LAST-minute changes were made by the Philippines roughly a month prior to the announcement of its successful hosting bid of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship — which it only made last February 29.
Winning the men’s global showpiece hosting bid came as a pleasant surprise, given how the original bid placed by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) back in July last year was to host the women’s edition.
PNVF president Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara shed light on how the past few months unfolded — from the Philippines’ initial bid for the Women’s World Championship to winning the bid to host the men’s tilt.
Thailand wants to host women's event
Although still to be confirmed by April, Suzara alluded to a ‘strong push’ from Thailand to take the women’s global showpiece.
“During the (Volleyball Nations League) last year, there was (made a) bid for the Women’s World Championship. As we go on several months (later since the bid), there was a lot of procedures and changes. As you know, there are also many countries bidding for the Women’s World Championship,” said Suzara.
“There’s a shift because of the market, of the economic impact. The men’s VNL, for the last two years, has a big impact on the fans. Now I heard for the Women’s World Championship, there’s Thailand now, Vietnam and Hong Kong who are in the last few stages.
“I think, I’m not so sure, but Thailand is making a big push because they’re a higher world ranking team. You know, the tourism minister of Thailand is very enthusiastic to have a single-hosting (tournament), this is what I heard,” he added.
Future hosting bids on the table
It might not have been an explicit concession of the women’s hosting bid per se but Suzara implied how the PNVF alongside the efforts of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, the Local Organizing Committee chairperson of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, are looking ahead to future bidding opportunities and bring more global sporting events to local shores.
“The Women’s World Championship (host) will be announced by April. But again, sinabi nga sa’kin ni Senator Alan (Cayetano) after we won this bid, sunod naman Women’s World Championship [in the future].
“Because now, the World Championship, hindi na every four years. It’s every two years because there’s a lot of demand from the national federations, from countries to host world championships. ‘Di na mag-aantay ng four years before the next event,” said Suzara.
“So after 2025, meron na sa 2027. I don’t want to let you know about the country but meron nang hosts for 2027 World Championships for Men and Women. But rest assured, there’s a lot of discussion, bidding process, changes, and then finally we were able to secure the Men’s World Championship.”
Hence, should the Philippines ultimately lose its pending bid, the women’s nationals won’t earn an outright spot to the Women’s World Championship — a hosting privilege secured by their men’s counterparts for next year’s global tilt in Manila.
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