Mastercard announces strong support for CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women

Mastercard has announced its support for CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women as the Presenting Sponsor, which Türkiye will co-host alongside Czechia, Azerbaijan and Sweden.
Following their CEV EuroVolley 2023 and 2023 FIVB Volleyball Nations League victories, Türkiye’s national women’s volleyball team will return to the European stage as the reigning 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League champions.

In addition to supporting this major sporting event, Mastercard is not only supporting this major sporting event but also helping increase the visibility of female athletes and contribute to the sustainable development of women’s sport. The matches in Türkiye will be played at the Sinan Erdem Sports Hall in Istanbul. Türkiye’s national women’s volleyball team, known as the Sultans of the Net, will begin their tournament campaign against Latvia on August 21.

CEV President Roko Sikirić: “The involvement of a truly global brand such as Mastercard is a strong endorsement of the growing international profile and commercial appeal of EuroVolley. We are delighted to welcome our partner and grateful for the trust they have placed in European Volleyball. This partnership will help us bring EuroVolley closer to an even wider audience, create new opportunities to engage with our fans, and further strengthen the position of our flagship national team competition across Europe and beyond.”

Commenting on the announcement, Onur Faydacı, General Manager of Mastercard Türkiye and Azerbaijan, said: “Sport is a universal language that brings different cultures and communities together around shared values and creates a lasting impact. For many years, we have supported the power of sport to unite people by supporting numerous prestigious sporting platforms, from the UEFA Champions League to the leading tennis and golf events around the world. We consider it extremely valuable that Türkiye, which has written a success story in women’s volleyball that is admired around the world, will host an important event such as the CEV EuroVolley 2026 Women. As a company committed to amplifying the social and economic impact of sport, being part of this journey is deeply meaningful to us. Our insights show that major sporting events provide a clear boost to host economies. This activity translates into growth opportunities for local businesses across a broad ecosystem. Through the collaboration, we aim to strengthen Türkiye’s international visibility while contributing to the development of women’s sport. We believe the championship will create significant value for both Türkiye and Volleyball. We wish Türkiye’s pride, the Turkish National Women’s Volleyball Team, the Sultans of the Net, and all the athletes competing in the tournament every success.”

Major events serve as catalysts for growth in host economies

Major sporting events today are much more than competitions lasting only a few hours. They increasingly serve as catalysts for growth, generating sustained economic activity in host cities. International sporting events stimulate a broad range of industries, from tourism and hospitality to transportation and food and beverage, while creating new growth opportunities for local businesses.

Mastercard’s analyses of major sporting events demonstrate this impact through concrete data. Spending by fans on travel, accommodation, restaurants, and retail increases significantly during major events. Their international visibility can also enhance the profile and tourism appeal of host cities.

During the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final held in Türkiye, fans stayed for an average of three nights and spent €855 per person, while card transactions in the host city increased by an average of 48 percent. According to Mastercard Economics Institute assessments, spending at restaurants and bars within a three-kilometer radius of Berlin’s Olympiastadion, which hosted the UEFA Euro 2024 Final, increased by 130 percent, while cross-border spending reached 21.7 times the level recorded on a typical weekend.

During the Azerbaijan Grand Prix week, the number of international visitors rose by 87 percent year over year and spending increased by 77 percent. Economic activity also extended beyond the capital, tripling the number of transactions in other regions. At the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, lodging sales increased by 30%, while restaurant and in-store spending grew by 25% and 27%, respectively.