The Women's Volleyball World Cup, scheduled to be held in the Philippines in 2029, may be moved to January 2030. This became clear from a statement by Juanito Gregorio, Deputy Executive Director of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), to the local publication Daily Tribune. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has not yet confirmed such a change, but the information is among the first concrete signals of the possible impact of the discussed new international calendar on major championships.
According to the publication ofDaily Tribune on October 31Gregorio stated that the tournament could be held in the first two weeks of January 2030.
"I think it could happen in 2030, probably in the first two weeks of the year. So there will be some postponement," said the representative of the Philippine federation.
Gregorio clarified that communication with FIVB and Volleyball World is ongoing, and the organizers are working for the successful holding of the competition.

VolleyWeek attended the announcement in Manila

On September 28, 2025, immediately before the men's World Championship final between Italy and Bulgaria, FIVB President Fabio Azevedo and legendary Brazilian volleyball player Leila Barros officially announced the Philippines as the host of the women's World Championship in 2029.
A VolleyWeek representative personally attended the event at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, where a little later Bulgaria won silver medals after the final against Italy.

The hosting was confirmed then, but now, just over a year after the historic decision for Philippine volleyball, the first public indications of a possible change in the tournament dates are emerging.

Vietnam and Indonesia can also host matches

In addition to the possible relocation of the competition, the Philippine Federation is discussing the possibility of co-hosting with Vietnam and Indonesia.
The idea is for neighboring countries to organize part of the group stage matches, while the Philippines retains the role of main host and hosts the eliminations and the final.
The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, co-organized by the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia, is being considered as a model.
Among the potential venues for the volleyball tournament is the newly opened SM Seaside Arena in Cebu, along with the traditional large halls in the Manila area.
At this stage, however, no co-hosting agreement has been announced.

First indication of the effect of the controversial calendar reform?

The information from the Philippines comes at a time when the proposal for a new FIVB international calendar for the period 2029–2032 is causing serious discussions and opposition between clubs and governing bodies in volleyball.
As VolleyWeek has already reported, one of the discussed changes envisages major national team competitions to be moved to the winter months, with separate international windows for men and women. This would mean significant changes in the traditional organization of the club season, which would have to be adjusted to accommodate prolonged breaks for national teams.
It is precisely such a prospect that provoked the sharp reactions of Perugia president Gino Sirci and a number of European clubs, including the Bulgarian Levski and Neftochimic.
In this context, the mention of January 2030 by a representative of the host federation deserves attention. It coincides with the discussed idea of organizing major women's international competitions at the beginning of the calendar year.
However, this does not mean that the calendar reform has already been approved.
The FIVB has officially confirmed consultations with federations, leagues, clubs, coaches, and athletes, but a final decision on the calendar for the 2029–2032 period has not yet been announced. More than three years remain until the possible holding of the World Cup in January 2030. At this early stage, it is premature to talk about a final change in the dates or the format of the hosting.
However, Juanito Gregorio's statement indicates that, at least at the level of future organizers, options are already being considered that are consistent with a possible rearrangement of the international volleyball calendar.
For now, the Philippines' hosting remains the only officially confirmed circumstance. The dates and the possible inclusion of other countries are yet to be clarified.