FIVB World Cup 2019 - Sept. 14 to 29, Japan

    Quote from ossubtus

    thanks, brahmin, for this info.


    i don’t get why (ok, i know why, but... makes no sense), why are ARG (and KEN & CMR) ranked so high?


    ITA, THA, BUL should be higher. and POL could even be in top 12.

    Some teams don't get to participate in WGP and World Cup so no ranking points for them. It's not a fair ranking system. If everything is based on world qualifying, then we won't have Argentina and Kenya so high.

    so I had a little fun doing some forecasting. with the current WR rankings here is the forecasted pool for tokyo2020 (with some assumptions on continental qualifiers)


    POOL A

    Japan (Host)

    Serbia (3)

    Brazil(4)

    Italy(8)

    Korea(9) (assuming they qualify over Thailand out of Asia)

    Cameroon(17) (assuming they qualify out of Africa)


    POOL B

    China(1)

    USA(2)

    Russia(5)

    Netherlands(6) (assuming they qualify over Poland out of Europe)

    Dominican (10) Republic (they should qualify their continental)

    Argentina (11) (IF they qualify their South American continental)


    I think pool B is a harder pool. The last spot for pool A will be between Japan and Korea. For Pool B, the last 2 spots will probably be a coin toss between Russia, Ned, and DR.

    U think Netherlands will qualify? I'm predicting Turkey over them based on their performances at the last ECh. Poland definitely has a solid chance too. I'm guessing those two are finishing in the top 2

    Quote from zhutingfan

    U think Netherlands will qualify? I'm predicting Turkey over them based on their performances at the last ECh. Poland definitely has a solid chance too. I'm guessing those two are finishing in the top 2

    Well yes that is a BIG IF with Ned although I do agree that Europe qualification will be a 3-way race between Ned, Poland and Turkey (I totally forgot about Turkey earlier now that you mention it). If Turkey qualifies instead of Ned, Pool B will be the pool of death.


    POOL A

    Japan (Host)

    Serbia (3)

    Brazil(4)

    Korea(9) (assuming they qualify over Thailand out of Asia)

    Dominican (10) Republic (they should qualify their continental)


    Cameroon(17) (assuming they qualify out of Africa)


    POOL B

    China(1)

    USA(2)

    Russia(5)

    Italy(8)

    Argentina (11) (IF they qualify their South American continental)

    Turkey(12) (if they qualify out of Europe)

    Had Serbia played a bit better in the WC and not dropped below the US, Pool B would have been even crazier with China, Serbia, Russia, and possibly Italy and Turkey.

    It's too early to predict groups, anything can happen in those continental QTs.

    Thailand can obviously challenge Korea, especially considering the fact that Thailand is hosting

    In Europe, Turkey and Netherlands are the hot favs, but it can easily happen that they lose to any of the other teams, as seen in ECh.

    Cameroon is only slight favourite against Kenya.

    DOM is an experienced team, but have shown many times how unreliable they can be, and will have to fight off up-and-coming Canada.

    Argentina is probably the safest bet to win their tournament, although Colombia is no joke.

    You got to be kidding? Pool B is the hardest so many team to fight to get out of pool play.

    Quote from Maxwell

    You got to be kidding? Pool B is the hardest so many team to fight to get out of pool play.

    NO kidding! That's why some smarter team fought so hard to get out from Pool of Death B and jump to the more comfortable host ship A :lol: Still not everyone is able to comprehend that phenomenon for whatsoever reason... :whistle:


    Keep on watching!!! The final Pool assignment will be done after completing all the continental OQT in January 2020. Let's just believe the arbitrary power of pool drawing fortune...:cheesy: if one wishes


    "The majority of men are not capable of thinking, but only of believing and are not accessible to reason but only to authority." -­ Arthur Schopenhauer

    No wonder the team is so happy!


    Russia’s first World Cup medal in 20 years.

    They won a silver medal at the 1999 World Cup.



    Some beautiful pictures of the Russian team!










    "The majority of men are not capable of thinking, but only of believing and are not accessible to reason but only to authority." -­ Arthur Schopenhauer

    Quote from samsara

    NO kidding! That's why some smarter team fought so hard to get out from Pool of Death B and jump to the more comfortable host ship A :lol: Still not everyone is able to comprehend that phenomenon for whatsoever reason... :whistle:


    Keep on watching!!! The final Pool assignment will be done after completing all the continental OQT in January 2020. Let's just believe the arbitrary power of pool drawing fortune...:cheesy: if one wishes

    Champion is from pool B. Bad choice by Serbia (assuming they cared) if you ask me.