Kobe, Japan, May 4, 2017 - Japan’s NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki and Brazil’s Osasco Voleibol Clube will face each other in the second Pool B match at the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship 2017. These will be the first non-European teams to take to the court in Kobe on the tournament’s opening day, May 9. The competition in Japan will run through May 14.
The Brazilian club, having medalled in all their five participations so far, are the most decorated team in the history of the Women's Club World Championships. Osasco are one of the wild card entries at the 2017 edition and return to the competition after a two-year absence.
NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki (JPN)
- This will be the first time NEC Red Rockets play at the Club World Championships.
- NEC Red Rockets are the third team from Japan to take part in the Women’s Club World Championships, after Hitachi represented the Asian continent back at the first two editions in 1991 and 1992, and current hosts Hisamitsu Springs Kobe played at the three most recent championships, from 2014 through 2016.
- A Japanese team has never won a medal at the Women’s Club World Championships.
- To qualify for the 2017 Women’s Club World Championship, NEC Red Rockets shut out China’s Ba’yi Shenzhen in the 2016 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship final in the Philippines.
Osasco Voleibol Clube (BRA)
- Osasco Voleibol Clube have taken part in five editions of the Club World Championship and medalled on all five occasions – one gold (2012), two silver (2010, 2014) and two bronze (1994, 2011) medals.
- Since they returned to the competition in 2010, Osasco have played a total of 16 matches in the Club World Championships for a 10-6 win-loss record.
- At the Club World Championships level, Osasco have played against a Japanese team only once. On May 7, 2014 in Switzerland, they claimed a 3-1 victory over Hisamitsu Springs Kobe.
- Osasco took silver from the 2016-2017 Brazilian Superliga, after a 2-3 defeat in the April 23 single-match final against another participant in the 2017 Women’s Club World Championship - Rexona-SESC Rio de Janeiro.