Record 28 teams for World Volleyball Grand Prix

Lausanne, Dec 2, 2013: The FIVB’s premier annual women’s volleyball tournament, the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix has followed in the footsteps of the FIVB Volleyball World League and will include 28 countries for the first time in its history in its 2014 edition.One day after the World League Council approved the historic expansion of the World League to 28 teams, the World Grand Prix Council followed suit during its annual meeting at the FIVB headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland on Monday, increasing by eight the of participants from 20 who featured earlier this year.

The 28 countries have been split across 19 pools with 12 – defending champions and world No. 1 Brazil, USA, Japan, China, Russia, Italy, Serbia, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Korea, Turkey and Thailand – playing in Pools A to I while eight – Poland, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, Argentina, Canada, Cuba and Belgium – are in Pools J to O. Pools P to S also includes eight teams: Kenya, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Mexico, Bulgaria and Australia.

The distribution was based on world ranking with the exceptions of Belgium and Cuba, who had qualified via continental qualification tournaments, and Australia who participate as part of the Oceania development program. A draw was conducted during the meeting to determine which positions each country fills in the pool distribution.

( ) Numbers in brackets denotes world ranking

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

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

The FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix 2014 will start on July 25 with Pools J to O and Pools P to S in action. Pools A to I will begin proceedings one week later on August 1.

Pools A to I will play round robin across three weeks of Preliminary Round action before the Finals from August 20 to 24 where six teams – the four best in the Preliminary Round ranking, the Finals host and the winner of the Final Four from Pools J to O – will feature. Pools J to O will also contest three weeks of Preliminary Round action before the Final Four – featuring the three best from the Preliminary Round ranking and the host of the Final Four – takes place from August 15 to 17.

The last ranked team after the Preliminary Round from Pools A to I could be relegated if the winner of Pools J to O can meet the promotion requirements set by the FIVB.

Pools P to S will feature two weeks of Preliminary round action before four teams will participate in the Final Four from August 15 to 17, which will include the three best from the Preliminary Round ranking and the host of the Final Four.

Pools P to S will feature two weeks of Preliminary round action before four teams will participate in the Final Four from August 15 to 17, which will include the winner of each pool, the host and the best second placed team.

The World Grand Prix featured eight teams in its debut season of 1993 and from 1995 to 2002, while 12 teams were in action in 1994 and from 2003 to 2010. Sixteen teams were involved in the 2011 and 2012 editions before expanding to 20 in 2013.

The next FIVB meeting will be the FIVB Finance Commission on December 11-12, followed by the Sports Events Council on December 13-14 and the FIVB Executive Committee meeting on December 15. —- FIVB