India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 72nd National Volleyball Championship, beginning at Sampurnanand Sports Stadium, Sigra.
CM Yogi Adityanath and Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, along with other dignitaries, will be present at the stadium to boost the players and league’s enthusiasm.
On Saturday, Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari said this was the first time the city has hosted a national-level volleyball championship, in which 78 teams across the country will participate.
The FIVB-affiliated league will play 30 league stage games will take place until Jan 07, followed by the pre-quarter on Jan 08, quarter finals on Jan 09.
The semi-finals will be played on January 10, while the closing ceremony will be on January 10 and 11.
During the 8-day championship, 125 matches will be played, and approximately 30 matches will take place daily during the league round.
Around 1,000 players will compete as part of 58 teams representing various states and institutions.
The event is anticipated to showcase a high standard of the competition, sportsmanship and emerging talent in Indian volleyball. It will also aim to bring players from different regions of the country.
Hosting the prestigious tournament in Varanasi reflects the growing focus on strengthening sports infrastructure in the city.
The 72nd Senior Volleyball championship will be added as crucial to Varanasi’s profile as a key venue for major national sporting and cultural events.
The national Volleyball tournament is among the most significant competitions in the domestic volleyball calendar and serves as an important platform for emerging talents and promoting the sport at the national level.
Manoj Ashok Tiwari added that observers from the International Volleyball Federation arrived from Switzerland to oversee the tournament. To ensure match quality, special Teraflex courts were brought from Uttarakhand and Rajasthan and were set up on two indoor and two outdoor courts.
Speaking during the inauguration, Mr Narendra Modi said that India is strongly bidding to host the 2036 Olympics and added that the government has brought many changes and reforms in the field of sports, like the National Sports Governance Act and Khelo Bharat Niti 2025.
