The participation of the Russian women's national team in the 2027 World Championship in the USA and Canada continues to cause controversy. According to the president of the Polish Volleyball Federation, Sebastian Swiderski, the Canadian side has objected to the admission of the Russian women to the matches that will take place on its territory.
In an interview with the Polish publication WP SportoweFakty, Swiderski reveals that both Poland, which will host the men's World Cup 2027, and Canada have informed the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) that they do not accept the participation of Russian national teams in the championships they organize.
"Both the Polish government and Canada, which is a co-organizer of the women's tournament, did not see the possibility for Russians to participate in the world championships on their territory. In the end, however, the USA did not block the entry of the Russians, which, frankly, surprised me," says Swiderski.
According to him, the Polish Ministry of Sport and Tourism presented its categorical position to the FIVB, which led to the absence of the Russian men's national team from the championship in Poland.
According to WP SportoweFakty, Russian volleyball players will play all their matches on American territory. Such an agreement would allow their participation in the tournament without having to travel to Canada.
However, there is currently no official confirmation from Volleyball Canada or FIVB regarding such a restriction. Canadian media have also not published independent confirmation of Swiderski's claims.
The issue of Russia's participation has been the subject of discussions between the international federation and the organizers. As early as August, the FIVB announced consultations with Volleyball Canada, USA Volleyball, and the organizing committee regarding the possibility of the Russian team joining the competition.
On October 5, the FIVB announced Russia's participation in the 2027 Women's World Cup, ending the country's prolonged absence from major international competitions.
The World Championship will be held from August 20 to September 5, 2027, in five cities - Anaheim, Omaha, and Orlando in the USA, as well as Montreal and Quebec in Canada. Canadian hosts will host group stage matches and round of 16, while the decisive matches will be on American territory.
It remains to be seen whether special restrictions will be introduced during the draw for Russia's distribution, so that the team plays only in the USA. Such a decision has not yet been officially announced.