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Łódź, a city renowned for its love of women’s volleyball, has been chosen as the host city for the qualification tournament leading to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Łódź City Hall on Wednesday.
A History of Success
The city has a rich history of organizing major events for the Polish women’s volleyball team. Last year, the team achieved a quarterfinal berth at the World Championships in front of a fervent crowd at the 12,000-seat Atlas Arena. In 2009, Łódź proudly hosted the European Championships, where Poland claimed the bronze medal. Furthermore, the team reached the semifinals of the same tournament in 2019.
The tournament, scheduled to take place from September 16th to 24th at the Atlas Arena, will feature eight national teams vying for two coveted Olympic berths. The participating teams include Poland, Italy, the United States, Germany, Thailand, Colombia, Korea, and Slovenia. Over the course of nine days, a total of 28 matches will be played.
Home Advantage and Determination
Sebastian Świderski, the President of the Polish Volleyball Federation, expressed optimism about Poland’s chances, citing the team’s strong performances when playing in front of their home crowd. Although facing formidable opponents like Italy and the United States, Świderski believes that with the return of injured players, the Polish team can demonstrate their fighting spirit and secure an Olympic qualification.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will feature 12 women’s volleyball teams. France has already secured their spot as the host nation. The remaining 24 highest-ranked teams according to the FIVB rankings will participate in three qualification tournaments held in Japan, China, and Łódź. From each tournament, the top two teams will earn their place in the Olympics. Teams unable to secure qualification through these tournaments will have another chance to compete for the remaining five spots through the Volleyball Nations League.