1.   Last season, that meant a week after the regular season concluded, since Padova was forced into a relegation playoff with Genoa.

2.   A loss to unbeaten Sweden in their first-round World Championship finale on Wednesday will send Team USA to the B pool relegation playoffs.

3.   It hosts Juventus, which admittedly has nothing to play for, but needs a victory and plenty of help just to reach a one-game relegation playoff.

4.   PSV took half an hour to get into gear against Sparta Rotterdam, a demoralized team long condemned to relegation playoffs.

5.   Teams must win two of their three round-robin matches if they hope to advance directly to the medal round and avoid a B-pool relegation playoffs.

6.   Teams must win two of their three round-robin matches if they hope to advance directly to the medal round and avoid B-pool relegation playoffs.

7.   Uzbekistan advances to play Sri Lanka in the second round next month while Qatar goes into a relegation playoff against Iran.

8.   Zimbabwe advanced to the World Group qualifying round, while Belarus will go to a relegation playoff.