Parma welcomes the Del Monte® Supercoppa SuperLega: Four Italian powerhouses set for a weekend of elite volleyball!

The Del Monte® Supercoppa SuperLega was officially presented this morning at the Municipal Council Chamber of Parma’s City Hall, ahead of the highly anticipated Final Four scheduled for November 14 and 15, 2026, at the PalaRaschi. Two days of world-class men’s volleyball will bring together four of Italy’s leading clubs, offering the city an opportunity to reconnect with a sport that has played an important role in its sporting history.

The opening semifinal on Saturday, November 14, will see Sir Susa Scai Perugia face Itas Trentino at 3:30 p.m. The two sides will meet again shortly after their recent Regular Season encounter, in which Perugia prevailed in a thrilling five-set battle.
The second semifinal, scheduled for no earlier than 6:00 p.m., will feature Rana Verona against Cucine Lube Civitanova. The teams also faced each other in last year’s Supercoppa, with Verona emerging victorious to secure a place in the final. Both semifinals will be broadcast live on Rai Sport and VBTV. The final is scheduled for Sunday, November 15, at 6:00 p.m., with live coverage on Rai 2 and VBTV.

Parma Mayor Michele Guerra expressed his satisfaction at bringing such a prestigious event to the city, highlighting both its sporting heritage and the broader opportunities it could create. “For the Municipality, hosting and presenting the Supercoppa in this room is a source of great satisfaction. It represents an important opportunity for Parma, a city with a strong volleyball tradition and a history shaped by great champions who may no longer be part of its sporting landscape, but who have left behind a lasting desire for volleyball. When the opportunity to host this event was presented to us, we worked hard to bring top-level volleyball back to the arena. These will be two days of high-level sport, encouraging the city to reflect on the value of this discipline and what a stronger connection with volleyball could mean for Parma—not only in sporting terms, but also economically and socially. Sport is a driving force for social interaction and community, and it carries important values. I would like to thank the Lega Pallavolo Serie A once again. Parma will rise to the occasion and leave a significant mark, hopefully laying the foundations for something great.”

Roberta Frisoni, Emilia-Romagna’s Regional Councillor for Tourism and Sport, welcomed the return of elite volleyball to the PalaRaschi, an arena closely associated with the sport’s history. She stressed the importance of the event within the region’s broader strategy to support volleyball through long-term partnerships with the Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV) and the professional leagues. “With the Del Monte® Supercoppa at the PalaRaschi, Parma is welcoming back top-level volleyball to a venue that has shaped the history of this sport. On November 14 and 15, Perugia, Verona, Civitanova and Trento will offer spectators a contest between some of the finest representatives of international men’s volleyball. We have supported this event together with the League and local institutions, giving renewed space to the city’s passion and tradition.”

Frisoni also pointed to the continuity of major volleyball events hosted across Emilia-Romagna, from the opening of the 2023 European Championships in Bologna and the Italian Cup Final Four to this year’s Men’s European Championship in Modena and now the Supercoppa in Parma. She underlined the contribution of clubs, coaches, volunteers and local communities, while emphasising the benefits that events of this calibre can bring beyond the arena, including tourism, hospitality, commerce and the promotion of Parma’s cultural and gastronomic heritage.

Massimo Righi, Chairman of the Board of the Lega Pallavolo Serie A, thanked the city for restoring a historic venue to both Parma and Italian volleyball. “One of the reasons we decided to bring the Supercoppa here is that Parma deserves a stage like this and the opportunity to see great champions. We hope that an event of this kind can help restore volleyball in Parma to its former glory. We are convinced that this will be a great event: four top clubs competing in a Final Four, with a level of volleyball that represents the very best in the world. At times, Olympic or World Championship finals can be technically inferior to these matches. The spectacle is guaranteed.”

Righi also addressed the ongoing debate surrounding the international calendar proposed by the FIVB. According to the League’s chairman, the international federation’s plans to schedule World and Continental Championships between mid-November and mid-December after the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games could significantly disrupt the club season, forcing competitions such as the Supercoppa to lose their traditional place in the calendar and interrupting domestic leagues for more than a month. “We are working to prevent this from happening and to continue guaranteeing top-level club volleyball. In our view, the international federation’s decision is driven solely by economic reasons. We want to preserve these periods so that cities can continue to host events like this. We believe the right approach is to protect local communities and their sporting traditions.”

Marco Bosi, Parma’s Councillor for Budget and Sport, described the Supercoppa as the culmination of years of work to return the arena to the city. “The values of this event have already been mentioned, but for us it also represents the satisfaction of a project that has taken years. Bringing the arena back to the city was one of our top priorities, and this event shows that we are moving in the right direction. The journey is not over. Thanks to the joint efforts of the Lega Pallavolo Serie A, the Municipality of Parma, Parma Infrastrutture and the Fire Brigade, we will finally be able to welcome more than 4,000 spectators again.”

Bosi added that volleyball has been eagerly awaited in Parma and that the Supercoppa will provide a special occasion for the city, while also serving as a step towards the longer-term goal of equipping Parma with a modern arena capable of meeting contemporary standards. “These will be two days of celebration. We hope this can be the first of many celebrations for volleyball in Parma.”

Cesare Gandolfi, President of the FIPAV Parma Territorial Committee, conveyed the greetings of FIPAV President Giuseppe Manfredi and Emilia-Romagna Regional President Sanzio Sacchetti. He recalled the last time the PalaRaschi was filled to capacity, during the Italy–Cuba match in 2011, and expressed the local committee’s commitment to supporting the League in the organisation of the event. “Since August, we have been waiting with great anticipation, and the confirmation of Parma as the venue brought enormous joy. There is a real eagerness to see top-level volleyball again. We are standing alongside the Lega Pallavolo Serie A and doing everything possible to ensure the event is organised in the best way. The numbers in our local volleyball community are strong, and we are pleased with that. We are working hard to continue growing.”

Fabio Fistetto, Chief Executive Officer of the Lega Pallavolo Serie A, also thanked the municipal and regional authorities, as well as the regional and territorial committees, for their cooperation. He highlighted the sporting quality of the four participating clubs and the expected presence of many of Italy’s national-team players, alongside leading international stars. “All the ingredients for a great event are in place. These teams are exceptional in both sporting quality and organisation. We will have almost the entire Italian national team, together with some of the most representative players from other national teams. The response from the public has been extraordinary, not only locally but also from the supporters who will fill the arena and the city of Parma. This is the kind of spectacle that accompanies every city hosting a major volleyball event. We are ambitious and want to deliver an event that meets Parma’s expectations, looking both to the glories of the past and to the future.”

With the official presentation now complete, Parma is preparing for a weekend that promises elite competition, a passionate atmosphere and a renewed spotlight on the city’s volleyball heritage. The Del Monte® Supercoppa SuperLega will bring together four of the strongest teams in Italian men’s volleyball, while also offering a broader opportunity to strengthen the sport’s presence in the region.

The official schedule is as follows: on Saturday, November 14, Sir Susa Scai Perugia will face Itas Trentino at 3:30 p.m., followed by Rana Verona against Cucine Lube Civitanova at 6:00 p.m. Both semifinals will be broadcast on Rai Sport and VBTV. The final will take place on Sunday, November 15, at 6:00 p.m., live on Rai 2 and VBTV.

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