Although China were stopped from achieving a perfect record of wins in this year's World Grand Prix, they managed to achieve the feat in the Asian qualifying tournament, earning them one of four AVC places available for the World Championship next year.

Lausanne, Switzerland, October 3, 2013 – The Asian Confederation is the first of the five continents to complete its qualification process for the 2014 Women’s World Championship, after an exciting week of Pool B qualification action, which secured China and Kazakhstan's place alongside the already qualified women from Thailand and Japan. 

The 2013 World Grand Prix runner up, China, finished the Asian Qualification tournament with a perfect score of four match wins, while Kazakhstan came a close second with a 3-1 win-loss record. With the pool A and B qualifying tournaments complete, the Asian Confederation is the first of the five continents to complete its qualification process for the 2014 Women’s World Championship.

With seven more CEV countries yet to qualify for next year’s women’s World Championship, European teams have taken to the courts for the second round of qualifiers, which will end on October 6. This second round of qualifiers is being hosted by Hungary and Israel, with teams hoping to progress to the third and final stage of qualifiers, which will take place in January 2014. The seven teams will join hosts Italy, as well as Russia and Germany who qualified through the 2013 CEV Volleyball European Championship in September, in next year’s tournament.

There are currently ten countries qualified for the 2014 FIVB Men’s World Championship scheduled to take place in Poland from September 3 to 21 and eight for the 2014 FIVB Women’s World Championship that will be hosted by Italy from September 23 to October 12, 2013.

With the AVC Men’s Continental Championship also currently in progress in Dubai, the six team line-up for the FIVB Men’s Grand Champions Cup is also nearing completion. The winner of the Asian Championship – that will conclude on October 6 – will qualify for the Men’s Grand Champions Cup joining Japan (hosts), Brazil, Russia, USA and the FIVB/JVA/NTA selection in this November’s tournament.

Five out of the six teams that will take part in the FIVB Women’s Grand Champions Cup in Japan from November 12 to 17 are also known. Brazil, Japan, Russia, Thailand, USA will join the FIVB/JVA/NTA selection for a chance to win the title.

2014 FIVB WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Brazil, China, Germany, Japan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Thailand and as well as hosts Italy have secured their place in the 2014 FIVB Women’s World Championships, thus far.

NORCECA

The North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) will be the last Confederation to qualify all their teams for the 2014 Women’s FIVB World Championships. The final round of the qualification tournaments will occur from May 21 to June 30, where five teams will qualify. The last team will qualify during the NORCECA Continental Playoff, from July 2 to 7, 2014.

ASIA

In Asian qualifying, 10 teams are divided into two pools of five teams for two separate qualifying tournaments. The two best ranked teams in each pool (total four teams) advance to the FIVB World Championships. Thailand and Japan are now qualified for the FIVB Women's World Championship Italy 2014 after finishing first and second in Pool A on September 8. China and Kazakhstan took the final two spots in Pool B, which took place from September 27 to October 1 in China.

AFRICA

Africa will begin its second round of qualifications featuring 28 countries in October, although the two teams that will advance to the FIVB Women's World Championship Italy 2014 will not be known until after the confederation’s final round in January 2014.

EUROPE

In addition to Russia and Germany, who qualified through the 2013 CEV Women’s Volleyball European Championship, and host country Italy, the seven remaining spots for the 2014 FIVB World Championships will be confirmed during the final round of confederation qualifiers in early January 2014.

As the top two teams in the 2013 CEV Women’s Volleyball European Championship, Russia and Germany have secured their spot at the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championships.

SOUTH AMERICA

As the winner of the South American Women's Championship in Peru, which concluded on Sunday, Brazil has qualified for both the World Grand Championship Cup and the 2014 FIVB World Championships. The winner of the 2014 Women's World Championship Qualification Tournament scheduled to take place from 24 to 27 October will also qualify for the FIVB Women's World Championship Italy 2014.


2014 FIVB MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Finals hosts Poland, as well as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Iran, Italy, Russia Korea and Venezuela are already confirmed for the 2014 FIVB Men’s World Championships, thus far.

NORCECA

The North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) will be the last Confederation to qualify all their teams for the 2014 Men’s FIVB World Championships. The third round of the qualification tournaments will occur from May 21 to June 30, 2014 where the winners from each of the four Pools will qualify for the FIVB World Championships. The four silver-medal winners will then compete in the NORCECA Continental Cup Playoff from July 9 to 14, 2014 in hopes of securing the final FIVB World Championship spot.

ASIA

Iran won Pool B of the Asian Men’s Final Qualification Tournament on September 13 for their ticket to the FIVB Men's World Championship Poland 2014, joining Australia (Pool A) and Korea (Pool D), who have already qualified. China finished top of Pool C on September 22 to be the last Asian team to qualify for the FIVB Men's World Championship Poland 2014.

AFRICA

Twenty-eight African teams will have their chance to qualify for the FIVB World Championships during their qualification tournaments, which resume in October. The second round of tournaments will take place in October and November, and the final round takes place in January 2014. The three Pool winners of the third round will move on to the FIVB World Championships.

SOUTH AMERICA

South American men have one more vacancy for the FIVB Men's World Championship Poland 2014 than the women. Brazil and Argentina qualified by finishing first and second respectively at the South America Continental Championship on August 12. Venezuela was the winner of the subsequent qualification tournament, which concluded on September 15.

EUROPE

Russia and Italy qualified through the 2013 CEV Men’s Volleyball European Championship that started on September 20 and ran until September 29. The five pool winners and the best second placed team from the third round of qualifiers (January 3-5) will also qualify for the FIVB World Championships. Host county Poland fills the final spot.

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