Womens Club World Championship Kicks Off in São Paulo: Italian Teams Eye Glory

Today, Tuesday, December 9, the Women's Club World Championship commences in São Paulo, Brazil, featuring top teams from global club competitions. Among the eight participants are two Italian powerhouses: Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano, the reigning champions, and Savino Del Bene Scandicci, last year's Champions League finalist. Conegliano is widely regarded as the best team in the world, heading into the tournament as the favorite, while Scandicci makes its debut but is still considered one of the top-ranked teams. The teams are divided into two groups of four, with each squad playing three matches from Tuesday to Thursday. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals scheduled for Saturday, with the final set for Sunday, December 14, at 20:30 Italian time, where both Italian teams could potentially clash for the title. What sets the Club World Championship apart is the unique opportunity it presents to compare differing styles of play, as these teams typically do not compete against each other in any other context. Historically, European teams dominate the tournament, having claimed 14 out of 17 championships, with the exceptions being three Brazilian squads, including Osasco, one of the competitors this year. The victories of Rabita Baku from Azerbaijan and Dinamo Kazan from Russia are considered European, as they are part of the CEV competitions. Conegliano's journey begins today at 17:30 against the Orlando Valkyries, the Major League Volleyball champions in the United States, who qualified through a wildcard invitation. Other teams in this group include Brazilian Praia Clube and Egypt's Zamalek, champions of their respective continental tournaments. Conegliano's matches have sold out, buoyed by the presence of Brazilian star Gabi Guimaraes and the addition of 23-year-old Gambian-descended Slovenian spiker Fatoumatta Sillah, who has already made a mark this season. Conegliano has won three of the last five editions of this championship, impressively without losing a single set during their last trip. Scandicci's first match is set for Tuesday evening at 21:00 against Kazakhstan's Zhetysu, the Asian Champions League winners. The other teams in their group include Osasco, the tournament host, and Peru’s Alianza Lima, the South American runner-up. Currently, Scandicci holds the second position in Italy's Serie A, having won 12 out of 14 matches, while Conegliano remains undefeated. In recent seasons, Conegliano has solidified its status as one of Europe’s elite teams, demonstrating particular strength with its setter-opposite pairing of 41-year-old Serbian Maja Ognjenovic and 22-year-old Italian national player Ekaterina Antropova. For the championship clash between Conegliano and Scandicci to materialize—potentially marking the first final featuring two Italian teams—they must either win their respective groups or both secure second place, advancing through the semifinals. In Italy, the championship will be streamed live through DAZN and the VBTV platform. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2