Just three days after the electrifying finale of the men's volleyball tournament in Brazil, the world's most elite women's club teams will come together in the stunning Turkish coastal city of Antalya for the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship, running from Wednesday until Sunday as reported by the Volleyball World website.
At the 15th edition of the Women's Club World Championship, six illustrious clubs will compete in two round-robin pools of three teams each for the podium in 10 thrilling matches over five days.
After a few days of close competition, the stage is set for a spectacular tournament as the best teams from four countries on three different continents battle for a place in the grand finale on Saturday's semifinals, with the stakes higher than ever on Sunday as the top three teams compete for the title of world champions and the gold, silver and bronze medals.
In Pool A, Dentil Praia Clube from Uberlandia, Brazil, Eczacıbaşı Dynavit Istanbul from Türkiye and Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano from Italy face off, while in Pool B, Gerdau Minas from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Kuanysh Club from Petropavl, Kazakhstan, and defending champions VakifBank Spor Kulubu from Istanbul, Türkiye will fight for a place in the semifinals.
The action will be fast-paced and full of excitement as these elite teams battle it out in pursuit of the ultimate prize.
Pool A will kick off the tournament on Wednesday with a match between Eczacıbaşı and Dentik Praia, followed by a Thursday matchup between Imoco and the Brazilian squad, and concluding with a Friday matchup between teams from Istanbul and Conegliano to finalize the pool standings.
Eczacıbaşı, led by MVP Tijana Boskovic, eyes a third world title as they compete in the 2022 FIVB Women's World Championship.
Their star-studded roster includes Maja Ognjenovic (Serbia), Simge Akoz (Türkiye), Hande Baladin (Türkiye), Samanta Fabris (Croatia) and Irina Voronkova (Russia).
Dentil Praia are a force to be reckoned with in the 2022 Club World Championships, with silver medallist Carol at the helm and a star-studded roster of Anne Buijs, Brayelin Martinez, Tainara Santos, and Suelen Pinto.
Unbeaten in the Brazilian Superliga, they are expected to make a strong bid for their first-ever podium finish in the competition.
With their formidable lineup, Dentil Praia are poised to make history with a potential medal finish.
The reigning silver medallists Imoco, return to Pool A with an impressive roster featuring the 2021 MVP Isabelle Haak and an internationally renowned line-up; Polish setter Joanna Wolosz, North American outside hitters Kelsey Robinson, Kathryn Plummer, and Alexa Gray, Dutch middle blocker Robin De Kruijf, and Italian libero Monica De Gennaro.
The formidable team are traveling to Antalya with one goal in mind – to reclaim the title and etch their names in the record books yet again.
On Wednesday, VakifBank, the reigning world, European and Turkish champions, will kick off Pool B with a match against Kuanysh.
The following day, they will take on Gerdau Minas in defense of their illustrious title.
On Friday, Minas and Kuanysh will face off in the last Pool B match, but all eyes will be on the illustrious VakifBank, who have won an impressive seven medals in the Club World Championships since their first appearance in 2011.
This includes four gold medals in 2013, 2017, 2018, and 2021, two silver in 2011 and 2016, as well as a bronze in 2019. Boasting such an impressive record, VakifBank are the clear favorites to win the pool this season.
Italy's Paola Egonu, the MVP of the Volleyball Nations League and 2019 Club World Championship, leads the current lineup, alongside Brazil's Gabriela Guimaraes, Türkiye's Zehra Gunes and Cansu Ozbay, U.S.'s Chiaka Ogbogu and Kara Bajema, and Dutch international Nika Daalderop.
Kuanysh, the Asian club champions, will make their first appearance at the Club World Championship with a roster of Bulgarian setter Lora Kitipova, French outside Maeva Orle, and Ukrainian opposite Tatyana Aldoshina.
Gerdau Minas, appearing for the fifth time at the Club World Championships, will look to their roster of mostly Brazilian players, including 2022 World Championship silver medallists Caroline Gattaz, Priscila Daroit, Kisy Nascimento, Julia Kudiess, Nyeme Nunes, and two-time Olympic champion Thaisa Menezes, plus Dominican Republic's Yonkaira Pena, to bring a medal home.