Italy has prepared one of the most impressive opening ceremonies in the history of European volleyball championships. The world champions will begin their participation in EuroVolley 2026 against Sweden not in a sports hall, but in one of Naples' symbols – Piazza del Plebiscito, which is currently being transformed into a huge temporary volleyball arena.
The photo from the construction activities shows the scale of the project. A huge structure for lighting and technical equipment has already been built over the square, and temporary stands are gradually forming the arena around the court. All of this is happening in front of the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola and opposite the Royal Palace – the architectural backdrop that will turn the match into much more than an ordinary group stage game.

6500 seats in the heart of Naples

According to the initial project, the temporary arena is designed for 6500 spectators. Two stands with 2500 seats each are located along the long sides of the court, and a VIP stand with another 1500 seats is in front of the Royal Palace. One short side remains open towards the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola, so that it can be part of the natural background of the television picture.
An enormous screen will also be placed there, which, according to Rai's information, will be able to open and free up space for a stage. The organizers are also preparing a show program, but the names of the artists are being kept secret for now. Rai reports three sectors of stands and a real capacity of just under 6000 spectators, while the project officially announced by CEV is for 6500 seats.

Italy – Sweden on September 10

The historic match Italy – Sweden is scheduled for September 10 at 9:05 PM local time, 10:05 PM Bulgarian time. This is the official opening match of the Italian part of the championship and the first match of Group A.
There is a curious detail – EuroVolley 2026 will actually have started a day earlier. On September 9, the first matches will be played in Bulgaria and Romania, with Bulgaria opening its participation against North Macedonia at 7:00 PM in "Arena 8888 Sofia". However, the Italian Federation and CEV present the spectacle in Naples as the ceremonial opening and start of the Italian hosting.

The President of Italy will be in the stands

The presence of the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, adds additional weight to the event. CONI officially confirmed that the head of state will be in Piazza del Plebiscito for Italy – Sweden.
Mattarella received the Italian volleyball players at the Quirinal after their world triumph, and subsequently received an invitation to attend the European Championship. CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio announced in July that the presidency had confirmed his presence in Naples.
Thus, the world champions will begin their quest for the European title in front of their president and thousands of Italian fans, and in a place that can hardly be compared to a traditional volleyball hall.

Tickets generated huge interest

Interest in the match is serious. After the initial sell-out of available seats, the organizers released additional quantities of tickets. The latest official announcement from the Italian Federation on August 31 is for the release of another 700 tickets for Italy – Sweden. Sales are exclusively through TicketOne.
Even at the start of sales, FIPAV had provided a special quota of 1000 tickets at 25 euros for registered members of the federation for specific sectors of the arena in Naples.

There is also a 'Plan B' due to the weather

The biggest unknown in such an event is the weather. The court is entirely outdoors, which is why the organizers have a backup option in case of a serious risk of rain.
According to Rai, in case of an unfavorable forecast, Italy – Sweden will be moved to PalaSele in Eboli. The reason for the backup hall being outside Naples is unusual – the city itself does not have a suitable indoor arena that meets the requirements for an international volleyball match of such a rank.
Therefore, in the coming days, in addition to the construction activities in the square, the organizers will certainly be carefully monitoring the weather forecast for the evening of September 10.

One of Italy's most famous squares becomes a volleyball arena

Piazza del Plebiscito is the largest square in Naples and one of the largest in Italy – its area is about 25,000 square meters. It is located between the coastline and Via Toledo, and around it are the Royal Palace and the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola. Over the years, the space has been used for concerts, public events, and large celebrations.
On September 10, volleyball will be added to this list.
The organizers' idea is for the sport to literally leave the halls and enter the historic center of one of the most recognizable Italian cities. CEV defines Piazza del Plebiscito as the "living room of Naples" – a place where history and architecture will be the natural backdrop for the European Championship.

Italy comes as world champion

The symbolism is even stronger due to the hosts' status. Ferdinando De Giorgi's team is a two-time consecutive world champion, and at the last European Championship, Italy finished with silver medals. Now the "Azzurri" will pursue the European title in front of their home crowd.
The team captain is once again Simone Giannelli. De Giorgi and Giannelli will also participate in the official press conference for the opening match, which is scheduled for September 9 at Palazzo San Giacomo in Naples.

Only one match will be played at Piazza del Plebiscito

As impressive as the temporary arena may be, it will not host the entire group. Only Italy – Sweden will take place at Piazza del Plebiscito.
After the spectacle in Naples, Group A moves to one of the emblems of Italian volleyball – PalaPanini in Modena. There, Italy will play its remaining four matches against Greece, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Slovenia.
After the group stage, the Italian part of EuroVolley will continue in Turin, where the round of 16 will be held on September 20 and 21, and the quarterfinals from this half of the bracket on September 23. The Final Four will gather in Milan – the semifinals are on September 25, and the bronze medal match and the grand final are on September 26.
For Italy, the dream route therefore begins under the open sky of Naples and should end with a battle for the European title in Milan.
Before that, however, Piazza del Plebiscito must transform from a historic square into a volleyball arena. And the photo from the construction site just six days before Italy – Sweden shows how unusual the start of EuroVolley 2026 will be.