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| The World League Council meeting at the headquarters of the International Volleyball Federation in Lausanne |
After increasing the number of participating teams from 28 to 32 last year, the FIVB has remodelled its flagship annual event for men's national teams to provide an even more intensive and exhilarating playing schedule in the build-up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The new format, which will see the participating nations split into two groups of twelve teams and one of eight, will take place over a period of just five weeks from June 17 through to July 17.
The teams participating in the 2016 edition of the competition have been split into the following groups - draws were held for Groups 1 and 2.
Group 1
Group 1 includes the top 12 teams in the 2015 World League: France (winners), Serbia (runners-up), USA (3rd), Poland, Brazil, Italy, Iran, Australia , Russia, Bulgaria, Argentina, Belgium. The eight teams in Group 1 in 2015 (Australia, Brazil, Iran, Italy, Poland, Russia, Serbia and USA) have been joined by wild cards Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 2015 winners France.
*Pool hosts highlighted in yellow
Group 2
Group 2 is composed of the 12 teams ranked 13th to 24th in the 2015 World League. They are: Japan, the Netherlands, Canada, Finland, the Czech Republic, Cuba, Korea, Portugal, Egypt, Turkey, Slovakia and China. The eight teams competing in Group 2 in 2015 (Cuba, Canada, Japan, Korea, Czech Republic, Portugal, Finland, Netherlands) have been joined by wild cards China, Turkey, Slovakia and 2015 Group 3 winners Egypt.
Group 3The Group 3 teams and pools will be confirmed at a later date.
Competition calendar
The 2016 edition of the World League will take place from June 17 through to July 17. The Intercontinental Round in Groups 1 and 2 will be played over three weeks from June 17 through to July 3, while the preliminary round in Group 3 will be completed in two weeks. The Group 3 Finals will be held from July 1-3. They will be followed by the Group 2 Finals from July 9-10 and the Group 1 Finals from July 13-17.
The World League Group 1 Finals will feature two pools of three teams, followed by semifinals and finals. The participants will include the top five teams from the preliminary round final ranking and the hosts. In Groups 2 and 3, the Finals will be played by the top three teams in the ranking and the host country. The Finals hosts will be confirmed in due course.
The FIVB Volleyball World League tournament began with just eight countries, who took part in the inaugural competition in 1990. In 1991 the number of teams had risen to 10, while 12 nations competed from 1992-2000 and 2004-05. The field featured 16 teams from 2001-2003 and 2006-2012. 2013 saw 18 different countries compete, with that increasing to 28 in 2014 with the new record of 32 in 2015.
Group 2
Group 2 is composed of the 12 teams ranked 13th to 24th in the 2015 World League. They are: Japan, the Netherlands, Canada, Finland, the Czech Republic, Cuba, Korea, Portugal, Egypt, Turkey, Slovakia and China. The eight teams competing in Group 2 in 2015 (Cuba, Canada, Japan, Korea, Czech Republic, Portugal, Finland, Netherlands) have been joined by wild cards China, Turkey, Slovakia and 2015 Group 3 winners Egypt.
Group 3The Group 3 teams and pools will be confirmed at a later date.
Competition calendar
The 2016 edition of the World League will take place from June 17 through to July 17. The Intercontinental Round in Groups 1 and 2 will be played over three weeks from June 17 through to July 3, while the preliminary round in Group 3 will be completed in two weeks. The Group 3 Finals will be held from July 1-3. They will be followed by the Group 2 Finals from July 9-10 and the Group 1 Finals from July 13-17.
The World League Group 1 Finals will feature two pools of three teams, followed by semifinals and finals. The participants will include the top five teams from the preliminary round final ranking and the hosts. In Groups 2 and 3, the Finals will be played by the top three teams in the ranking and the host country. The Finals hosts will be confirmed in due course.
The FIVB Volleyball World League tournament began with just eight countries, who took part in the inaugural competition in 1990. In 1991 the number of teams had risen to 10, while 12 nations competed from 1992-2000 and 2004-05. The field featured 16 teams from 2001-2003 and 2006-2012. 2013 saw 18 different countries compete, with that increasing to 28 in 2014 with the new record of 32 in 2015.
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