Watch Live: Team USA Takes On China At World Grand Champions Cup

2017 WORLD GRAND CHAMPIONS CUP

• Women – September 5-9
• Men – September 12-16
• Nagoya and Osaka, Japan
• Women – Schedule/Results
• Men – Schedule/Results
• WATCH LIVE

Team USA will take on the defending Olympic champions, China, in their opening match of the 2017 World Grand Champions Cup. This matchup will be the third time that the two teams have crossed paths this season, with two coming at the FIVB World Grand Prix – where both teams advanced to the finals, with China as host.

This will be the fourth time that the two teams have faced each other at the World Grand Champions Cup, with China taking the first two wins in 1993 and 2001, while Team USA took the win in 2005.

At the World Grand Prix, Team USA took the first of the two meetings over China, while the Olympic champions rallied back in the second meeting for the five-set win.

Team USA is participating in their fifth World Grand Champions Cup this year, only missing out on the tournament in 2009 since 2001. The Americans are looking for their first win at the event, having picked up two silver medals in 2005 and 2013. In the history of the event, Team USA has won 10 and lost 10 matches at the tournament. The American side will return a strong lineup of seasoned players including Rachael Adams, Jordan Larson, Kim Hill and Foluke Akinradewo. In addition, they are carrying around a crew of young players such as Annie Drews and Justine Wong-Orantes.

China is participating for the first time since 2005, for their fifth overall appearance in the event. In 2001, the Chinese crew won the event and in the inaugural 1993 season they took silver and bronze in 2005. China will be using a strong lineup from their Olympic appearance, including Zhu Ting, the MVP of the Olympic Games.

You can watch the video streamed below on the FIVB YouTube page, or the matches will be aired on The Olympic Channel.

Time of Competition

USA (CST) – 1:40 AM
Tokyo (GMT +9) – 3:40 PM
Beijing (GMT +8) – 2:40 PM

Editor’s note: Video not made available in the United States. If you are not in the United States, but an error in YouTube’s geolocation service is still blocking your access, you can use a program like TunnelBear to redirect to the proper country.