Germany and Slovenia will host the men and women’s sitting volleyball European Championships, respectively, ParaVolley Europe has announced.

The event offers qualification spots for Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and will feature a competitive tournament with the leading European teams looking to confirm their spots for the Paralympics ahead of the final qualification tournament in 2016.

In a change from recent years, the championships will be held separately for men and women. The men will face off on 30 September – 8 October in Warendorf, Germany. The women will play 7-15 November in Podcetrek, Slovenia. Both nations are powerhouses in their respective sides of sitting volleyball, each ranking fifth in the world.

Germany’s men won bronze in the London 2012 Paralympic Games, while Slovenia’s women missed the podium but eye a stronger performance in Rio.