Alan Nine
FIPAV
ITALY - One of the day’s main institutional items came from the federation. FIPAV presented the Volley Box project during the National Day of Sports Facilities, with president Giuseppe Manfredi illustrating the plan at CONI. The initiative was described as a project for modern and sustainable venues dedicated to volleyball, while Elio Sannicandro expanded on the technical side of the proposal.
The theme gave the day a broader frame beyond transfers and roster moves. Rather than focusing on one competition or one club, the item pointed to infrastructure and long-term planning, underlining how the federation is trying to connect volleyball growth with updated facilities and practical design standards.
Italian Transfer News
MILANO / SCANDICCI - The Italian market remained busy, especially in the women’s game. Numia Vero Volley Milano officially announced Giulia Gennari (photo) for the setter position, completing that department for the 2026/2027 season. The Roman playmaker said she was ready to work in a stimulating environment, adding another defined move to Milano’s construction for the new year.
Savino Del Bene Scandicci also confirmed a return, bringing libero Martina Armini back to Tuscany for the 2026/2027 season. The move follows two seasons with Volley Bergamo and reconnects the player with a club she had already known earlier in her career. The news fits the current domestic trend: several clubs are not only adding talent, but also bringing back profiles already familiar with their structure.
There were further additions across the Italian scene. Cisterna Volley signed outside hitter Magalini (photo) on a two-year deal, described as the club’s fourth market addition and a reinforcement built around an Italian national-team profile. Sonepar Padova added Alessandro Bristot from Itas Trentino, with the 2005-born hitter set first to join Italy’s Under 22 side at the European Championship in Portugal before beginning his new club chapter.
Other movements confirmed how active the lower divisions also remain. Atlantide Brescia made official the arrival of middle blocker Nicolò Ciccolella, a 2004-born player with previous experience in Bari, Castellana Grotte and Ravenna. Riccardo Mian will stay with Volley Tricolore for a fourth season in Reggio Emilia, giving continuity to the group promoted into the next Serie A2. In women’s volleyball, Clai Imola Volley chose Chiara Adorni as its new libero, with the player arriving in biancoblù for the 2025/26 season.
Italian Clubs
A separate domestic note came from Busto Arsizio, where Giuseppe Pirola was honored by Regione Lombardia for his managerial path. The patron of UYBA received the bronze medal of the Regional Council dedicated to the province of Varese. It was not a transfer story, but it still stood out as recognition of long-term club leadership inside one of the best-known environments in Italian women’s volleyball.
Abroad
The international and foreign-market pages also delivered clear headlines. In Germany, Andrea Anastasi (photo) is set to restart from Berlin, with the Italian coach chosen to lead the BR Volleys through 2028. The agreement gives one of Europe’s established clubs a high-profile Italian figure on the bench and adds another cross-border chapter to Anastasi’s coaching career.
Another market development involved Ivan Zaytsev. Volleyball.it reported that the Italian star is returning to Turkey, while the options connected to Pineto and Macerata are no longer on the table. Even without a domestic landing, the update keeps one of the most recognizable names in Italian volleyball at the center of summer market attention.
Beach Volley
The beach volleyball calendar also moved forward with a major international designation. Gstaad will host the 2027 European Beach Volleyball Championships, giving one of the sport’s iconic locations another leading event. It was a shorter item than the day’s transfer stories, but still one of the most relevant federation-level updates because it fixes the site of a major continental tournament well in advance.
