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| (Image Source: INQUIRER.net/Marlo Cueto) |
The FIVB and Volleyball World are pleased to announce that the Philippines has been awarded hosting rights for the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship 2029. The host country was confirmed by FIVB President Fabio Azevedo and legendary volleyball player Leila Barros before the Finals of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship Philippines 2025 held inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum last September 28, 2025.
The Women’s World Championship will be staged for the first time in the Philippines, a nation with a deep passion for volleyball. The Philippines recently delivered an outstanding Men’s World Championship 2025 which showcased the country’s organizational excellence, warm hospitality and the incredible enthusiasm of its fans. The 2029 edition represents an opportunity to build a lasting, impactful legacy for the sport and its fans across the Philippines and the wider region. FIVB President Fabio Azevedo declared, “Hosting the Volleyball Women’s World Championship 2029 in the Philippines is an opportunity to again showcase not only the very best of volleyball but also the positive impact our sport has on society. Volleyball is unique in its accessibility, inclusivity and its ability to unite people from all backgrounds. That has been so profound here in the Philippines and we have no doubt that it will be the same for the 2029 edition. Together, we are taking another step towards doubling the Global Volleyball Movement from over 800 million to 1.6 billion people, ensuring an even brighter future for volleyball worldwide.” Volleyball World CEO Ugo Valensi added, “The 2029 Women’s World Championships in the Philippines will be a true celebration of everything that makes volleyball unique. Our priority is to bring fans closer to the action — whether inside the arena or following through our broadcast and digital platforms. Building on the success of the Men’s World Championship here in 2025, we know the Philippines offers the perfect stage to inspire the next generation and connect communities across the country and the region. These Championships are a chance to show that volleyball belongs to everyone, everywhere, and we look forward to delivering unforgettable experiences for fans around the world.”
FIVB Executive Vice President and Asian Volleyball Confederation and Philippine National Volleyball Federation President Ramon Suzara enthused, “We are extremely proud to be selected to host another FIVB World Championship. We have learned many things in hosting the Men’s World Championship in 2025, and we will surely do it even better for the Women’s World Championship in 2029. We are determined to carry forward the momentum of the World Championship 2025 and channel it into something lasting for our athletes, our fans and our nation. It is also an honour to see the sport that I love contribute meaningfully to my nation’s sports and tourism agenda. The 2025 Championship has shown that the Philippines is ready to be a long-term home for world-class volleyball. I am confident that we will once again deliver a truly spectacular Championship.” Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick “Pató” Gregorio affirmed, “To host the Volleyball Women’s World Championship 2029 is a great gift for volleyball-loving Filipinos across the nation, and this long-term partnership with the FIVB and Volleyball World — a transformative empowerment program for our athletes first, and a bold push for sports tourism toward economic growth second — will not only allow our country to be at the heart of volleyball’s global growth; it will set a historic blueprint for Philippine sports development overall. We will form a consortium with private sectors and organizations to lead and sustain this project, to create even more opportunities for our athletes and fans to be part of something truly special. We will pursue this passionately, with much gratitude to the FIVB, Volleyball World and the entire Global Volleyball Movement for their friendship and support.” Ahead of the monumental announcement, the FIVB and Volleyball World announced two historic milestones for the Volleyball World Championships with the Women’s 2027 edition set to be jointly staged by the USA and Canada and Qatar awarded hosting rights for the Men’s 2029 competition. These decisions, taken by the FIVB Board of Administration during its meeting on the sidelines of the Volleyball Men’s World Championship Philippines 2025, follow a highly competitive bidding process that showcased the strong global appetite to stage volleyball’s flagship event.
With Poland already confirmed as host of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2027, volleyball powerhouses USA and Canada complete the slate of hosts for that year. It marks the first time in history that a Volleyball World Championship will be staged in the USA and Canada, setting the stage for an unforgettable celebration of the sport in the build-up to the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028. The final rounds of the Women’s World Championship 2027 will be held at Honda Center and OCVIBE in Anaheim, California with four additional host cities across the USA and Canada to be confirmed for the pool phase and round of 16. The joint bid reflects volleyball’s surging popularity at the youth, collegiate and professional levels across both countries. Just two years later in 2029, the Men’s World Championship will break new ground, heading to the Middle East for the first time in history, with Qatar set to host. Renowned for staging world-class international sports events, Qatar 2029 is expected to deliver unique experiences and a powerful, lasting legacy for volleyball across the region. Matches will be staged in Qatar’s capital Doha, one of the world’s best-connected destinations. Azevedo said, “We are proud to confirm not one, but three outstanding hosts – the USA, Canada and Qatar – for future editions of the Volleyball World Championship. With the USA and Canada set to host the women’s edition in 2027 and Qatar staging the men’s event in 2029, we are confident in delivering unforgettable tournaments for athletes, fans and all Global Volleyball Movement stakeholders. Taking the World Championships to new regions is an important step in growing our sport and sharing its values of collaboration, integration, peace and solidarity more widely across the globe. We deeply value our partnerships with host nations and know that both USA and Canada 2027 and Qatar 2029 are fully committed to our motto ‘Together As One’ and aligned with the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032. This means they are staging more than just a world-class competition – they are creating events that will leave a legacy, empower communities and inspire mass participation.”
Valensi added, “The calibre of our hosts highlights volleyball’s worldwide momentum. Bringing the World Championships to North America and the Middle East – two of our most dynamic growth markets – will connect us with new fans and deliver unforgettable experiences in arenas and across broadcast, OTT and digital platforms. We are opening the door to fresh partnerships, investment and fan engagement, while driving innovation and long-term value for the sport.” The FIVB Men’s and Women’s Volleyball World Championships are the biggest competitions in international volleyball, each featuring 32 of the world’s best teams competing across 64 matches over 17 days. In 2023, the competition moved to a biennial schedule with the inaugural events under this format held this year in Thailand (women’s) and the Philippines (men’s).
