Nanjing, the capital city of Jiangsu Province, has been nominated as the host city for three consecutive editions of the FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League Finals from 2018-2020, according to a report by Nanjing‘s local newspaper Jinling Evening News on February 22.
The FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League is a brand new 16-team international volleyball tournament launched by the FIVB. This will be the first edition of the FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League and the finals will take place in Nanjing from June 27 to July 1, 2018.
As the FIVB expressed in its official press release, the final round of the League will be staged in the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre, a 13,000-seater stadium located in Nanjing Hexi New City.
Over the past number of years, the Centre has been the main venue for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics and the 2005 National Games of China, as well as the recent FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix Finals in August, 2017.
In fact, Nanjing is a city with a rich volleyball culture. It is also the hometown to some elite volleyball players who have played for the Chinese National Volleyball Team, such as current players Zhang Changning and Gong Xiangyu, as well as the Team’s former capital Hui Ruoqi.
Last year, FIVB President Ary Graça visited Nanjing and saw the passion of the fans was a key factor in the FIVB’s decision.
Regarding this brand new opportunity to host a world-class volleyball event, Chen Gang, Director of the Provincial Sports Bureau of Jiangsu, stated that “With the support of the FIVB, Nanjing’s economic strength and rich sports culture will surely see it become a "volleyball city" with undoubted international influence.”
Source: FIVB and Jinling Evening News
Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick