Lausanne, Switzerland, November 11, 2014 – With the international season beginning to draw to a close the line-ups for some of next year’s FIVB age-group World Championships are beginning to take shape with the stars of the future hoping to shine on the global stage.
There are six age-group tournaments scheduled to take place in 2015: the Girls’ U18 World Championship, the Boy’s U19 World Championship as well as the Women’s U20 and U23 World Championships and Men’s U21 and U23 World Championships.
The Girls’ U18 World Championship will see 20 teams travel to Peru for the 14th edition of the tournament. China won their fourth title at the last tournament in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand seeing off the United States in the final. Both 2013 finalists have already confirmed their participation at the tournament. The United States finished second to the Dominican Republic at the NORCECA Girls’ U17 Championship in July with Puerto Rico and Mexico also qualifying. China finished third at the AVC Girls’ U17 Championship in October, holding off rivals Korea for the bronze medal. Japan won their fourth straight title at the competition and booked their place alongside the Korean and Chinese teams as well as hosts Thailand who had to settle for silver. Brazil and Argentina will line-up alongside 2013 bronze medallists and hosts Peru to represent South America at the tournament after all three finished on the podium at the CSV Girls’ U18 Championship in July with Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria joining them as Africa’s representatives. That leaves just six berths up for grabs in the CEV U18 Girls’ Championship, scheduled to take place in Bulgaria from March 28 – April 5 2015.
The line-up for the Boys’ U19 World Championship is also nearly complete, with six teams from Europe set to complete the roster during the CEV Boys’ U18 Championship in Turkey from April 4 – April 12. Russia won the last tournament after beating China in the final and the Chinese will be looking to go one better after earning their berth through the AVC Boys’ U19 Championship by finishing third in September. Champions Iran, silver medallists Japan and fourth placed Chinese Taipei also guaranteed their place at the tournament, which will take place in Argentina. 2014 NORCECA Boys’ U18 Youth champions USA, silver medallists Cuba and Mexico and Puerto Rico will join their Asian counterparts as will Argentina, Brazil and Chile, the top three from the CSV Boys’ U18 Youth Championship. That also leaves just three spots for the African representatives which are also to be decided.
With just 16 berths available, the race for a place at the Women’s U20 World Championship remains tight. USA and Cuba became the first two teams to qualify for the tournament after reaching the final of the NORCECA Women’s U19 Championship in July. They were then joined by China and Japan from the AVC Women’s U19 Championships later in the same month. Serbia then qualified from the first round of the CEV Women’s U19 Championship in August and will compete for the two spots at the CEV U20 Championship next year. Brazil and Peru booked their place through the CSV Women’s U19 Championship in September. That leaves just two more berths for Africa. Hosts Cyprus are guaranteed a place at the tournament with the remaining five spots decided through the world rankings with the five next-best placed teams yet to qualify through continental tournaments earning a ticket to the competition.
The Men’s U21 World Championship will also welcome 16 teams to Mexico next year, with Cuba and Canada qualifying from NORCECA in August along with 2013 silver medallists Brazil and Argentina from South America later in the same month. Russia moved one step closer to earning the right to defend their crown in September after they sealed the CEV Men’s U20 Championship in September. They will now compete alongside 22 other teams for the two CEV berths at the second round of CEV qualification. AVC U20 champions Iran and silver medallists China earned their berths in Manama, Bahrain in October. There are just seven more teams to decide, with two to come from Africa and five more from the world ranking.
The Women’s U23 World Championship will take place in Turkey and the hosts were first joined by Brazil and Colombia who battled it out in the final of the CSV U22 Women’s Championship in August. Egypt and Tunisia were the next to book their tickets to the tournament after finishing on top in the CAVB Women’s U22 Championship. The Dominican Republic and Cuba also earned their spot at the tournament, holding off challenges from Canada and USA to reach the NORCECA Women’s U22 Championship. The two berths from AVC will be decided next May at the continental Women’s U23 Championship in Philippines while a pair of teams from CEV will also qualify next year. The last place will go to the highest-placed women’s team in the world rankings yet to qualify.
Just three teams have qualified for the Men’s U23 World Championship so far. The United Arab Emirates will compete for the first time as hosts of the tournament. They were joined by Brazil and and Argentina following the conclusion of the CSV U22 Men’s Championship earlier in October. Teams from AVC, CAVB, CEV and NORCECA are yet to be decided with their respective tournaments taking place early next year.
Girls’ U18 World Championship confirmed teams (20 vacances)
Hosts: Peru
AVC: Japan, Thailand, China, Korea (4 vacances)
CAVB: Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria (3 vacances)
CEV: 6 vacances TBC (CEV Girls' U18 Championship, March 28 - April 5, 2015, Bulgaria)
CSV: Brazil, Argentina, Peru (3 vacances)
NORCECA: Dominican Republic, USA, Puerto Rico, Mexico (4 vacances)
Boys’ U19 World Championship confirmed teams (20 vacances)
Hosts: Argentina
AVC: Iran, Japan, China, Chinese Taipei (4 vacances)
CAVB : TBC (3 vacances)
CEV : 6 vacances TBC (CEV Boys' U19 Championship, April 4-12, 2015, Turkey)
CSV : Argentina, Brazil, Chile (3 vacances)
NORCECA : USA, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico (4 vacances)
Women’s U20 World Championship confirmed teams (16 vacances)
Hosts: Cyprus
AVC: China, Japan (2 vacances)
CAVB: TBC (2 vacances)
CEV: 2 vacances TBC (CEV Qualification tournament 2nd Round May 14-17, 2015)
CSV: Brazil, Peru (2 vacances)
NORCECA: USA, Cuba (2 vacances)
Men’s U21 World Championship confirmed teams (16 vacances)
Hosts: Mexico
AVC: Iran, China (2 vacances)
CAVB: TBC (2 vacances)
CEV: 2 vacances TBC (CEV Qualification tournament 2nd Round May 14-17, 2015)
CSV: Brazil, Argentina (2 vacances)
NORCECA: Cuba, Canada (2 vacances)
Women’s U23 World Championship confirmed teams (12 vacances)
Hosts: Turkey
AVC: 2 vacances TBC (AVC Women's U23 Championship, May 1-9, 2015, Philippines)
CAVB: Egypt, Tunisia (2 vacances)
CEV: TBC (2 vacances)
CSV: Brazil, Colombia (2 vacances)
NORCECA: Dominican Republic, Cuba (2 vacances)
Men’s U23 World Championship confirmed teams (12 vacances)
Hosts: United Arab Emirates (1 vacancy)
AVC: 2 vacances TBC (AVC Men's U23 Championship, May 12-20, 2015, Iran)
CAVB: TBC (2 vacances)
CEV: TBC (2 vacances)
CSV: Brazil, Argentina (2 vacances)
NORCECA: TBC (2 vacances)