FIVB ANNOUNCES FINAL TWO HOST CITIES FOR VOLLEYBALL MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RUSSIA 2022

Lausanne, Switzerland, August 1, 2019 - The FIVB today announced Kemerovo and Yaroslavl as the final two host cities for the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Russia 2022, which will showcase the sport’s best national teams across ten iconic locations.

Kemerovo, southwest of Siberia; and Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow, both share a strong passion for volleyball. Kemerovo is home to the 2019 Russian Super League champions, Kuzbass Kemerovo, where several Russian national players compete, including Igor Kobzar, Inal Tavasiev, Victor Poletaev, Yaroslav Podlesnykh and Anton Karpukhov. The Yaroslavl volleyball team, Yaroslavich, boasts three Olympic champions in its squad: Sergey Grankin, Yury Berezhko and Alexander Sokolov. Both regions have secured political and financial guarantees for their venues.

Kemerovo and Yaroslavl join eight other great cities – Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Krasnoyarsk, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Ufa and Novosibirsk – in hosting the flagship Men’s World Championship. The ten host cities are spread across Russia, ensuring fans throughout the culturally rich and diverse country are able to watch the action live.

Volleyball has grown significantly in Russia in recent years, which has contributed to the huge success of the Russian men’s national team, who were crowned champions of the men’s FIVB Volleyball Nation League in 2019 and won gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

FIVB President Dr. Ary Graça said:

"In Kemerovo and Yaroslavl we have found two more cities with a strong volleyball culture, ready to host fantastic competitions in 2022. Athletes and fans can be guaranteed the very best experience across the ten host cities during the World Championship. Russia is a country that loves volleyball and has excellent experience in hosting international sports events and we have no doubt they will deliver a fantastic event.

"By hosting the Men’s World Championship in cities across Russia, volleyball fans will be able to enjoy elite international volleyball first-hand ensuring a strong legacy in the country and the surrounding region."

Russian Volleyball Federation President Stanislav Shevchenko added:

"The World Championship is not only a wonderful opportunity to showcase the best of Russia’s hospitality and sports hosting credentials, but also a chance to engage a new generation of volleyball fans in Russia. We want to create unforgettable moments that will inspire people in Russia and around the world to get involved in our beautiful sport. We saw the excitement for volleyball after Russia won the VNL in 2018 and 2019 and we are already looking forward to hosting a great event that the entire volleyball family will enjoy."

The Men’s World Championship will take place on 26 August - 11 September 2022. It will be the first time Russia has hosted the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship since the Soviet Union it in 1952 and 1962.

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