Venues confirmed for 2014 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas

London, Sept 26, 2013: The ITF today confirmed the venues for the 2014 Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Zone Group I events being held in the week commencing 3 February. Europe/Africa Zone Group I will take place in Budapest, Hungary; Americas Zone Group I will be held in Lambare, Paraguay; while Asia/Oceania Zone Groups I and II will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The three round-robin events will be held alongside the 2014 World Group and World Group II first round ties taking place on 8-9 February. The Zone Group I teams will all be bidding to qualify for the World Group II play-offs on 19-20 April, with two teams qualifying from Europe/Africa, and one team qualifying from both the Americas and Asia/Oceania zones. Teams in Asia/Oceania Zone Group II will be bidding for promotion to Group I in 2015.

The full list of venues and participating nations is below:

Americas Zone Group I

Venue: Paraguayan Yacht and Golf Club, Lambare, Paraguay

Surface: clay – outdoors

Participating nations (7): Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, Paraguay, Venezuela

Europe/Africa Zone Group I

Venue: Syma Event and Congress Centre, Budapest, Hungary

Surface: hard – indoors

Participating nations (17): Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Great Britain, Hungary, Israel, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine

Asia/Oceania Zone Groups I & II

Venue: National Tennis Center, Astana, Kazakhstan

Surface: hard – indoors

Group I participating nations (7): China P.R., Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Korea, Rep., Thailand, Uzbekistan

Group II participating nations (14): Hong Kong China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan, Vietnam

Fed Cup by BNP Paribas is the largest annual international team competition in women’s sport, with 97 nations entered in 2013. The event is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2013 in the ITF’s centenary year. The title sponsor is BNP Paribas, the Official Bank of Fed Cup. Adecco (Official HR Sponsor) and Bosco Sport (Official Clothing Sponsor) are international sponsors, and Wilson Sporting Goods (Official Ball) is an international partner. —- ITF