Alan Nine
Italy will begin their Men’s CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 campaign against Sweden in a purpose-built outdoor arena in Naples on Thursday evening. The world champions will open the tournament in Piazza del Plebiscito, bringing international volleyball to one of Italy’s most iconic public spaces.
Elsewhere, Rana Verona have welcomed a new setter, the draw for the Women’s Club World Championship has been confirmed and Japan have maintained their perfect record at the Asian Championship.
Men’s EuroVolley
The opening match between Italy and Sweden will begin at 21:05 on September 10 in Piazza del Plebiscito.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella is expected to attend, while Planet Funk will perform before the match and during breaks in play.
Construction of the temporary arena began on August 17 and has involved approximately 200 workers. The two main stands are 16 metres high, while the venue features around 500 lights, more than 200 special-effects units and approximately 1,000 square metres of graphics and branded material.
Captain Simone Giannelli said Italy must embrace the occasion without losing sight of the match itself. He stressed the importance of putting Sweden under pressure from the opening points, adding that Italy’s status as favourites would mean little once play began.
Head coach Ferdinando De Giorgi described EuroVolley as Italy’s main objective of the season. He also highlighted the strength of the competition, with seven European nations currently ranked inside the world’s top ten.
Bulgaria have named an unusual squad featuring seven outside hitters and only one opposite. Young setter Simeon Nikolov has also been included by head coach Gianlorenzo Blengini.
Ukraine have welcomed Tymofii Poluian and Oleksandr Boyko back into the squad following hand and knee injuries respectively, although Illia Kovalov remains unavailable because of health issues.
Turkey, meanwhile, are aiming to win the first European Championship medal in the history of their men’s national team.
Italian Clubs
Rana Verona have presented French setter Kellian Motta Paes. The 2002-born player will begin his first SuperLega season after previous spells in France and Poland. He will share setting duties with Micah Christenson.
Domotek Reggio Calabria are preparing for their first Serie A2 campaign after completing a treble last season, winning the Super Cup and Italian Cup before securing promotion.
Head coach Antonio Polimeni has urged his players to put those achievements behind them and turn their attention to the demands of the higher division.
At Grottazzolina, setter Filippo Mancini has joined Yuasa Battery’s preseason training group after helping Italy claim bronze at the Mediterranean Games.
His arrival gave head coach Massimiliano Ortenzi a complete squad for the club’s first preseason match against Essence Hotels Fano.
International
The groups have been announced for the Women’s Club World Championship, which will take place in São Paulo from December 8 to 13.
Osasco, Eczacıbaşı, Alianza Lima and NEC Red Rockets will compete in Group A, while Group B will feature Sesi Bauru, VakıfBank, Al-Ahly and Zhetysu.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
At the Asian Championship in Fukuoka, Japan completed the group stage with a perfect record after defeating Australia 3-0, winning 25-20, 25-13 and 25-21.
Yuji Nishida led Japan with 16 points, while Ran Takahashi contributed 13, including five aces.
India remained in contention for a place in the quarter-finals with a straight-sets victory over New Zealand, while South Korea also recorded a 3-0 win against Qatar.
Colombia opened their South American Championship campaign in Rio de Janeiro with a 3-0 victory over Chile, winning 25-19, 25-20 and 25-19. Ivonee Montaño finished as the match’s leading scorer with 17 points, one more than Chile’s Dominga Aylwin. The winners of the tournament will secure direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
