Following the start of the women's competition on Tuesday, it's time for the top 16 men's teams of the world to hit the courts on Friday at the International Fair of Rimini for the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
VNL 2021
VNL 2021: Men on the blocks
After the women, men take centre stage in Rimini
Published 08:30, 27 May 2021
The event, on Italy's Adriatic riviera, marks the restart of world volleyball with an event that has fans across the globe in anticipation and excited to finally see some action.
Heading the impressive lineup of teams and their big stars are Russia - led by no other than the MVP of the inaugural VNL edition in 2018, Maxim Mikhaylov.
He will be featuring alongside such formidable teammates as the towering Dmitriy Muserskiy (at 218 cm the tallest player of the tournament) and Dmitry Volkov, who was named on the Dream Teams of both 2018 and 2019, as Russia attempt to go three-for-three after winning both previous editions of the VNL.
But it's not going to be a walk in the park for the Russians. There's no shortage of contenders for the throne, including the 2019 runners-up USA who are out to grab the only VNL medal that eludes them, after bronze in 2018 and silver in 2019.
Opposite Matt Anderson, MVP of the 2019 VNL, features alongside his teammates setter Micah Christenson and libero Erik Shoji who joined him on the Dream Team of that edition.
But will Brazil manage to oust them all and climb on the podium for the first time after losing in the bronze medal match of both previous editions (to USA in 2018 and to Poland in 2019)?
They're certainly fielding a side with a punch, which includes the top scorer of the 2018 VNL, Wallace de Souza.
And then there's Poland. They've clinched back-to-back World Championship titles in 2014 and 2018, but have never yet reached a VNL final.
They too are bringing to Rimini the best they can produce, with World Championship top scorer and MVP Bartosz Kurek leading a pack of fearsome teammates capable of stopping anyone.
France are not to be dismissed lightly either. They are the only other country (alongside Russia, USA and Poland) to feature in the medals table of the VNL, having missed out on gold when they lost to Russia in the final of 2018 at Lille.
Earvin Ngapeth, the best server in the 2018 VNL, is registered for Rimini - but also watch out for the scoring prowess of Stephen Boyer.
The logistics
Competition will be held at specially modified pavilions of the Rimini International Fair, within which two playing courts plus a number of warm-up areas and training facilities have been set up - all inside a secure 'bubble' to minimise any health risks.
All teams will compete three days on with three days off to complete their 15-match obligations in the single round robin pool.
Unlike the previous editions, there is no Final Six this year. Instead, the top four teams in the standings after completion of pool play will meet in crosswise semifinals, followed by the two medals matches.
In an effort to keep numbers of participants to a minimum and reduce contacts, this year there will be no accredited media at the venue, no spectators and matches will be played without line judges and ball retrievers. Delegations are capped at a maximum of 25 persons, including players and staff - though a change of up to six persons will be possible for the men's teams midway through the tournament on 12 June.
Of the registered players inside the 'bubble' teams can select a maximum of 14 for each three-match segment of the competition.
But of course, all the thrilling action that a VNL can bring will be available on volleyballworld.tv with live coverage of matches, and all the latest will be transmitted throughout the world on our social media and also right here on this website.
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