Hosts Cambodia lock horns with newcomers Laos in the opening game of the 2011 WOVD Standing Volleyball World Cup, which opens at the Olympic Stadium's indoor hall on July 23.

The schedule for the six-team mega- event has been released by the game’s governing body, the Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled).

“The two neighbours will play their first ever standing volleyball match in the presence of Cambodia’s First Lady, Dr Bun Rany Hun Sen, president of the Cambodian Red Cross, and WOVD president Dr Hossam Eldin Mostafa,” Chris Minko, CNVLD general secretary and head of the World Cup’s local organising committee, told the Post  yesterday.

“Laos are officially the newest members of the WOVD, having joined the fold in time for this year’s edition.”

Minko also revealed that every match at the World Cup would be broadcast live on Bayon TV.

The six teams involved in the competition – Cambodia, Laos, Germany, Kazakhstan, Slovakia and Sri Lanka – will play one another in a round-robin group phase that concludes on July 27.

The semifinals between the four top finishers – first against fourth and second against third – are scheduled for the next day, along with an exhibition match by two teams of deaf  Cambod-ian women.

The grand final, preceded by the bronze-medal match, will be on July 29.

Two matches between the fifth- and sixth-placed finishers will also be played over the two finals days to ensure that all teams feature in the same number of games.

The team that wins both  games, wins the most points or sets, or wins the same match-up in the preliminary round, will claim fifth position.

2011 WOVD World Cup Schedule

Saturday, July 23

• Cambodia v Laos – 10am
• Germany v Kazakhstan – 2:30pm
• Slovakia v Sri Lanka – 6pm

Sunday, July 24

• Kazakhstan v Laos – 10am
• Germany v Slovakia – 2:30pm
• Sri Lanka v Cambodia – 6pm

Monday, July 25

• Slovakia v Kazakhstan – 10am
• Laos v Sri Lanka – 2:30pm
• Cambodia v Germany – 6pm

Tuesday, July 26

• Kazakhstan v Sri Lanka – 10am
• Germany v Laos – 2:30pm
• Slovakia v Cambodia – 6pm

Wednesday, July 27

• Sri Lanka v Germany – 10am
• Laos v Slovakia – 2:30pm
• Cambodia v Kazakhstan – 6pm

Thursday, July 28

• Fifth-place playoff 1 – 10am
• Cambodian women’s match – 2:30pm
• Semifinal 1st v 4th – 4:30pm
• Semifinal 2nd v 3rd – 6:30pm

Friday, July 29

• Fifth-place playoff 2 – 10am
• Bronze medal match – 2pm
• Speeches – 4pm
• Warm-up for teams – 4:30pm
• Gold-medal match – 5pm