe will be represented by Russia and Serbia in the Women’s World Cup, and by Russia and Italy in the men’s. The teams from Europe have qualified for the World Cup based on their positions in the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) ranking at the beginning of 2015. The teams representing the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) have qualified based on their world ranking at the beginning of the year.
The two teams per gender representing Africa will be decided based on the final standings at the African Nations Championships, which are due to take place from June 10-20 (Women) and July 12-22 (Men). The NORCECA Champions Cup Final Four from May 19-24 (Men) and June 3-8 (Women) will decide which teams represent the North, Central America & Caribbean Confederation.
Finally, a tournament will be held to decide which two men’s teams qualify for the World Cup from the South American Confederation (CSV) before May 24. A women’s tournament qualifying two teams will be held before June 7. Brazil will not participate in either competition as they are already qualified for next year’s Games in Rio as the competition hosts. This is consistent with the principle whereby a team already qualified for an event does not participate in the qualification process for that same event.
The World Cup winners and runners-up will qualify for the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.
The Women’s World Cup was won by Italy in 2011, who were also victorious in 2007. Cuba won the tournament on four consecutive occasions between 1989 and 1999 and are the most successful nation in the women’s competition.
Russia are the reigning champions in the men’s event, after finishing the 2011 edition ahead of Poland and Brazil. Russia (including predecessors USSR) have won the men’s competition six times.
Click here for more information about the FIVB Volleyball World Cup.
(image: FIVB)