The FIVB World League Council, meeting in Lausanne, today confirmed that Brazil would host the 2002 World League Finals.

‘It is very important for us,’ said Brazilian Volleyball Federation President, Mr Dr. Ary DA SILVA GRAÇA FILHO after the announcement.

‘Last year we increased three per cent against football in Brazil – and as we won this year [the World League], I felt it was a very good opportunity to show to the Brazilian public our winning team, and gain a few more percentage points against football,’ he said

Also determined at the Council meeting were the sixteen teams, dates, pools and prize money.

The sixteen teams that will compete for the US$15 million dollars in prize money are Brazil, Argentina, China, Cuba, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Venezuela and Yugoslavia.

The 2002 World League will consist of a six-weekend Intercontinental Round played in sixteen countries, starting 28-30 June, 2002, (then 5-7 July, 12-14 July, 19-21 July, 26-28 July and 2-4 August), with the World League Finals to be held in Brazil, 12-18 August 2002.

The Intercontinental Round will consist of four pools of four teams (sixteen teams), with twelve matches for each team; two matches each weekend for six weekends. There will be three home matches and three away matches.

The World League Finals will consist of two pools of four teams (eight teams), playing a total of sixteen matches, including semi-finals and finals.

The pool play for the finals will be held in two cities in Brazil, with the semi-finals and finals held in one city (cities to be confirmed).

The four Pools for the Intercontinental Round will be:

Pool A – Brazil, Poland, Argentina, Portugal
Pool B – Italy, Spain, China, Venezuela
Pool C – Russia, Cuba, Netherlands, Germany
Pool D – Yugoslavia, France, Greece, Japan

For complete schedule, go to: www.fivb.org or email Anthony Edgar, FIVB Press Officer at press@fivb.org