The first edition of the Volleyball Nations League will take place from May 15 to July 8, 2018.
Q: What is the Volleyball Nations League (VNL)?
A: The VNL is a brand new competition launched by the FIVB in 2018 for the top men's and women's national teams of the world. The aim of the Volleyball Nations League is to raise the level of the sporting action for fans and provide a world class platform for athletes to compete and grow. Launching a men's and women's competition under the same name and format promotes equality in volleyball, while also making it simpler and more engaging to follow.
Q: Who competes in the VNL?
A: The VNL includes 12 core teams and 4 challenger teams for a total of 16 in each gender.
Q: Which teams will take part in the inaugural men's 2018 VNL?
A: In the men's event Brazil, Italy, USA, China, Serbia, France, Argentina, Iran, Poland, Germany, Japan and Russia make up the core teams, while Australia, South Korea, Canada and Bulgaria are the four designated challenger teams.
Q: Which teams will take part in the inaugural women's 2018 VNL?
A: For the women’s competition, Brazil, Italy, USA, China, Serbia, the Netherlands, Thailand, Turkey, South Korea, Germany, Japan and Russia comprise the 12 core nations. Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Poland and Belgium have been selected as challenger teams.
Q: When will the VNL be played?
A: The Preliminary Round of the inaugural 2018 VNL will run from May 15 until June 14 for the women. The men's preliminary round will take place from May 25 until June 24. The men's pools will be played over the weekend, while the women's matches will take place mid-week.
Q: What is the format of the VNL?
A: In both the men's and women's leagues the 16 teams in each gender will compete first in round robin format. With a total of 260 matches played in the tournament, each team will play a minimum of 15 matches and each core nation will host at least one pool. There will be one combined standings table across all pools for each gender. In the men's and women's competition, the top five teams of the standings will join the hosts for the Finals.
Q: What about the Finals?
A: The women's finals for the 2018 VNL will be played in Nanjing, China, June 27-July 1. The men's finals will be in Lille, France, July 4-8. The six finalist teams in each gender will be placed in two pools of three, followed by semifinals and finals.