Netherlands, Poland to host 2022 Women's Volleyball Championship

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The Netherlands and Poland were selected as dual-hosts for the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) announced on Saturday in Warsaw, capital of Poland.

"Both the Netherlands and Poland have extensive experience in delivering world-class volleyball events and have many thousands of volleyball-loving fans that will ensure an electric atmosphere for athletes in 2022," the FIVB said on its official website.

This will be the first time two countries will hold the Volleyball Women's World Championship since the event first happened in Soviet Union in 1952 and the first time for the Championship will return to Europe in eight years.

Ary Graca, president of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) /VCG Photo

"We conducted a very competitive bid process and unanimously decided that the joint bid of Netherlands and Poland was the best bid for the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship. For the Netherlands and Poland to come together, we have two great volleyball countries connected by their passion for volleyball," said Ary Graca, president of FIVB.

The joint hosting of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship in Bulgaria and Italy gave both FIVB and other countries the inspiration to joint-bid for the women's event. During the 2018 Women's Championship, Graca tipped off the press that it may be two countries holding the next event together in 2022.

The Dutch women's volleyball team at the semi-finals of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro /VCG Photo

As one of the dual-hosts, the Netherlands made fast progress in developing women's volleyball. The country entered the semi-finals of the women's volleyball tournament at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. In 2017, they were runner-up at the Women's European Volleyball Championship. In 2018, the team ranked fifth at the Volleyball Nations League Finals and fourth at the Women's World Championship.

As for Poland, the FIVB gave the following opinion: "The excitement for volleyball in Poland has reached fever-pitch after the men's national team won its second consecutive World Championship title in Italy last year. The women's team will be hoping to emulate their male counterpart's success in just over three years' time when they take to the court as hosts."