The World Volleyball Championship in the Philippines is entering its decisive phase, but in Poland, they are already thinking about the future.
In two years, the country will once again host the biggest forum in men's volleyball, and the ambitions are for the next edition to surpass all previous ones in terms of organization, atmosphere, and interest. The President of the Polish Volleyball Federation, Sebastian Świderski, outlined in an interview for "Przegląd Sportowy Onet" (quoted by siatka.org) the first ideas and changes that will be implemented compared to the current championship in the Philippines.
Poland – a leader in organization and host for the third time
The 2027 World Championship will be the third that Poland hosts after 2014 and 2022, which in itself is proof of FIVB's high confidence in the country's organizational capacity. "We have hosted dozens of international events, and there is probably no other country that can compare to us in this regard," says Świderski.
Observing the current championship in the Philippines, he already clearly sees which mistakes should not be repeated. The most important of these is related to ticket prices – a topic on which Poland intends to pursue a firm policy and not accept conditions imposed by FIVB or its partners.
The format remains, but with an important structural change
The competition format will be similar to that of the current championship:
eight groups of four teams in the first phase,
the top two from each group advance,
followed by elimination matches in a classic playoff system.
The only significant change will be related to the draw after the group stage. Previously, it happened that teams that had already met in the groups would face each other again as early as the quarter-finals. This will be avoided with a new seeding scheme that will ensure teams from the same group cannot meet again before the semi-finals. This way, the tournament will offer more diverse matchups and maintain intrigue until the very end.
The first stage will be held in four cities. Two of them will remain hosts for the round of 16 and quarter-finals, while the semi-finals and final will be in a separate city. "We have already booked some venues for the tournament dates, even though there are still two years left. Much depends on their availability," specifies Świderski.
Lessons from the Philippines: attendance and atmosphere
One of the most important observations from the World Championship in the Philippines is related to attendance. While the host team's matches attract over 10,000 spectators (14,240 for the match against Iran), other matches gather significantly fewer spectators. Poland's most watched match – the round of 16 against Canada – was attended by 5,306 people, which seems low for an arena with 20,000 seats.
To avoid such scenes, the Poles plan a more precise selection of venues according to the interest and importance of the matches. "Not all matches have to be played in the largest arenas. For matches without Polish participation, halls with 4,000–5,000 seats are perfectly sufficient, where a great atmosphere can be created," emphasizes Świderski.
Ticket prices – a crucial factor for successHowever, the most critical issue in the Philippines turned out to be ticket prices. In the group stage, they ranged fromabout 14 to 255 BGN– too high amounts for local fans, considering that the average monthly salary in the country is around500 BGN)
The pricing was imposed or proposed by Volleyball World – the company to which FIVB entrusts the organization of tournaments. "Here too, they often try to dictate terms, but we do not agree. We know the realities in Poland and the financial capabilities of our fans much better," explains the president of PZPS.
He emphasizes that the topic requires a careful and analytical approach. Excessively high prices, as at EuroVolley 2017, lead to empty stands, while too low prices allow resellers to buy up tickets and resell them at a higher price.
Conclusion: The Path to Perfect Hosting
While the World Championship in the Philippines is still ongoing, Poland is already working hard to offer an even better edition in 2027. The goal is clear – more spectators, more accessible tickets, a better atmosphere, and an organization that will once again place Poland at the top not only as a volleyball power, but also as a host of the world elite.
photo:https://www.facebook.com/swiderski.official/
