Lausanne, Switzerland, September 26, 2017 – Three teams will qualify for the Italy-Bulgaria 2018, FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship when the NORCECA Continental Qualifiers take place from September 26-October 1.
The USA will host the tournament at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado and compete against nine teams to book their place at the World Championship that runs from September 10-30 across Italy and Bulgaria.
NORCECA's two remaining berths will be decided at a final qualifying tournament that will be held later in the year.
The USA have included leading players Matt Anderson, Micah Christenson, Max Holt, Aaron Russell and Erik Shoji in their squad. All five helped the USA to bronze at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.
“This event will be important for the maturation of our young team,” U.S. Head Coach John Speraw said. “Qualifying for the World Championship and playing another high quality tournament will be a great way to conclude our first summer of the quad.”
Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Martinique, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, St Vincent, St Lucia and the USA will compete in three groups of four.
Two of the group winners will progress to the semifinals, while the other first place team and three second-placed teams will play-off for the remaining two semifinal places.
Canada will go into the tournament with their confidence high after they won bronze at the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World League and moved up two places in the FIVB World Rankings from eighth to sixth.