CEV President hails historic achievements, defines next major goals at XLVII General Assembly

On Thursday, CEV President Roko Sikirić addressed the delegates representing as many as 54 National Federations who had come together in Milano for the XLVII CEV General Assembly – right on the eve of the highly anticipated semis and medal matches of the CEV Enel EuroVolley 2026 Men. Thursday’s event was the second CEV General Assembly presided over by Mr Sikirić since he assumed the leadership of the European Volleyball family in the late summer of 2024.  

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On truly historic and ground-breaking EuroVolley competitions 
“It is a great pleasure to address you here in Milano, where this weekend we will celebrate the pinnacle of this European Volleyball season with the CEV EuroVolley Men final, following the historic EuroVolley Women final we experienced in Istanbul. These EuroVolley competitions have already marked an important chapter for our sport. We have witnessed perhaps the most competitive championships in recent years, with great matches and unexpected results. We have recorded some of the highest TV ratings in our history, reached new levels of commercial partnerships and seen strong spectator interest across our host countries. Importantly, our organisers have also demonstrated that hosting EuroVolley can create not only sporting and promotional value, but also a positive financial result. From the extraordinary atmosphere in Istanbul to the unforgettable opening in Piazza del Plebiscito in Napoli, EuroVolley has shown us once again the strength of our sport and the potential still in front of us. Therefore, I want to thank all our host federations, teams, athletes, volunteers, partners, stakeholders and the entire CEV Head Office team for their commitment in delivering these outstanding events. What we have experienced over these weeks is the result of an enormous collective effort. And what we have seen at EuroVolley reflects something bigger: the progress we are making across European Volleyball.” 

Turning strategy and promises into action and tangible results 
“Last year in Paris, we presented our strategy and our roadmap for European Volleyball. In my speech, I also acknowledged the doubts and questions that naturally come with change. This year has been about turning that strategy into action. Many of those ideas have now become reality and demonstrated what we are capable of achieving together. We have reached a historic CEV budget, implemented a new commercial strategy, welcomed major international brands into our competitions and strengthened the position of European Volleyball in the international market. These are only some examples.”

The CEV Solidarity Fund as a tool to grow Volleyball across the whole of Europe 
“Progress cannot be measured only by what CEV achieves. It must also be measured by what that progress brings back to European Volleyball. No institution grows alone. Our progress is only meaningful if it becomes shared progress. And perhaps the clearest example of this is the Solidarity Fund. Last year in Paris, we presented the idea. This year, it has come to life and the first projects have been approved. I want to emphasise one important principle. The Solidarity Fund is an opportunity for every National Federation, club, or individual. Decisions are based on the quality of the project, its potential impact and the value it can bring to Volleyball. My ambition is that the Solidarity Fund becomes a strong and lasting institution - transparent, trusted and focused on the development of Volleyball, well beyond any individual or mandate.” 

There is still room for improvement
“At the same time, recognising our progress also means being honest about where we still need to improve. CEV today is in a stronger position than ever before. But while we should recognise the progress we have made, confidence should never become comfort. During these EuroVolley competitions, we have experienced full arenas and extraordinary atmosphere when the host national teams are playing. But attracting spectators to matches where the host nation is not involved remains a challenge. This is not unique to Volleyball. It is a challenge across international team sports. But we should never use that as an excuse. There is still enormous potential in our sport, and our responsibility is to unlock it. We will continue to open new markets, create new sources of revenue and build a CEV that is a real partner to its National Federations.”

Setting the tone for what lies ahead 
“Our direction should be clear: to depend less on what we receive from our Volleyball community and to return more value to it. Wherever possible, we should reduce the financial burden on our National Federations and create more opportunities for them. But our responsibility does not stop at the borders of CEV. European Volleyball is part of a much bigger sporting and social environment. We are living in a time of growing geopolitical tensions and uncertainty across Europe and the world. Sport will never solve the world’s conflicts. But it can remind us of something the world sometimes forgets: that competition does not require hostility, disagreement does not require division, and dialogue is always more valuable than silence.” 

Defining CEV’s role on the global stage and future goals 
“CEV now has a stronger voice within the wider European sports community. And this matters particularly today, because Volleyball itself is entering a period of major change at international level. The FIVB has started important discussions that will shape the future of our sport - from the international calendar and Constitution, Beach Volleyball competition structure to the transfer system and other reforms that will affect our ecosystem. CEV will continue to approach these discussions constructively and independently. Our responsibility is to understand the consequences, bring the European perspective to these discussions and contribute with solutions that strengthen our sport as a whole. But our work on governance will not end there. Once the new FIVB Constitution is finalised, CEV will also begin a review of our own Constitution. Our governance framework must evolve with our sport and remain aligned, where appropriate, with the FIVB and other Confederations. We will follow our institutional procedures and engage with our National Federations before any proposed changes are brought to the CEV General Assembly. CEV needs to hear from you while decisions are being shaped - not only after they have been taken.

Because the strength of European Volleyball comes from all of you. Europe is home to many of the strongest national teams, clubs and leagues in the world, while representing 56 National Federations with very different realities. Naturally, with 56 different realities, we will not always agree. But a strong partnership is not measured by how often we agree. It is measured by whether we can speak openly, respect each other and work together towards solutions. Volleyball needs a strong Europe. And a strong Europe makes Volleyball stronger. And for that, I need all of you.”

The ‘Napoli lesson’
“We have spoken today about progress, responsibility, dialogue and the challenges ahead. But ultimately, we cannot control every challenge that comes our way. What we can control is how we respond. And perhaps the best example of what I mean comes from where my journey as CEV President started: Napoli. In 2024, it was there that you gave me the honour and responsibility to lead European Volleyball. Two years later, we returned to Napoli. And this time, Napoli gave us a lesson. We all remember that extraordinary evening in Piazza del Plebiscito. We wanted to create something historic for our sport. And then, after almost three months of sunshine, the rain came shortly before the match and the match was stopped. Everything we had planned was suddenly uncertain. But something remarkable happened. The athletes did not want to give up. The fans did not want to leave. They waited. They stayed together. And when nature allowed, they played again. For me, that evening became much more than a Volleyball match.

It reminded me of something simple, we cannot always choose the circumstances we face, but we can always choose how we respond to them. And that lesson goes far beyond that evening in Napoli. The years ahead will certainly bring new challenges for European and world Volleyball. There will be uncertainty. There will be difficult decisions. And there will be moments when we do not agree. But if we continue to talk openly, listen to each other and stay united around what matters most, I am confident that we will find the right solutions together. When the storm comes, we will stay on the court. We will stick together. And just like in Napoli, we will make history.”