The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has announced all 10 cities that will host the 2022 Men's Volleyball World Championship. The organization's press service told TASS that the tournament will take place in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk and Ufa.
The tournament will take place from August 26 to September 11, 2022, and will be attended by 24 teams representing all continental zones of the FIVB. The decision to host the 2022 World Volleyball Championship in Russia was made in November 2018 at the FIVB Congress.
The first group stage of the tournament will be held from 26 to 29 August, teams will be divided into six groups of four participants. The top two teams from each group, as well as the four best performing third place teams, will advance to the next stage. The second stage will take place from 2 to 4 September, in which 16 teams will be divided into four groups, according to the results of this stage, the group winners and the two best teams that will take second places will go to the Final Six.
The Final Six matches will take place from September 7 to September 9, in which the teams will be divided into two groups of three participants, according to the results of the stage, the two best teams from each group will form semifinal pairs, which on September 10 will compete for tickets to the final. The final of the tournament and the match for third place will take place on 11 September.
The Russian national team is exempt from the qualifying tournament as the organizer of the competition, and the Polish team, which is the reigning world champion, will not take part in the qualification.
The qualification of teams for the 2022 World Cup will be held according to a new system. The two best teams from each continental championship (Europe; Asia, Australia and Oceania; Africa; North, Central America and the Caribbean; South America), which will be held in 2021, will receive tickets to the world championship. The remaining 12 packages will be played in the qualifying tournament, which will be attended by 24 teams according to the FIVB world ranking.
Moscow
The main matches of the tournament will be held in the capital. Moscow will host the Final Six, which will include the semi-finals, the match for third place and the final.
There were different options for the stadium, but in the end, VTB Arena became a potential venue. Its capacity is 12 thousand, but it is possible to increase the number of spectators at the expense of seats on the parquet next to the site.
There is no doubt that interest will be serious even in a city oversaturated with various events. In 2007, the European Championship (at the Olimpiyskiy) was already held in Moscow, and then the maximum possible 9,200 places for the games of the Russian national team were filled without any problems.
We also hope to continue this pleasant tradition - both previous home world championships (1952 and 1962) ended in victory for our national team. So it would be in 2022! After all, the world championship is the last tournament that our men's team has not won in recent history. There was the Olympics, the World Cup - too, the League of Nations - yes, the European Championship - of course. Only one thing is missing.
St. Petersburg
Until recently, Peter was idle without a big volleyball, but in 2017 a top team was created there. Called, of course, "Zenith". And it was at the Sibur Arena that Russia selected for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Successfully.
And now St. Petersburg has a great honor - the opening match of the World Championship will be held in the city. Of course, our team will play in it. With whom - the draw will decide. So far, everything goes to the fact that the St. Petersburg stage will be hosted by the Sibur Arena (capacity - 7120), but the option with the ice hockey ice (12,000) is also possible.
Kazan
There were no dealings in which the world championship would not catch on Tatarstan. Kazan is one of the main volleyball cities in Europe. There is a very strong female team and a menacingly titled male team.Both won the Champions League. Zenit - Kazan did this six times. Surely a number of his players will be included in our national team for the 2022 championship. And if Russia plays part of the games in this city, it will be absolutely fair.
The option is being considered that the games will be held not in the volleyball arena "St. Petersburg" built for the Universiade, but in the "Basket-hall". The point is the capacity, in the "Basket-Hall" it is higher - under 7000.
Ufa and Yekaterinburg
It was important for the WWF that the World Cup should cover as much of Russia as possible. Ural, of course, including.
And if Yekaterinburg is already familiar with big sporting events - matches of the 2018 football World Cup took place there and the Universiade-2023 will take place - then for Ufa the volleyball world championship will be one of the main events in the history of the city.
The capital of Bashkortostan has earned its right with a gorgeous holding of the League of Nations stage. The World Championship matches are planned to be held at the Ufa Arena, which hosted the Russian stage of the League of Nations.
Yaroslavl and Kaliningrad
The World Championship in Yaroslavl is largely the merit of Sergei Shlyapnikov. In this city, he lived an incredible sporting life: he grew up to be the team captain, then became a coach, then a president. And, even being the helmsman of the national team, he regularly consulted his native club. It was he who pushed the main volleyball tournament through the regional authorities. I dreamed about the World Cup in Yaroslavl, about a new arena. And he got his way.
Now a modern palace with a capacity of 6,000 is being built in the city. And next year the residents of Yaroslavl will have the opportunity to warm up with big volleyball - in their city, on the well-known hockey fans "Arena 2000", the Russian stage of the League of Nations will be held, and it is also considered as a venue for championship matches the world.
In Kaliningrad, there has long been a good palace - "Yantarny", the capacity of which is 7200, and the matches of the Russian national team for the city are a very familiar story. For this, despite the absence of a male team, he received the right to host the championship. There will be no problems selling tickets there, sold-out at the women's Lokomotiv, one of the main teams in the country, is a common thing. And given the fact that it is very convenient for European teams to get to Kaliningrad, the demand for spectator seats can greatly exceed the supply.
Novosibirsk
Probably, for the first time Siberia gets such a tangible piece of a big sports pie. Almost a third of the championship will be held there. And it's a thrill.
Siberia did not get the football World Cup, although they love sports very much. Moreover, the fans of this region, due to the time difference, constantly have to watch live broadcasts deep at night. Now, finally, people on the ground will be able to see the most important sporting event live and become a part of it. And get a legacy.
Lokomotiv-Arena with a capacity of 5,000 spectators was opened in Novosibirsk in October. When designing it, an upgraded lighting system was used, which provides a high-quality TV picture, but does not dazzle the players during the match. An information television system is provided in the halls and foyer: everything that happens on the site is broadcast on special screens. That is, you can go to a cafe without fear of missing an important moment.
Krasnoyarsk
In Krasnoyarsk, the entire infrastructure remained after the Winter Universiade 2019. Most likely, the matches will be held at the Ivan Yarygin Sports Palace, where Yenisei plays, bronze medalist of the 2017 Russian Championship, two-time silver medalist of the Russian Cup (2017, 2018), semifinalist of the Challenge Cup EKB (2017).
Kemerovo
But Kemerovo literally pulled itself to the championship. Initially, his chances seemed low, but Kuzbass sensationally won the 2019 Super League, and a volleyball boom began in the city. The Governor of the Kemerovo Territory expressed interest, sponsors were found - and now a new arena for 6,000 spectators is being built. All this forced the FIVB to approve Kemerovo as one of the ten cities - the organizers of the upcoming tournament.
