FIVB President Fabio Azevedo expressed his full confidence in the Philippines as it prepares to host the prestigious Volleyball Men’s World Championship for the first time this September.
Azevedo, who made a brief visit to the country to assess preparations, said he felt pleased with the progress and already considers the Philippines’ maiden hosting of the tournament a success in the making.
“We have no doubt that the World Championships here will be a remarkable success,” Azevedo said during a media roundtable held Thursday at the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) headquarters in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
He cited the Philippines’ proven track record in hosting major volleyball tournaments — including the Volleyball Nations League and various Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) events — as the foundation for his confidence in the country’s ability to deliver a world-class staging of the event.
The Philippines also demonstrated its capability to mount large-scale international sporting events when it co-hosted the 2023 FIBA World Cup across multiple venues.
“This is the first time the World Championship is being held every two years, not four, so we have many new perspectives. Our expectations are very high. We set the bar high for the Philippines because it’s not the first time the country has organized a big event,” said Azevedo.
“One thing that gives us absolute comfort is the huge experience of the volleyball leadership here. President Suzara and his team have proven their ability to deliver great events. I believe even they will raise the bar this time,” he added.
Azevedo also highlighted the Philippines’ growing volleyball fan base — both locally and internationally — as a key reason for optimism. He referenced the strong turnout during the country’s recent hosting of the VNL as evidence of this enthusiasm.
“So, and equally, international artists, when they come to the Philippines, right? It’s an absolutely great, great success. So the point here is that the Philippines is a young country, very digital-oriented, and you love the sport and you love volleyball already and you love many national teams in the world, not only your own national team,” said the Brazilian volleyball chief.
“So despite the fact that your national team will be playing the World Championships, your fans will be following the team of Japan. It’s a big fever in the country, right? Those guys are rockstars here. But equally, the USA, Poland, and Brazil. So we know that the fan base is a very hot fan base, I would say, and they are keen for content,” he continued.
Azevedo also emphasized that the Philippines’ hosting plays a critical role in expanding volleyball’s reach in Asia — something he views as essential for the sport’s global growth.
“This year we are running actually eight world championships, considering the other races as well, right? And seven of them are in Asia. So the clear message is the following. Today, we have 52-percent of the fan base of volleyball is in Asia,” he said.
“It’s clear for us that the future of volleyball is achieving the Asian territory. And Southeast Asia, as we are here, is an amazing opportunity for all of us. We have a vision, which is called, is named the FIVB Vision 2032.”
