On each of the four competition days – July 29 and 30, and August 1 and 2 – two matches will be played in Ningbo, always serving off at 15:00 and 19:30 local time (07:00 and 11:30 UTC).
In the opening quarterfinal on Wednesday, three-time semifinalists Slovenia will take on Turkiye, who made it to the VNL Finals for the first time in the history of the competition.
In the second match on the first competition day, undefeated Preliminary Phase winners Japan will be challenged by hosts China in an anticipated classic all-Asian clash. Japan have medaled twice – with a bronze and a silver – in the competition and are now aiming at their first gold.
Thursday’s quarterfinal program will get underway with a super clash between last year’s runners-up and reigning world champions Italy and Paris 2024 bronze medalists and four-time VNL medalists United States, a remake of the Olympic bronze medal match in the French capital.
