COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 20, 2020) – International men’s volleyball is headed for the Hoosier State. The U.S. Men’s National Team will begin its warmup for the Tokyo Olympic Games by playing its 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League preliminary matches on May 14-16 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.
The U.S. Men, ranked No. 3 in the world, will play No. 1 Brazil, No. 5 Argentina and No. 10 Canada in a round robin. All four nations have qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games, which were postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This will be the only chance to see the U.S. Men compete in the Midwest in 2021. Tickets are now on sale at ticketmaster.com/fordcenter and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We love competing in front of our fans in the United States and we are excited to bring these important international men’s volleyball matches to the Midwest,” U.S. Men’s Head Coach John Speraw said. “These matches will be key to our Olympic preparation and we hope they get fans excited to cheer for us in Tokyo.”
Evansville is located in southwestern Indiana along the Ohio River and serves as the social and economic hub for the Tristate region. It is a short and easy drive from St. Louis, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Louisville and is conveniently located in the heart of the Midwest. The Ford Center is a state-of-the-art arena built in 2011 that can seat up to 10,000.
“Hosting the FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations League is an incredible honor, especially in an Olympic year. This is a high profile, high impact event that will showcase Evansville to the world. We are thrilled to give fans around the Midwest the opportunity to experience men’s volleyball at its highest level,” Eric Marvin, President of the Evansville Sports Corp said.
The VNL consists of 16 top men’s volleyball teams playing a round-robin format with each country hosting a weekend of matches over six weeks. Six teams will advance to the final round.
The U.S. Men took silver at the 2019 VNL Final Round in Chicago and bronze in 2018. It won the World League (the VNL’s previous name) gold medal in 2008 and 2014.
Schedule for the FIVB Volleyball Nations League Matches
at the Ford Center in Evansville
(all times local)
May 14
4 p.m. Brazil vs Argentina
7:30 p.m. USA vs Canada
May 15
4 p.m. Argentina vs Canada
7:30 p.m. USA vs Brazil
May 16
2 p.m. Canada vs Brazil
5:30 p.m. USA vs Argentina