The Philippines is making a passionate play to host one of the world’s most prestigious volleyball tournaments! On Thursday, the country officially announced its bid to host the FIVB Volleyball World Men’s Championship in 2025.
This exciting event would bring together 31 of the world’s top teams, along with the Philippines’ own national squad, for elite volleyball action from September 12th to 28th.
“This is a dream we want to make a reality. Teamwork will make it happen,” said Ramon “Tats” Suzara, president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).
The Philippines’ bid comes after the wildly successful hosting of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in 2022 and 2023.
FIVB officials were blown away by the events, calling them the best iterations of the VNL to date and praising the incredible energy of Filipino fans.
“The Philippines has shown the world what it means to love volleyball,” said FIVB Volleyball World CEO Finn Taylor. “The incredible atmosphere during the VNL shows that Filipino fans and the players feed off each other – the players can’t wait to come back.”
The PNVF is looking to build on this momentum, with plans to host the World Championship in the same iconic venues: the Smart-Araneta Coliseum and the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Support for the bid is strong, with figures like Senator Pia Cayetano, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and key sporting officials in attendance at the announcement.
“The Philippine Government is fully behind this bid,” said Secretary Frasco. “We are confident we can make this a world-class event.”
The FIVB and Volleyball World will reveal the winning bid at the end of March. If successful, the Philippines will bring the Men’s World Championship back to the country for the first time since 1974 and showcase their growing passion for volleyball on the global stage.