Katowice and Gliwice will be the Polish host cities of the volleyball world championships, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced on Friday. The final match is scheduled for September 11 in Katowice’s Spodek.
The World Cup was originally scheduled to take place in Russia, but the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) stripped it of its hosting rights after the invasion of Ukraine and awarded it to Poland and Slovenia.
“In Silesia, there will be a great volleyball celebration, I am happy that we will host the best players in the world,” said the head of government.
? Premier @MorawieckiM w #Katowice podczas ogłoszenia miast-gospodarzy Finałów Mistrzostw Świata w Piłce Siatkowej Mężczyzn 2022: Ogromnie się cieszę, że mamy w Polsce kolejne mistrzostwa świata. Możemy powiedzieć, że nasza ukochana dyscyplina sportowa, siatkówka, wraca do domu. pic.twitter.com/I7jxwaQQbX
— Kancelaria Premiera (@PremierRP) June 3, 2022
Poland will host, among others, the semi-finals, the final and the match for third place.
The title of world champions during this year’s tournament will be defended by the Poles. The White-Red team will face in the group phase teams of the United States, Mexico and Bulgaria.
If Poland advances to the final, which will be held in the Katowice Spodek, it will be a reference to the 2014 World Cup, when the Poles won their second-ever gold medal, defeating Brazil 3:1 in the final.
READ ALSO: POLAND CHOSEN AS THE OFFICIAL CO-HOST OF 2022 FIVB VOLLEYBALL MEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP