FIVB World League volleyball

FIVB, the International Federation of Volleyball, conducts a two-month tournament among the world’s top 18 men’s national teams. This is the 24th year of the tournament.

Broken into three pools, a team plays its five opponents two times each — two consecutive days of matches. This weekend is the first round of pool play.

A winning team gets three points if it won by a set score of 3-0 or 3-1, two points if it won 3-2. A losing team gets no points for a 3-0 or 3-1 loss, one point for a 3-2 loss.

The three pool winners, the final-round host country (Argentina) and the second-place team in Pools A and B advance to the finals July 17-21 in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Once there, teams are split into three-team pools, with the top two in each advancing to cross-bracket semifinals and a championship match.

Poland is the defending champion.

Pool A

Argentina and top two other finishers advance

Argentina

Brazil

Bulgaria

France

Poland

United States

This weekend’s matches

Argentina vs. U.S. at Koch Arena

Brazil at Poland

Bulgaria at France

Pool B

Top two finishers advance

Cuba

Germany

Iran

Italy

Russia

Serbia

This weekend’s matches

Iran at Russia

Germany at Italy

Serbia at Cuba

Pool C

Pool winner advances

Canada

Finland

Japan

Netherlands

Portugal

South Korea

This weekend’s matches

Netherlands at Canada

Japan at South Korea

Portugal at Finland

This story was originally published June 5, 2013 at 8:25 PM with the headline "FIVB World League volleyball."