Five Polish cities set to play host at the 2027 Men's World Championship

The 2027 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship will take the elite of the sport to many different regions in Poland, as five cities in the country were selected to host matches of the tournament when the country welcomes it for the third time in history in September next year.

Counting on 32 national teams for just the second time after the implementation of its new format, the World Championship will have its matches split between the cities of Gdańsk, Katowice, Łódź, Olsztyn and Kraków, which will be the stage for the semifinals and medal matches.

Volleyball-loving Poland has proved to be one of the most exciting destinations for international volleyball tournaments in the last two decades, having hosted the Men’s World Championship in 2014 and 2022 (alongside Slovenia), the Women’s World Championship in 2022 (alongside the Netherlands), the Men’s Volleyball Nations League Finals in 2023 and 2024 and the Women’s VNL Finals in 2025.

Split across the country, the five host cities have deep volleyball connections and state-of-the-art infrastructure, ensuring the excitement generated by incredible serves, spikes and blocks inside the courts will echo on the stands, where passionate Polish fans will cheer on their national team and every other team competing for glory.

Kraków

Located in the south of the country, Kraków was Poland’s Royal Capital until 1596. The second-largest city in the country with a population that exceeds 800,000 people, Kraków hosted Men’s World Championship matches in 2014. The city’s TAURON Arena, which was inaugurated in that same year, has also welcomed matches of the 2018 VNL, the 2016 FIVB World League, the 2017 Club World Championship, the 2021 European Championship, besides the Polish Cup and the traditional Hubert Jerzy Wagner Memorial tournament in recent years.

Gdańsk

The sixth-largest city in Poland, with nearly 500,000 inhabitants, Gdańsk is the country’s major seaport. Located in the North, the city lies at the mouth of the Motława River and is situated at the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay, in the Baltic Sea. Home to Energa Trefl Gdańsk in the Polish PlusLiga, the ERGO ARENA opened in 2010 and was one of the stages of the 2014 World Championship, also having hosted the 2023 VNL Finals and stages of the World League and the European Championship.

Katowice

Located in the southern region of Poland, Katowice is home to nearly 300,000 people, the 11^th-largest population in the country. The city developed following the discovery of rich coal reserves in the area and has grown into one of the largest industrial cities in the country. The Spodek Arena has a large tradition at the Men’s World Championship, having hosted the semifinals and medal matches of both the 2014 and the 2022 editions, as well as many duels in both the VNL and the World League.

Łódź

Home to just under 650,000 people, Łódź is currently Poland’s fourth-largest city. Located in the country’s central region, it’s known as a strong industrial center, having a historic background in textile manufacturing. Home to two of the strongest and most successful teams in the Polish TAURON Liga, PGE Budowlani and ŁKS Commercecon, Łódź has hosted matches in the 2014 Men’s World Championship and the 2022 Women’s World Championship. Atlas Arena has also been the stage for the VNL Men’s Finals in 2024 and the Women’s Finals in the following year, as well as Olympic Qualifiers in 2023.

Olsztyn

Olsztyn sits in Poland’s northern region and is known for its high quality of life ratings. With around 170,000 inhabitants, it’s currently the country’s 20^th-largest city. The Urania Hall, which is home to PlusLiga side Indykpol AZS Olsztyn, was fully renovated and reopened in 2023. The upgrade in the venue has opened its doors to international volleyball, with a friendly match between Poland and Iran being held there in 2025.