Less than 48 hours after Sada Cruzeiro Volei Belo Horizonte claimed the title of men’s 2024 Club World Champions in Brazil, the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship is poised to commence in Hangzhou, China. Featuring eight of the world’s elite club teams, this annual tournament will run from December 17 to 22, marking its 17th edition.
The teams are divided into two pools of four, competing in a single round-robin format from Tuesday to Friday. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the semifinals on Saturday, leading up to the medal matches on Sunday.
Pool A Action
The tournament kicks off with a match between Brazil’s Gerdau Minas Belo Horizonte and Italy’s Vero Volley Milan at the Huanglong Sports Center on Tuesday morning at 09:00 local time (01:00 UTC). Minas, representing South America as the 2024 continental club champions, boasts a formidable lineup, including stars like Thaisa Menezes, Priscila Daroit, and Kisy Nascimento. This marks their sixth consecutive appearance and seventh overall at the Club World Championship, where they have previously secured silver medals in 1992 and 2018.
Vero Volley qualified as the 2024 CEV Champions League runners-up, making their debut at the Club World Championship. Their roster features prominent players such as Paola Egonu, Anna Danesi, and Myriam Sylla.
In the day’s final match, hosts Tianjin Bohai Bank will face Egypt’s Zamalek Giza. Tianjin, led by Chinese stars Li Yingying and Yao Di, is making its fourth appearance in the tournament, having won bronze last year. They aim to become the first Chinese club to reach the finals in the event’s history. Zamalek, the first Egyptian team to participate, earned their spot by winning the 2024 CAVB African Volleyball Club Championship, featuring standout players like Brazilian Milca Lubieska da Silva and MVP Mariam Metwally.
Pool B Matchups
Pool B will also commence with a Brazilian-Italian clash as Dentil Praia Clube Uberlandia takes on Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano at 12:30 local time (04:30 UTC) on Tuesday. Imoco, the Champions League winners and past gold medalists in 2019 and 2022, has consistently reached the finals in their three previous appearances. Their roster includes top talents like Monica De Gennaro and Sweden’s Isabelle Haak, making them one of the favorites for the title.
Dentil Praia Clube, silver medalists at the CSV South American Club Championship, features players such as Caroline Gattaz and Macris Carneiro. Despite competing in all five previous Club World Championships, Praia has yet to secure a podium finish.
The second match in Pool B will see Japan’s NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki face Vietnam’s LP Bank Ninh Binh, a rematch of the 2024 AVC Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship final. Kawasaki, the Asian champions, returns for their second Club World Championship appearance, while LP Bank will make their debut, marking only the second time a Vietnamese team has participated in the event.
Key players for NEC include MVP Yoshino Sato and Thailand’s Ajcharaporn Kongyot, while LP Bank will rely on the scoring prowess of Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen.
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