Lausanne, Switzerland, May 2, 2019 - Focus will be on defending champions USA in Pool 2 at Ruse, when the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League kicks off in less than three weeks and coach Karch Kiraly's quest to keep the trophy in America begins.
The city of Ruse, on the banks of the Danube, will host this opening week pool from May 21-23, which sees VNL newcomers Bulgaria also entertain Japan and Belgium.
Bulgaria celebrate their win over Colombia in the final of the 2018 FIVB Challenger Cup that earned them the right to play in the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League. But how will the Balkan side cope amongst the 'big guns' this year?
Last year USA suffered a defeat in their weekend at home in Lincoln, Nebraska (3-2 to Turkey) but didn't lose again until Week 5 (3-1 to Serbia in Santa Fe, Argentina) by when they were already qualified for the Final 6. USA went on to finish top of the table on a 13-2 record before continuing to win the title of the inaugural edition. Arguably the team to beat in this year's competition, however, USA will have to be in top form to repeat last year's victory.
Pool hosts Bulgaria won the right to play in the 2019 VNL after sweeping last year's FIVB Challenger Cup in Lima. The Balkan team gets to replace Argentina who finished bottom in the 2018 VNL.
The 'Lionesses' have not really gained any very important major distinctions since their heyday of the 1980s, when they picked up the bronze medal of the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games before going on to claim gold at the 1981 European Championship. But they're back amongst the world's top elite and it'll be highly interesting to see how they cope.
Belgium's Ilka Van De Vyver tries to push the ball past the double block of Mai Okumura and Sarina Koga as Japan sweep the European side in straight sets in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
Japan are the only one of the four teams to have a confirmed spot as hosts in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and have no qualifiers to worry about this year - which means they can fully concentrate on the VNL.
That, and the fact that they have had more time to prepare than most of their opponents puts them in a strong position. They've always been a side not to be taken lightly and this year more so. Last time around they finished an average 10th in the 2018 VNL on a 7-8 record, but it'll be exciting to see how their buildup towards their landmark appearance as host in Tokyo 2020 is moving forward.
Lastly there's Belgium, who won only four of their 15 matches last year to rank 13th in the 2018 VNL. Those four wins did not include any of the teams that finished above them other than 12th-placed Korea.
And as they're one of the four Challenger Teams (alongside Bugaria, the Dominican Republic and Poland), their matchup against the hosts in Ruse is highly anticipated and critical. At the end of the 2019 VNL one of the four challenger teams will have to go, giving way to the FIVB Challenger Cup winners for the 2020 VNL.
Read more:
Women's VNL, Pool 1: How will Italy make their entry this year?
Quick links - Volleyball:
FIVB.com - Volleyball Nations League
FIVB.com - Volleyball
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