# 1981 FIVB Volleyball Women's U20 World Championship

The 1981 FIVB Women's U20 World Championship was held in Mexico City, Mexico from October 16 to 26, 1981. 15 teams participated in the tournament.

## Qualification

A total of 15 teams qualified for the final tournament. In addition to Mexico, who qualified automatically as the hosts, another 14 teams qualified via four separate continental tournament.
| Means of qualification | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Host country | 1 | Mexico |
| 1980 Asian Junior Championship | 4 | South Korea |
| 1980 Asian Junior Championship | 4 | Japan |
| 1980 Asian Junior Championship | 4 | India |
| 1980 Asian Junior Championship | 4 | Australia * |
| 1980 NORCECA Junior Championship | 2 | Cuba |
| 1980 NORCECA Junior Championship | 2 | Canada |
| 1979 European Junior Championship | 2 | Soviet Union |
| 1979 European Junior Championship | 2 | Spain ** |
| 1980 South American Championship | 3 | Peru |
| 1980 South American Championship | 3 | Brazil |
| 1980 South American Championship | 3 | Argentina |
| Wild card | 3 | China *** |
| Wild card | 3 | Puerto Rico |
| Wild card | 3 | Costa Rica |
| Wild card | 3 | Bolivia **** |
| Total | 15 | |
* * Australia replaced Singapore.
* ** Spain replaced East Germany.
* *** China didn't participate in Asian Championship because they did not maintain any relations with South Korea. Officially they were in War.
* **** Bolivia declined to participate.

## Pools composition
### First round

| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D |
| Mexico  Argentina  Australia  India | Canada  Cuba  South Korea  Spain | Brazil  Costa Rica  Japan  Bolivia * | China  Peru  Puerto Rico  Soviet Union |
* Bolivia declined to participate.

### Second round

| Pool A1 | Pool A2 | Pool B1 | Pool B2 |
| Argentina  Brazil  Japan  Mexico | China  Cuba  Peru  South Korea | Australia  Costa Rica  India | Canada  Puerto Rico  Soviet Union  Spain |

## Preliminary round
### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Mexico | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | MAX | 135 | 39 | 3.462 | Pool A1 or A2 |
| 2 | Argentina | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1.500 | 127 | 83 | 1.530 | Pool A1 or A2 |
| 3 | Australia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 0.500 | 63 | 120 | 0.525 | Pool B1 or B2 |
| 4 | India | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0.111 | 66 | 149 | 0.443 | Pool B1 or B2 |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total |
| 16 Oct | Mexico | 3–0 | Argentina | 15–10 | 15–7 | 15–7 | | 45–24 |
| 16 Oct | Australia | 3–0 | India | 15–9 | 16–14 | 15–7 | | 46–30 |
| 17 Oct | Argentina | 3–1 | India | 13–15 | 15–6 | 15–3 | 15–3 | 58–27 |
| 17 Oct | Mexico | 3–0 | Australia | 15–0 | 15–3 | 15–3 | | 45–6 |
| 18 Oct | Argentina | 3–0 | Australia | 15–6 | 15–2 | 15–3 | | 45–11 |
| 18 Oct | Mexico | 3–0 | India | 15–3 | 15–2 | 15–4 | | 45–9 |

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | South Korea | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | MAX | 135 | 31 | 4.355 | Pool A1 or A2 |
| 2 | Cuba | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2.000 | 105 | 93 | 1.129 | Pool A1 or A2 |
| 3 | Canada | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 0.500 | 89 | 114 | 0.781 | Pool B1 or B2 |
| 4 | Spain | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0.000 | 44 | 134 | 0.328 | Pool B1 or B2 |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Total |
| 16 Oct | South Korea | 3–0 | Spain | 15–2 | 15–4 | 15–1 | 45–7 |
| 16 Oct | Cuba | 3–0 | Canada | 15–7 | 15–13 | 16–14 | 46–34 |
| 17 Oct | Canada | 3–0 | Spain | 15–6 | 15–5 | 15–12 | 45–23 |
| 17 Oct | South Korea | 3–0 | Cuba | 15–2 | 15–7 | 15–5 | 45–14 |
| 18 Oct | South Korea | 3–0 | Canada | 15–3 | 15–6 | 15–1 | 45–10 |
| 18 Oct | Cuba | 3–0 | Spain | 15–5 | 15–4 | 15–5 | 45–14 |

