The Vietnamese team compete at the recent AVC Challenge Cup 2023. Photo vietnamnet.vn

Volleyball

HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese team will face Turkey and Brazil at the 2023 International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship, which will be held in China from December 11 to December 17.

The Sport Centre I Club from Việt Nam, consisting of members from the national team, have been drawn in Group B alongside Turkey's Vakifbank club and Brazil's Dentil Praia Clube.

Vakifbank have an impressive record, having won four world titles in 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2021. They have also achieved a total of eight podium finishes, medalling in every tournament they have participated in since 2016. Dentil Praia Clube's best result so far was a fourth-place finish in 2018.

This is Việt Nam's first time qualifying for the global tournament after winning the championship title at the 2023 Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship, which concluded in Vĩnh Phúc Province in May.

The FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship consists of six clubs divided into two groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-final stage.

Group A features China’s Tianjin, Gerdau Minas from Brazil, and Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul from Turkey. Group B consists of representatives from Việt Nam, Turkey, and Brazil.

The Vietnamese team is scheduled to play against Turkey's Vakifbank club on December 13, followed by a match against Brazil's Dentil Praia Clube on December 14.

Việt Nam currently hold the 39th position in the world women's volleyball rankings and are ranked fifth in Asia. Despite being placed in a challenging group, it is worth noting that key player Trần Thị Thanh Thúy will be unavailable as she is playing for PFU BlueCats Club in Japan. Nevertheless, this tournament presents a valuable opportunity for the Vietnamese girls to gain experience, learn, and improve their skills by competing against world-class volleyball stars. VNS