Piazza del Plebiscito to host EuroVolley opening match destined to go down in history

The CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men will go down in history right with its opening act. The Pool A matchup featuring reigning World champions and co-hosts Italy and Team Sweden will be contested in Piazza del Plebiscito right in the very heart of Napoli – which has been transformed in an arena that mesmerises the visitor right from the first second you find yourself in such an iconic place. A visionary concept has been taking shape and will deliver an unprecedented show and sporting event attended by many dignitaries, including the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella. The match will start on Thursday at 21:05 local time in Napoli with some 6,000 people in attendance. 

Work began already this past August 17 in Napoli downtown to transform the iconic square into a state-of-the-art Volleyball arena, fulfilling the highest standards. Some 200 people have been working around the clock even in the heat of the Italian summer to deliver a venue that stands out in many ways and that has been designed by highly qualified people. Tribunes rise up to 16 m in height and the VIP stand has been set up right in front of the former Royal Palace, thus creating a truly unique and spine-tingling experience and scenario. The arena features some 500 spots and another 200 pieces of equipment installed to deliver special effects and a show that will entertain those on the ground as well as the many watching from afar via TV and Internet. This will be far more than ‘just’ an opening match but a real show that will re-write the way Volleyball is presented and delivered. Some 1,000 square metres of branding have been printed to cover the infrastructure and make sure the opening match reflects the EuroVolley identity. These figures reflect an unprecedented endeavour and challenge that will project Napoli and Italy as the real heart of Volleyball and should be remembered for many years to come. 

Moreover, Planet Funk, one of the most representative bands of the Italian dance and electronic music scene worldwide, will perform both before and during the match. 

Giuseppe Manfredi, President of the Italian Volleyball Federation, said: “What we are about to experience in Napoli is not just the start of a European Championship. It will be something unique, an event destined to remain in the history of Italian and international Volleyball. Bringing our national team, the World Champions, to play an official European Championship match in one of the most beautiful, well-known, and iconic places in Italy like Piazza del Plebiscito was an extraordinary challenge. We have been working for months, addressing the difficulties and complexities that an event of this size, organised in such an exceptional location, inevitably entails. We did it because we wanted to give Italian Volleyball, the city of Napoli, and all its fans a once-in-a-lifetime evening. Seeing a Volleyball court and an arena rise in the heart of Piazza del Plebiscito is already an image that will go down in the history of our sport. We wanted to dare and bring great Volleyball beyond its traditional venues, into the heart of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I believe that images like those we will see in Napoli represent the best way to convey the strength and beauty of our sport. I am certain that our players will feel the energy of such a special evening and that Piazza del Plebiscito will provide them with an unforgettable atmosphere.” 

Italy captain Simone Giannelli: “The most important thing, and one that’s always good to remember, is that we will have to play good Volleyball. We are happy to be playing in Italy and to have full arenas cheering for us. The opening match in Napoli will certainly be something unique. We have to perform at our best to entertain the crowd and, even more importantly, win matches. It will certainly be a fantastic setting, and we all cannot wait to play in front of our home crowd. To get as far as possible and bring joy to Italy, however, we will have to play good Volleyball. Men’s Volleyball is truly very balanced, with many teams capable of doing well and with a very high average level. There are no easy teams to face, and they all have their fair chance of winning a match. Therefore, we have to do our best. If I was to describe this team I would say: We are fighters who dream.” 

Ferdinando De Giorgi, head coach of Italy: “The European Championship in Italy is certainly very important for the entire Volleyball movement, with so many people coming to see us. The opening match in Piazza del Plebiscito in Napoli will certainly be unique and will live on in everyone’s memory. We have been preparing as best we can in recent weeks for this season’s key event. The level of the other teams is very high: just think of the world rankings, where we find seven European teams in the top ten. We want to play good Volleyball to reach the finals of this European Championship.”  

The Pool A matches will then continue in Modena involving also the national teams of Slovenia, Czechia, Greece, and Slovakia.