2016 FIVB World League

Interesting...Now we'll have less matches good news for players before Olympic Games. However, World League will be still without Germany? Or will they play in group 3?

Official confirmation by FIVB as well here.

I never liked the format of the female World Grand Prix and I was happy it had never been applied to the men's World League until today. Now they have finally made the format of the two events identical and, unfortunately, it is the men's tournament that had to be changed. We've had different formats in previous years with fewer matches due to the Olympics, so I'd rather see them applied than watch this mixture of teams and pools. Teams can only be compared and included in the same ranking if they face the same opponents. This should be common sense!

As for the participants, greetings to those who said how cruel it would be to change the format only to keep Russia in A brand new formula just to suit the Russians and make everyone happy. The biggest loser due to these changes is Canada, they should've been in Division I after the finals in Mar del Plata in 2013. The teams that will take advantage of Division I's expansion are Bulgaria, Argentina, and Belgium. Yes, I am also curious what the German Federation have decided. I don't know if FIVB are punishing Germany for the withdrawal in 2015, or maybe the Germans refused to participate again. Also, Slovenia should be in Division III. We'll have 8 teams there, Montenegro should also be invited, we'll have to wait for the remaining 6. Meanwhile, Slovakia, Turkey, and China promoted to Division II for unknown reasons. Portugal weren't relegated to Division III.

Overall, I don't think I could be more disappointed by the weirdness and lack of transparency of this, fortunately, commercial-only tournament The best would be now to give France a ninth place from the 2015 edition.

ugh if that's the Schedule we got murdered. No match against Bulgaria, Australia or Belgium = 0 wins for us. Meanwhile Australia and Belgium (the weakest teams) get to play each other twice wtf. We'll have to give everything to stay in Division I...

Where is Slovenia?

Quote from andrea

Where is Slovenia?

Quote from c4ndlelight

lol

Quote from arman

Oh! what a disastrous decision:
"In order to improve the level of competition, and to make games more interesting for sponsors and fans, FIVB has decided to make a unique rule in volleyball. From now on, all national teams will have to include in their World League rosters at least 10 out of 14 players from the last major volleyball competition!" link

The next step will be this: FIVB chooses the starting lineup of the teams.

I would rather wait for an official statement here. That, even by FIVB standards, sounds a bit too weird to be true......

Regarding Germany and World League there are no reports so far, whether they applied or not. Some kind of punishment by FIVB of course is thinkable as they surely want to avoid that last years german withdrawal sets an example for other teams.

I can't see Germany playing third division as well. Maybe they can jump on the carrussel again when the format is changed next year time. Good results on ECH and an olympic qualification would surely help......

I like that demand from FIVB, World League has been turning into a joke lately because everyone is using it as an experimental field.

Anyway, I think 10 out 14 is too much, should be 7/14 or sth. There can be injuries, retirements, players who are too tired, etc

I'm not very happy with this format and I think it will be kind of tradition in Olympic year. Same was in 2012. Considering what happened in 2012 in WL and then at the Olympics with my team I won't even pay attention. Anyways, saving players' energy is a key. If anyone care to play with main rosters the whole tournament long at all. Pity we still won't see Canada in elite. Should I still call it the elite? Because of the format changing I'm a bit confused if there's still a real elite and the others.

Quote from c4ndlelight

MADE MY DAY!

Quote from arman

Oh! what a disastrous decision:
"In order to improve the level of competition, and to make games more interesting for sponsors and fans, FIVB has decided to make a unique rule in volleyball. From now on, all national teams will have to include in their World League rosters at least 10 out of 14 players from the last major volleyball competition!" link

The next step will be this: FIVB chooses the starting lineup of the teams.

That's a nonsense and a dream of a madman, imo. Won't believe it till I see it.

Quote from bella

I'm not very happy with this format and I think it will be kind of tradition in Olympic year. Same was in 2012. Considering what happened in 2012 in WL and then at the Olympics with my team I won't even pay attention. Anyways, saving players' energy is a key. If anyone care to play with main rosters the whole tournament long at all. Pity we still won't see Canada in elite. Should I still call it the elite? Because of the format changing I'm a bit confused if there's still a real elite and the others.

MADE MY DAY!

That's a nonsense and a dream of a madman, imo. Won't believe it till I see it.

It is a great concept on the 10 of 14, but what happens after the World Championships or Olympics when players retire? Is the FIVB going to force them to play?

The easiest thing to do is to reduce the roster usable roster size for these tournaments. 18 players for the whole thing sounds good to me. Some people complain that they don't get the best players every week. So if you wanted to see Brazil with Bruninho and he did not make the trip, you may have thought that you have wasted your money. Or what about the FIVB World Grand Prix Finals where basically every team it seemed played the backups, other than the USA.

Was I right about Russia not going down to Group 2? Actually I like the new format, because the tournament is shorter (due to the Olympic year), but it should be a better package for the fans as you have the ability to see 4 different teams in one weekend.

They still need to have double promotion and relegation (two teams go up and two go down). With the few teams changing, it would become a little stale.

Quote from brahmin

Was I right about Russia not going down to Group 2? Actually I like the new format, because the tournament is shorter (due to the Olympic year), but it should be a better package for the fans as you have the ability to see 4 different teams in one weekend.

They still need to have double promotion and relegation (two teams go up and two go down). With the few teams changing, it would become a little stale.

And why should we relegate the two weakest teams that will have had to face, let's say, Brazil, Russia twice, Serbia, and USA (hypothetically speaking), instead of the Italians, based on memory here, who will have to face Belgium, Australia (one of the two twice), Argentina and so on. Nothing personal against any of the teams mentioned (Italy, Argentina, and the rest), I am making my point by showing you how ridiculous this system is. Also, the local crowd would've been happy with any format that allows them to watch their favourites at home. Last, there have been shorter systems that worked in Olympic years. I don't see a way why this format is accepted.

system is ridiculous indeed, women are playing with this system throughout many years and we have many complaints quite often

draw of seeding teams is just a mystery

Each team will play 1 team at least twice in their 9 matches.
Argentina with Iran
Australia with Italy, Belgium and USA
Belgium with France, Italy and Australia
Brazil with Iran
Bulgaria with Serbia and Russia
France with Belgium and Poland
Iran with Brazil, Serbia and Argentina
Italy with Australia and Belgium
Poland with France and Russia
Russia with Bulgaria and Poland
USA with Australia

Iran, Belgium and Australia are screwed with their 6 matches listed above.

I was saying a double promotion and relegation because, if there is only one spot changing due to the winner of Group 2, you won't see much change with the top teams. Essentially that is what the FIVB has had with the World League before its expansion to 16 teams and now 28/32.
If only one team gets promoted, you have to win Group 2 or 3 to be promoted. We all would have said, Australia and Russia should go down after their performance in Group 1 (albeit with 8 teams). If this was a 12 team league, they both should have been relegated and the finalists from Group 2 should have come up.

Germany team return to World League, but they will play in 3rd division
http://www.fivb.com/en/about/n…-in-world-league?id=58075

It seems Heynen managed to salt the earth for all future German NT if he doesn't make it to Rio.