The FIVB Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2021 will be held in Italian city Rimini under a bio-secure bubble and will kick off on 25 May 2021!!
A bubble concept was approved in January by the VNL Council, allowing the world’s top volleyball nations to compete in one location.
Remind that the 2020 edition of the VNL was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, the men’s core teams include Argentina, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, Serbia and USA. They are complemented by the challenger teams of Australia, Bulgaria and Canada, plus newcomers Slovenia who won the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup and are replacing Portugal who were relegated that same year.
The women’s core teams include Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Russia, Serbia, Thailand, Turkey and USA. The challenger teams are Belgium, the Dominican Republic and Poland, plus newly promoted Canada who won the latest FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup to replace Bulgaria who were relegated in 2019.
The 2021 VNL is set to start on 25 May for the women and 28 May for the men with the Preliminary Round completed on 20 June for the women and 23 June for the men.
The top four teams after the completion of the Preliminary Round advance to the semifinals (in a departure from the Final Six format of the previous seasons).
The semifinals of the women’s competition are scheduled for 24 June, with the medals matches following on the next day.
The men’s semifinals are set for 26 June, followed by the final and bronze medal match on 27 June.
Source and Photo: FIVB
