The FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League is one of the most prestigious international competitions in the sport. It is set to return this year where all the leading nations in women’s volleyball will be competing for the trophy.
Here is everything you need to know about the event, including the format, previous winners, and the players to look out for.
Italy: The Defending Champions
Italy won the tournament for the first time in 2022 when they defeated Brazil 3-0 in the final in Turkey. It was an impressive campaign by the Italians, as they had wins over China (3-1) and Turkey (3-0) in the quarterfinals and semi-finals respectively.
After winning 10 of their 12 matches in the preliminary round, Italy was ranked third in the final round. United States was the top seed, but they were surprisingly beaten 2-3 by Serbia in the last eight. Second seeds Brazil was unable to win a set in the final.
It was a big improvement from Italy as their previous best finish came in 2018 when they were fifth. The victory proved they were good enough to compete with the best teams on the international stage.
United States Host Nation for Final Round
The United States will host the 2023 Women’s National League, with the final round set to be played in Arlington at College Park Center. The hosts will be the team to beat this year as they bid to win the trophy for the fourth time.
Up to 7,000 spectators will be able to watch the action in the multi-purpose arena in Arlington. It is home to the UT Arlington Mavericks in the NCAA and Dallas Wings in the WNBA. The United States won the gold medal in 2018, 2019, and 2021, they will be hoping the home support can spur them to another success this year, should they reach the final round.
It is the first time in the history of the Women’s National League that the final round has been held in the United States. China hosted the opening two editions in Nanjing in 2018 and 2019. In 2021, the final stages were played in Europe, as Italy was handed the honor, while last year, Ankara was the host city.
Format for 2023 Edition in Arlington
The competition will run from May 30 through to July 16. A total of 16 teams from four confederations will compete in the event. Brazil, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States are the core teams,…
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