On Monday 26 October, the Yellow Tigers will discover their opponents for the 2027 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship. The draw will see the 32 participating nations divided into eight pools of four teams. Fans can follow the draw live from 17:00 Belgian time on the Volleyball World YouTube channel.

The World Championship will take place from 20 August to 5 September 2027 in the United States and Canada. For the Yellow Tigers, the draw marks an important step towards the tournament, as they will learn their pool stage opponents and get a first indication of their potential path through the competition.

From eight pools to the world title

In the opening round, each nation will face the other three teams in its pool. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16. From that point onwards, the competition will follow a single-elimination format, progressing through the Round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals.

The two losing semifinalists will compete for the bronze medal, while the two winners will meet in the final to determine the world champion. Italy will head to North America as the defending champions, having claimed the world title in 2025.

Belgium among the 16 highest-ranked teams

The Yellow Tigers currently sit 16th in the FIVB World Ranking, placing Belgium among the 16 highest-ranked nations to have qualified for the 2027 World Championship.

The table below provides an indicative breakdown of the 32 participating nations into four pots of eight teams, based on their positions in the world ranking.

32 nations across five continents

The United States and Canada qualified automatically as co-hosts, alongside defending world champions Italy. A further 15 nations secured their places through the continental championships, with three representatives qualifying from each continental confederation.

Egypt, Kenya and Cameroon qualified from Africa. Thailand, China and Japan claimed the Asian spots, while Türkiye, Serbia and Poland secured qualification through the European Championship. Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico will represent NORCECA. From South America, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia booked their places at the tournament.

The remaining 14 spots were allocated through the FIVB World Ranking. Alongside Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, Germany, Czechia, France, Slovenia, Sweden, Mexico, Ukraine, Greece, South Korea, Bulgaria and Switzerland qualified through this pathway. For Switzerland, the tournament will mark a historic first appearance at the World Championship.

Olympic qualification also at stake

The 2027 World Championship will carry additional significance as teams continue their journey towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The three highest-ranked teams at the World Championship that have not already qualified for the Olympics will secure their places at LA28.

This makes the tournament one of the final qualification opportunities for the Olympic Games. Teams reaching the decisive stages will also get an early preview of the Olympic stage, as the Honda Center in Anaheim will host both the World Championship finals and the volleyball competition at the 2028 Olympic Games.

Five host cities across two countries

The pool stage will be spread across four cities. In Canada, the Bell Centre in Montreal and the Videotron Centre in Quebec City will welcome the participating teams. In the United States, matches will be played at the CHI Health Center Arena in Omaha and the Kia Center in Orlando.

The final stage of the tournament will take place in Anaheim, where the Honda Center will provide the setting for the battle for the medals and the world title.

Watch the draw live

Who will the Yellow Tigers face at the 2027 World Championship? The answer will be revealed on Monday 26 October. Follow the draw live from 17:00 Belgian time on the Volleyball World YouTube channel.