Luxembourg, June 13, 2017. The third and last stage of the European qualification process to next year’s FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship will take place July 19 to 23 in Kortrijk, Belgium. The eventual winners of this single round robin tournament will book their ticket to Italy and Bulgaria – the co-hosts of next year’s Worlds.
Belgium’s Red Dragons will enjoy the home-court advantage when trying to secure their second straight World Championship appearance. The Belgians failed to achieve this feat in late May after losing the ‘grand finale’ of their second-round qualifier to Slovenia but will be trying to take the good form they have been displaying in the FIVB World League so far to progress to the final stage of the major showpiece in international Volleyball.
However, the Red Dragons will have to deal with a tough opposition from the runners-up of the five remaining European qualifiers held in May – i.e. Germany, Slovakia, Estonia, Belarus and Spain.
Next to co-hosts Italy and Bulgaria and reigning world champions Poland, the European contingent for the 2018 World Championship already includes France, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Russia, Serbia and Finland, who all emerged victorious from their respective second round of qualifications in late May. Slovenia will be making next year their first appearance at the World Championship whereas the Netherlands are returning to that stage for the first time since 2002.
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