### Pool C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Japan | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 6.000 | 97 | 38 | 2.553 | Pool A1 or A2 |
| 2 | Brazil | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1.333 | 83 | 53 | 1.566 | Pool A1 or A2 |
| 3 | Costa Rica | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 1 | 90 | 0.011 | Pool B1 or B2 |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Total |
| 16 Oct | Brazil | 3–0 | Costa Rica | 15–1 | 15–0 | 15–0 | | 45–1 |
| 17 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | Costa Rica | 15–0 | 15–0 | 15–0 | | 45–0 |
| 18 Oct | Japan | 3–1 | Brazil | 15–10 | 15–7 | 7–15 | 15–6 | 52–38 |

### Pool D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Peru | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 4.500 | 148 | 67 | 2.209 | Pool A1 or A2 |
| 2 | China | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 1.400 | 145 | 122 | 1.189 | Pool A1 or A2 |
| 3 | Soviet Union | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 1.000 | 130 | 118 | 1.102 | Pool B1 or B2 |
| 4 | Puerto Rico | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0.000 | 19 | 135 | 0.141 | Pool B1 or B2 |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 16 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Puerto Rico | 15–3 | 15–3 | 15–0 | | | 45–6 |
| 16 Oct | Peru | 3–1 | China | 15–8 | 15–5 | 11–15 | 15–7 | | 56–35 |
| 17 Oct | Peru | 3–0 | Puerto Rico | 15–0 | 15–1 | 15–3 | | | 45–4 |
| 17 Oct | China | 3–2 | Soviet Union | 11–15 | 15–8 | 9–15 | 15–11 | 15–8 | 65–57 |
| 18 Oct | China | 3–0 | Puerto Rico | 15–1 | 15–8 | 15–0 | | | 45–9 |
| 18 Oct | Peru | 3–0 | Soviet Union | 15–5 | 15–8 | 17–15 | | | 47–28 |

## Second round
### Pool A1 (1st–8th)

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Japan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 9.000 | 142 | 70 | 2.029 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Mexico | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1.200 | 134 | 127 | 1.055 | Semifinals |
| 3 | Brazil | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 1.000 | 141 | 147 | 0.959 | 5th place playoff |
| 4 | Argentina | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0.000 | 62 | 135 | 0.459 | 5th place playoff |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 20 Oct | Mexico | 3–2 | Brazil | 10–15 | 15–12 | 15–8 | 12–15 | 15–8 | 67–58 |
| 20 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | Argentina | 15–4 | 15–4 | 15–2 | | | 45–10 |
| 21 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | Mexico | 15–9 | 15–9 | 15–4 | | | 45–22 |
| 21 Oct | Brazil | 3–0 | Argentina | 15–12 | 15–11 | 15–5 | | | 45–28 |

### Pool A2 (1st–8th)

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | South Korea | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 3.000 | 161 | 121 | 1.331 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Peru | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 1.400 | 162 | 120 | 1.350 | Semifinals |
| 3 | China | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 1.000 | 139 | 135 | 1.030 | 5th place playoff |
| 4 | Cuba | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0.111 | 62 | 148 | 0.419 | 5th place playoff |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 20 Oct | Peru | 3–1 | Cuba | 15–8 | 15–4 | 13–15 | 15–5 | | 58–32 |
| 20 Oct | South Korea | 3–2 | China | 9–15 | 15–12 | 9–15 | 15–8 | 15–9 | 63–59 |
| 21 Oct | South Korea | 3–1 | Peru | 15–12 | 8–15 | 15–8 | 15–13 | | 53–48 |
| 21 Oct | China | 3–0 | Cuba | 15–3 | 15–11 | 15–2 | | | 45–16 |

### Pool B1 (9th–16th)

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Australia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | MAX | 91 | 54 | 1.685 | 9th place playoff |
| 2 | India | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1.000 | 75 | 57 | 1.316 | 9th place playoff |
| 3 | Costa Rica | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 35 | 90 | 0.389 | 13th place playoff |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 20 Oct | India | 3–0 | Costa Rica | 15–4 | 15–4 | 15–3 | | | 45–11 |
| 21 Oct | Australia | 3–0 | Costa Rica | 15–7 | 15–5 | 15–12 | | | 45–24 |

