2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship
Pool A Pool B Pool C Pool D
Italy ( Hosts ) Brazil ( 1 ) United States ( 2 ) Japan ( 3 )
Dominican Republic ( 8 ) Serbia ( 7 ) Russia ( 6 ) China ( 5 )
Germany ( 9 ) Turkey ( 11 ) Thailand ( 12 ) Puerto Rico ( 17 )
Argentina ( 18 ) Canada ( 20 ) Netherlands ( 18 ) Cuba ( 21 )
Croatia ( 24 ) Cameroon ( 26 ) Kazakhstan ( 23 ) Belgium ( 22 )
Tunisia ( 27 ) Bulgaria ( 35 ) Mexico ( 28 ) Azerbaijan ( 37 )
Pools composition
Teams were seeded in the first three positions of each pool following the Serpentine system according to their FIVB World Ranking . [ 6 ] FIVB reserved the right to seed the hosts as head of Pool A regardless of the World Ranking . All teams not seeded were drawn to take other available positions in the remaining lines , following the World Ranking . The drawing was held in Parma , Italy on 10 March 2014 . Because NORCECA qualification were in progress on 10 March 2014 , FIVB used the best world rankings of NORCECA when the draw was made . Ranking shown in brackets except Hosts which rank 4th . [ 7 ]
The 2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship was the 17th staging of the FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, contested by the 24 senior women's national teams of the members of the (FIVB), the sport's global governing body. The final tournament was held in Italy from 23 September to 12 October 2014. Italy played hosts for this event for the first time. The final four was held at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan. The United States won their first world title, defeating China in four sets at the final. Reigning olympic champions Brazil won the 3rd place match, defeating Italy in five sets. Kimberly Hill was selected Most Valuable Player.