Lausanne, Switzerland, April 3, 2018 - As Italy's men and women inch closer to their appearances in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and the 2018 FIVB World Championships, a series of friendly matches has been confirmed in preparation for the historic major events of the year.
Gianlorenzo Blengini's men will take on Australia for two friendlies in Reggio Calabria and Catania on May 18 and 19 in preparation for the VNL.
Italy's Men's National Team is on the road in Kraljevo, Serbia; San Juan, Argentina; Osaka, Japan; and Jangchung, Korea for four weeks, before hosting France, Russia and USA in Florence in the first phase of the VNL, starting next month. The finals are in Lille, July 4-8.
In anticipation of the Men's World Championship, Italy will host the Netherlands on August 3 and 4 and the Czech Republic on August 21 and 22 at their training camp in Cavalese, in the foothills of the Alps.
Just days before the start of the World Championship, Italy will also host China for two more friendlies on September 2 and 6.
Italy are co-hosts of the Men's World Championship, together with Bulgaria. The Azzurri will open the competition against Japan on September 9 in Rome's open-air Foro Italico. The rest of their Pool A fixtures, all in Florence, include Belgium, Argentina, the Dominican Republic and Slovenia.
The final phases of the FIVB's flagship event are in Turin, September 26-30.
The Women
Italy's Women's national team will host Japan in their Pavesi Training Centre for a joint camp from May 6 to 10, which will include some friendlies ahead of the VNL.
Davide Mazzanti's team travel to Lincoln, USA; Suwon, Korea; Hong Kong; and Rotterdam, Netherlands, before hosting Belgium, Brazil and Thailand in Eboli for the first phase of the VNL. The finals are in Nanjing, China, from June 27 to July 1.
Following the VNL, the team will take part in the famous Montreux Tournament, September 4-9, and then host the Netherlands for a series of friendlies from September 12-16, before heading out to Japan for the Women's World Championship, starting on September 29.
The Azzurre are placed in Pool B in Sapporo for the first phase of the World Championship, up against Bulgaria, Canada, Cuba, Turkey and China.
The finals of the World Championship are October 14-20 in Yokohama.
Quick links - Volleyball:
FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship 2018
FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship 2018
FIVB.com - Volleyball
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