Latvia wants to host one of the groups of the 2028 Men's European Volleyball Championship, but the realization of the project depends on state funding. The local federation estimates the necessary budget at around 4 million euros and expects up to 2.5 million euros from the state, reports Latvian Radio in a material by Maris Bergs.
The matches are planned to be played in "Arena Riga", whose rent forms a significant part of the costs. The remaining funding must be secured through ticket sales, support from local authorities, and sponsors.
In discussing the bid, the president of the Latvian Volleyball Federation, Arnis Tunte, highlights Bulgaria as a positive example for promoting the 2026 European Championship. He compares his impressions from Romania, where the Latvians played in the group stage, with the atmosphere after their arrival in Sofia for the eliminations.
"In Bulgaria, the streets were full of advertisements and every taxi driver knew which national teams were playing today," says Tunte.
According to him, in the Romanian host city, there was almost no advertising for the tournament. He points to an average attendance of about 2000 spectators in Romania versus nearly 5000 in Finland. These are figures cited by the Latvian official, who also emphasizes the stronger presence of foreign fans in Finland.
Attracting guests from abroad is among the main arguments when assessing whether Latvia should allocate public funds for hosting. The director of the sports department at the Ministry of Education and Science, Aleksandrs Samoilovs, explains that the necessary amount cannot be secured from the current sports budget. As possibilities, he points to the future State Sports Fund or targeted funding with a government decision.
The Federation insists that the final decision be made by the end of 2026, so that the actual preparation can begin next year. An application for the use of "Arena Riga" has already been submitted, and commitments to hotels, catering companies, and training halls make further postponement increasingly difficult.
Tunte claims that there is an oral agreement for the Latvian hosting, but it does not yet mean officially granted rights for organization.
EuroVolley 2028 is again planned for four countries. Montenegro already has a confirmed CEV hosting of a group, with matches to be held in "Morača" Hall in Podgorica. The exact dates are yet to be determined.