Göteborg – a gem on Sweden’s west coast ready to welcome Volleyball stars

Göteborg is the second-largest city in Sweden, with a population of 563,000 (2025 figures), behind the capital Stockholm (1,500,000). Its rich history, royal canals, fika culture, vibrant student life and reputation as a green capital, together with the fact that it is Scandinavia’s largest port, are among the main features of the host city of Pool D at CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women.

Göteborg was founded in 1621 by King Gustav II Adolf, while Dutch builders were responsible for its construction, leaving behind the beautiful canals in the city centre.
The famous Volvo car brand was founded in Göteborg almost a century ago, in 1927.
Fika culture – the tradition of enjoying coffee with a pastry, usually a cinnamon bun (kanelbulle) – has been elevated to an art form and is one of the experiences visitors should not miss.
Göteborg is the largest university centre in Scandinavia.
The city has been named the world’s most sustainable destination several times, thanks to its focus on recycling and green transport, as you could already read here, with EuroVolley becoming the first event to receive sustainability certification.

Liseberg is the largest amusement park in Scandinavia, while nearby Universeum is a science centre featuring an indoor tropical rainforest. The Botanical Garden in Göteborg is also among the largest and most beautiful in Europe.

Haga is the oldest district of the city, known for its well-preserved 19th-century wooden houses and cobbled streets. The Göteborg Museum of Art houses an impressive collection of Nordic art from the late 19th century. Those interested in unusual architecture can visit Feskekôrka (“Fish Church”), an indoor seafood market whose appearance resembles a Gothic church.

The Göteborg archipelago consists of more than 100 islands. The southern islands are completely car-free, making them ideal for walking, cycling and swimming from the rocky beaches. The city’s canals are also home to the famous open-top “Paddan” boats, which pass underneath extremely low bridges.

In addition to hosts Sweden, Göteborg will welcome Italy, the reigning Olympic and World champions, as well as France, Slovakia, Croatia and Montenegro.
The matches will be played at the Scandinavium Arena, which has a capacity of 12,000 spectators.
The first match in Göteborg, and also at CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women, will see France face Slovakia on Friday, 21 August, at 13:00, officially marking the start of the 34th continental championship in women’s Volleyball. The tournament in Göteborg will run until 27 August.
The top four national teams from Pool D will continue their campaign in the Round of 16 in Brno, Czechia.

Photos Credit: https://www.goteborg.com/ & https://en.wikipedia.org/