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Cuba, Dominican Republic Reach 2027 Worlds
Two of the region's three places were settled by reaching the semifinals, because the other two semifinalists co-host the tournament. The third is decided Wednesday.
Cuba and the Dominican Republic have taken two of NORCECA's three places at the 2027 world championship by reaching the semifinals of the continental championship in Santo Domingo.
The other two semifinalists are the United States and Canada, who co-host the 2027 tournament and are therefore not eligible for a continental place. Reaching the last four was enough on its own.
The Dominican Republic won Pool B without losing a match, beating Cuba 25-23, 25-17, 25-22 along the way. Cuba came through the quarterfinals on Monday by beating Mexico 25-21, 25-19, 25-20.
Canada beat the United States 3-2 in the last pool match on Sunday to win Pool A, and the United States swept Puerto Rico in Monday's quarterfinals. Neither result changed anything about who qualifies.
The United States cannot win either prize on offer in Santo Domingo, for two unrelated reasons. It is barred from the continental Olympic place because it hosts LA28 and from the 2027 place because it co-hosts 2027.
The third continental place is decided on Wednesday in a fifth-place match. Trinidad and Tobago play Puerto Rico and Costa Rica play Mexico on Tuesday, and the two winners meet the following day for the ticket.
One naming note. FIVB calls the 2027 event the Women's World Cup, Volleyball World called the same event the World Championship when the co-hosts were announced in September 2025, and we have found nothing documenting a rename.
A fifth-place playoff at a continental championship is normally the least-watched match of the week, and on Wednesday in Santo Domingo it is worth more than the bronze medal.
