Female referees take centre stage as EuroVolley is off to flying start

The opening matches have already set the tone for what promises to be a fantastic EuroVolley, with female referees taking centre stage from the very beginning of the flagship competition for men’s national team taking place across four host countries – Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania. 

Dominga Lot (ITA) in Bulgaria, Maria de la Olas Rodriguez Machin (ESP) in Romania and Ksenija Jurkovic (CRO) in Napoli all played their part in opening this great Volleyball celebration with the right mix of professionalism and confidence. The stage was especially challenging in Napoli where Italy and Sweden contested the Pool A Opening Match open air in Piazza del Plebiscito – with two breaks marring the smooth run of the competition due to adverse weather conditions. 

However, even the rain could not stop the party involving some 6,000 fans including the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella and many more high-profile dignitaries. The organisation, the atmosphere and the passion for Volleyball took over, proving once again that when the people behind an event work together, everything eventually falls into place. 

The tournament has only just begun and it will reach its climax later this month in Milano with the semis and medal matches scheduled for September 25-26. This is where the new European champions will be crowned – with the winners also securing their participation in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.