USA and China have been paired together at the 2015 Women's World Cup
Tokyo, Japan, June 23, 2015 – World champions USA will renew their rivalry with China after the two teams were drawn in the same first round pool for this year’s FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup.
Karch Kiraly’s team defeated China 3-1 in the final of the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship and at the last World Cup in 2011, USA finished in second place behind Italy, while China were third.
The World Cup takes place across Japan from August 22 – September 6 and features 12 sides including hosts, world and continental champions.
The USA and China have been paired in Pool B which takes place in Matsumoto, Okayama and Komaki, along with Korea, Serbia, Peru and Algeria.
Host nation Japan lead the way in Pool A, along with Dominican Republic, Russia, Argentina, Kenya and Cuba.
The hosts will be out to match their performances at the 2014 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix where they claimed silver and the London 2012 Olympic Games, where they won bronze.
There are 30 matches in the first round which takes place over five days and teams are divided into two pools of six teams.
In the second and third rounds teams play the other teams they had not previously played, over six days and 36 matches.
At the end of the competition the medals go to the top three teams, with the top two earning a place at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.
FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup, Japan 2015 – Pool Draw
1st Round
August 22
Pool A
Dominican Republic v Russia, Cuba v Kenya, Argentina v Japan
Pool B
USA v Korea, Serbia v China, Peru v Algeria
August 23
Pool A
Kenya v Dominican Republic, Argentina v Cuba, Japan v Russia
Pool B
Korea v Peru, China v Algeria, Serbia v USA
August 24
Pool A
Dominican Republic v Argentina, Russia v Kenya, Cuba v Japan
Pool B
USA v China, Peru v Serbia, Algeria v Korea
August 26
Pool A
Argentina v Russia, Cuba v Dominican Republic, Japan v Kenya
Pool B
USA v Peru, Serbia v Algeria, China v Korea
August 27
Pool A
Russia v Cuba, Kenya v Argentina, Dominican Republic v Japan
Pool B
Algeria v USA, Peru v China, Korea v Serbia
2nd Round
August 30
Pool A
Dominican Republic v Serbia, Russia v Korea, Japan v Peru
Pool B
Argentina v Algeria, Kenya v USA, Cuba v China
August 31
Pool A
Dominican Republic v Peru, Russia v Serbia, Japan v Korea
Pool B
Cuba v Algeria, Argentina v USA, Kenya v China
September 1
Pool A
Russia v Peru, Dominican Republic v Korea, Japan v Serbia
Pool B
Kenya v Algeria, Argentina v China, Cuba v USA
3rd Round
September 4
Pool A
Dominican Republic v China, Russia v USA, Japan v Algeria
Pool B
Argentina v Peru, Cuba v Serbia, Kenya v Korea
September 5
Pool A
Dominican Republic v Algeria, Russia v China, Japan v USA
Pool B
Cuba v Peru, Kenya v Serbia, Argentina v Korea
September 6
Pool A
Russia v Algeria, Dominican Republic v USA, Japan v China
Pool B
Kenya v Peru, Argentina v Serbia, Cuba v Korea