Despite the absence of four key players impacting the performance of the home team and limiting Sweden to a fourth-place finish, the Final Four of the women`s European Golden League, held last weekend in Ängelholm, was a significant success. The event, particularly the bronze medal match between Sweden and Romania, established an all-time attendance record for women`s volleyball in the Scandinavian country, drawing over 4,000 fans to the Catena Arena.
Superstar Isabelle Haak impressively scored 43 points, yet Sweden narrowly lost the highly entertaining bronze medal game to Romania. The atmosphere was truly electric, and many attendees enjoyed their first experience witnessing elite-level volleyball.
CEV President Roko Sikirić, among the distinguished guests present, highly commended the local organizers. He stated, “The Swedish Volleyball Federation and the local Organising Committee did an excellent job, particularly in keeping the audience engaged and ensuring a fantastic atmosphere for players from all participating teams. This clearly indicates that Volleyball is currently in a golden era in Sweden, and we eagerly anticipate next year`s EuroVolley in Gothenburg to further elevate the sport`s profile.”
The absence of four players prevented Sweden from defending the Golden League title they won the previous year. Nevertheless, with their upcoming World Championship debut in Thailand later this year and the EuroVolley on home soil next year, Haak and her teammates have exciting prospects ahead. Volleyball in Sweden continues its rapid growth. Furthermore, later this week, the men`s national team will compete against Hungary in the Silver League Finals, with promotion to the 2026 Golden League at stake. This success story is set to continue.
Torin Vale