Time to take stock. 2025 Women's Volleyball World Championship, the first in the expanded format to 32 teams, achieved unprecedented audiences in different countries. In China, the tournament generated over 1,1 billion viewsWhile more than 500 million fans have watched CCTV5, the majority of views come from another channel: Volleyball World has partnered with 20 streamers on the Douyin network to broadcast the tournament directly, generating 638 million views and nearly 31 million interactions. A landmark initiative.
In Europe, the final between Italy and Turkey captivated nearly 4 million viewers on RAI 1, making it the fourth-largest non-football sports audience in the country in 2025, just behind the Wimbledon final. The figures are even higher in Turkey with some 4,5 million viewers, more than for the Champions League final. « The 2025 Women's World Championship truly demonstrated the universal appeal of volleyball, insists FIVB president Fabio Azevedo. These figures reflect the ever-stronger bond between our sport and its global audience (...) and we are confident that they will continue to grow. »
Volleyball World CEO Ugo Valensi shares this enthusiasm: “ With this world championship, we have shown that volleyball can lead the way in sports broadcastingBy combining world-class audiovisual production with innovative storytelling via streamers and digital platforms, we are setting a new standard in fan engagement. It's not just about building an audience, but also communities who live and breathe this sport. »