### Pool B2 (9th–16th)

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Soviet Union | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | MAX | 135 | 36 | 3.750 | 9th place playoff |
| 2 | Canada | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2.000 | 114 | 90 | 1.267 | 9th place playoff |
| 3 | Puerto Rico | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 0.375 | 101 | 155 | 0.652 | 13th place playoff |
| 4 | Spain | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 0.222 | 94 | 163 | 0.577 | 13th place playoff |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 20 Oct | Canada | 3–0 | Puerto Rico | 15–7 | 15–8 | 15–7 | | | 45–22 |
| 20 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Spain | 15–3 | 15–3 | 15–10 | | | 45–6 |
| 21 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Canada | 15–13 | 15–10 | 15–1 | | | 45–24 |
| 21 Oct | Puerto Rico | 3–2 | Spain | 17–15 | 13–15 | 15–11 | 13–15 | 15–9 | 73–65 |

## Final round
### 13th–15th places

| 13th–15th places | 13th–15th places | 13th place | 13th place |
| Spain | 3 |
| Costa Rica | 0 | | |
| Costa Rica | 0 | Spain | 3 |
| | | Puerto Rico | 0 |
| Puerto Rico | | Puerto Rico | 0 |
| Bye | | | |

### Classification 13th and 15th

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 24 Oct | Spain | 3–0 | Costa Rica | 15–3 | 15–9 | 15–12 | | | 45–24 |

### Classification 13th

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 25 Oct | Spain | 3–0 | Puerto Rico | 15–10 | 15–13 | 16–14 | | | 46–37 |

### 9th–12th places

| 9th–12th places | 9th–12th places | 9th place | 9th place |
| Soviet Union | 3 |
| India | 0 | | |
| India | 0 | Soviet Union | 3 |
| | | Canada | 0 |
| Canada | 3 | Canada | 0 |
| Australia | 0 | | |
| Australia | 0 | 11th place | 11th place |
| | | India | 3 |
| | | Australia | 1 |

### Classification 9th and 12th

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 24 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | India | 15–6 | 15–7 | 15–2 | | | 45–15 |
| 24 Oct | Canada | 3–0 | Australia | 15–4 | 15–4 | 15–5 | | | 45–13 |

### Classification 11th

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 25 Oct | India | 3–1 | Australia | 15–12 | 11–15 | 15–13 | 15–5 | | 56–45 |

### Classification 9th

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 25 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Canada | 15–3 | 15–10 | 15–9 | | | 45–22 |

### 5th–8th places

| 5th–8th places | 5th–8th places | 5th place | 5th place |
| China | 3 |
| Argentina | 0 | | |
| Argentina | 0 | China | 3 |
| | | Brazil | 0 |
| Brazil | 3 | Brazil | 0 |
| Cuba | 0 | | |
| Cuba | 0 | 7th place | 7th place |
| | | Argentina | 1 |
| | | Cuba | 3 |

### Classification 5th and 8th

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 25 Oct | China | 3–0 | Argentina | 15–9 | 15–3 | 15–5 | | | 45–17 |
| 25 Oct | Brazil | 3–2 | Cuba | 15–11 | 6–15 | 12–15 | 15–9 | 15–9 | 63–59 |

### Classification 7th

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 26 Oct | Cuba | 3–1 | Argentina | 15–3 | 15–7 | 8–15 | 15–7 | | 63–32 |

### Classification 5th

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 26 Oct | China | 3–0 | Brazil | 15–8 | 15–13 | 15–4 | | | 45–25 |

### Championship round

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| South Korea | 3 |
| Mexico | 0 | | |
| Mexico | 0 | South Korea | 3 |
| | | Peru | 1 |
| Peru | 3 | Peru | 1 |
| Japan | 0 | | |
| Japan | 0 | Third place | Third place |
| | | Mexico | 0 |
| | | Japan | 3 |

### Semifinals

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 25 Oct | Peru | 3–0 | Japan | 15–12 | 17–15 | 15–11 | | | 47–38 |
| 25 Oct | South Korea | 3–0 | Mexico | 15–2 | 15–3 | 15–2 | | | 45–7 |

### Bronze medal match

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 26 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | Mexico | 16–14 | 15–11 | 15–13 | | | 46–38 |

### Gold medal match

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 26 Oct | South Korea | 3–1 | Peru | 6–15 | 15–11 | 15–13 | 15–8 | | 51–47 |

## Final standing

| Rank | Team |
| | South Korea |
| | Peru |
| | Japan |
| 4 | Mexico |
| 5 | China |
| 6 | Brazil |
| 7 | Cuba |
| 8 | Argentina |
| 9 | Soviet Union |
| 10 | Canada |
| 11 | India |
| 12 | Australia |
| 13 | Spain |
| 14 | Puerto Rico |
| 15 | Costa Rica |
* 1981 FIVB Women's Junior World champions
* South Korea 2nd title