Brazil-vs-France-2017WL-finals
The new format of both tournaments raised many controversies as it deleted all the other groups besides Group 1, which will consist of 16 teams, but also due to the unexplained criteria by which the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) decided to include some and exclude other teams from elite. It even caused Slovenian Federation to threaten FIVB with a lawsuit for not allowing them to compete in Group 1 of the World League despite their Men’s NT earned that right by winning Group 2 this year.
As “UOL” revealed on its blog “Saída de Rede”, out of the established 16 national teams in elite divisions of both tournaments, 12 will be permanent members, so-called “classified”, while the other four will be “challengers”. The criteria by which these “classified” teams gained the right to compete in the elite were a combination of factors such as their volleyball history, and specifically their history of playing the tournament, recent results, position in the rankings and infrastructure to host matches. Depending on their results in the tournament in 2018, the “challengers” status can be changed (they can stay or leave the competition).
Both the 2018 World League and World Grand Prix will have five weeks of Preliminary Round (in which every team will play 15 matches and will play against every single one of the participants) after which the six best teams will advance to the Final Six (hosts will be determined later). It’s already clear that these will be the longest-ever World League and World Grand Prix tournaments! Each country will host up to two weeks, but most countries will probably host not more than one.
Permanent or “classified” teams in the World League are Brazil, Italy, USA, Russia, Serbia, France, Argentina, Poland, Iran, Germany, Japan, and China. “Challengers” are Canada, Bulgaria, Australia, and Korea.
2018 World League Preliminary Round, pools:
Week 1:
Pool 1 – AUS, FRA, IRN, JPN; Pool 2 – USA, CHN, ARG, BUL; Pool 3 – RUS, KOR, CAN, POL; Pool 4 – GER, SRB, BRA, ITA.
Week 2:
Pool 1 – BUL, AUS, RUS, SRB; Pool 2 – JPN, KOR, USA, BRA; Pool 3 – ARG, IRN, CAN, ITA; Pool 4: POL, FRA, CHN, GER.
Week 3:
Pool 1 – CAN, AUS, USA, GER; Pool 2 – ITA, JPN, BUL, POL; Pool 3 – IRN, CHN, RUS, BRA; Pool 4 – SRB, ARG, KOR, FRA.
Week 4:
Pool 1 – ITA, AUS, CHN, KOR; Pool 2 – ARG, GER, JPN, RUS; Pool 3 – SRB, USA, IRN, POL; Pool 4 – BUL, FRA, CAN, BRA.
Week 5:
Pool 1 – ARG, AUS, POL, BRA; Pool 2 – JPN, CAN, CHN, SRB; Pool 3 – IRN, GER, BUL, KOR; Pool 4 – ITA, USA, FRA, RUS.
Permanent or “classified” teams in the World Grand Prix are Brazil, China, Serbia, USA, Russia, The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Japan, Korea and Thailand. “Challengers” are Poland, Belgium, Dominican Republic and Argentina.
2018 World Grand Prix Preliminary Round, pools:
Week 1:
Pool 1 – NED, ARG, THA, RUS; Pool 2 – KOR, DOM, CHN, BEL; Pool 3 – USA, ITA, POL, TUR; Pool 4 – BRA, JPN, GER, SRB
Week 2:
Pool 1 – BEL, NED, USA, JPN; Pool 2 – RUS, ITA, KOR, GER; Pool 3 – CHN, THA, POL, SRB; Pool 4 – TUR, ARG, DOM, BRA
Week 3:
Pool 1 – POL, NED, KOR, BRA; Pool 2 – SRB, RUS, BEL, TUR; Pool 3 – THA, DOM, USA, GER; Pool 4 – JPN, CHN, ITA, ARG
Week 4:
Pool 1 – SRB, NED, DOM, ITA; Pool 2 – CHN, BRA, RUS, USA; Pool 3 – JPN, KOR, THA, TUR; Pool 4 – BEL, ARG, POL, GER
Week 5:
Pool 1 – CHN, NED, TUR, GER; Pool 2 – RUS, Pol, DOM, JPN; Pool 3 – THA, BRA, BEL, ITA; Pool 4 – SRB, KOR, ARG, USA.
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0 comment
this is the same old format before 2015 each country got to host and they play in each countries.
‘The criteria by which these “classified” teams gained the right to compete in the elite was a combination of factors such as volleyball history, and specifically history of playing the tournament, recent results, position in the rankings and infrastructure to host matches. ‘
This is ridiculous , how does once team history background affect current volleyball team situation. The Dutch team was once shine and glory in the mid 90s to the early 2000s, but now they became a historical strong team. Since 1990s, the Dutch volleyball team hasn’t won any big competition.(men’s team I am talking about.) The history does say much to current situation and positioning of the volleyball team situation. I mean some of the finalist of the groups 2 and the winner didn’t made into the 2018 edition WL elite team. GREAT FIVB.
Re: @Denny
Is about the situation right know of these teams, netherlands after 2003 they give up men volleyball, they just dissapear, in the woman the best team of the last century Cuba also dissapear is not just history, is Money, Situation of their volleyball programs and history, do u think China is a ‘Classified team’ vs teams like Bulgaria, Canada or Australia???? hell no China at least is a Challenger or a Group 2, its ok next year 2019 Cuba will back with another strong team that is being rebuilding and took silver at the u21 world championship and all this crap non hjistory teams will fly.
I think it’s time for new leadership in FIVB, the current one is making all wrong decision lately
Re: @former_player Are you kidding??? Old Man Ari was reelected for 2 (TWO!) mandates at once! Not even by voting, but ‘by acclamation’! And he is what? 75?
Re: @Sorin Acela Hence my comment that is time for new people in FIVB since existing ones are consist from old, senile men who are making more damage than good
I thought the whole idea of having 3 groups was to give the opportunity for playing and development to other countries. Making the tournament more competitive instead of having the same teams all the time. This is all about $$$ and to me, FIVB is starting to lose credibility.