FIVB World Cup 2011

The road to the Olympic Games commences with the World Cup, the quadrennial round-robin event that showcases the very best 12 men’s and 12 women’s national teams in the world.

The 12 teams per gender consist of hosts Japan, 2011 Continental champions, four 2011 Continental vice-champions placed highest on the FIVB World Rankings and two wildcards. They compete for the three vacancies on offer in each tournament.

The first edition of the men's World Cup took place in 1965 in Warsaw. This prestigious event was played every four years thereafter except in 1973, when the men’s edition scheduled for Montevideo fell through.

The women’s World Cup was precisely inaugurated in 1973. In 1991, the international calendar was modified, moving this quadrennial competition to a year prior to the Olympic Games, but still remaining a quadrennial event.

Dates:
Women: November 4-18, 2011
Men: November 20-December 4, 2011

Organising country

GREAT BRITAIN
As host-nation, British men's and women's volleyball teams will participate in the competition taking place at Earls Court.

Great Britain men are currently ranking 92th in the world while the women are at the 69th position (as per January 4, 2012).

Continental Qualification Tournaments Calendar

Africa

Asia

* Jointly with the World Olympic Qualification Tournaments organised in Japan

Europe

Norceca

South America