The Croatian Volleyball Federation has entered October with significant changes in its management structure, along with clearly defined ambitions for the period ahead. At the 28th session of the Federation’s Assembly, held in Zadar on October 3, 2026, Vlatka Peras was introduced as the new Director of the Croatian Volleyball Federation, while Ivan Dodig took over as Director of HOS Development. At the same time, the Federation adopted its operational and financial plans for 2027, as well as a revised financial plan for 2026.
The changes come at a time when Croatian volleyball is seeking to strengthen its position not only on the domestic sports scene, but also within European volleyball structures. For that reason, the professional experience of the newly appointed executives could prove particularly valuable.
Vlatka Peras joins the Croatian Volleyball Federation with extensive experience in professional sports management. She spent many years working within GNK Dinamo Zagreb, holding a number of organizational and executive positions before becoming President of the club’s Management Board in 2019. She remained in that role until May 2024.
Her experience also extends beyond Croatian sport. In 2023, Peras was elected to the Executive Board of the European Club Association, where she was involved in work related to equality, diversity and inclusion. Such international experience could be highly beneficial to the Croatian Volleyball Federation as it seeks to strengthen both its organizational capacity and international profile.
Another important addition to the management structure is Ivan Dodig, who has taken charge of HOS Development. He joins the Federation after working within Croatia’s Ministry of Tourism and Sport, where he served as chief adviser to Minister Tonči Glavina.
The arrival of professionals with backgrounds in elite sports management and public administration can also be viewed in the context of the Federation’s wider ambition to improve its organizational, financial and development capacities. Federation President Frane Žanić has emphasized that financial and organizational progress will be among the key priorities in the coming period.
Zadar Becomes an Important Hub for European Volleyball
The Assembly meeting in Zadar was given additional significance by the presence of European Volleyball Confederation President Roko Sikirić, a former Croatian national team player who was elected President of the CEV in 2024.
Sikirić is currently one of Croatia’s highest-ranking sports officials at international level, and his leadership position within European volleyball creates additional opportunities for stronger cooperation between Croatian and European volleyball institutions.
This connection will become even more visible in 2027, when Zadar is expected to host the CEV General Assembly for the first time in Croatia. The event is one of the most important institutional gatherings in European volleyball, bringing together representatives of national federations and senior officials from across the continent.
For the Croatian Volleyball Federation, hosting such an event represents much more than a ceremonial occasion. A successful organization of a major international gathering could further demonstrate Croatia’s ability to host complex and high-profile volleyball events.
Looking Ahead to EuroVolley 2028
One of the Federation’s biggest ambitions is connected with the 2028 European Championship. Croatia has already expressed interest in becoming part of a joint hosting project for the men’s EuroVolley, together with other countries from the region.
The European Volleyball Confederation has opened the bidding process for EuroVolley 2028, which will once again bring together 24 national teams and is expected to follow the multi-host format used in recent editions.
For Croatia, securing hosting rights would have significance well beyond prestige. It would bring top-level European volleyball directly to Croatian fans, increase the sport’s visibility and potentially provide an important platform for further development of the national team and domestic volleyball structures.
It is, however, important to distinguish between an expressed ambition and a final decision. The Croatian Volleyball Federation has clearly identified hosting a European Championship as one of its strategic goals, but the final outcome will depend on the official bidding process and the decisions of the CEV.
The period leading into 2027 and 2028 will therefore be especially important in determining whether these plans can be converted into concrete results.
A National Volleyball Centre as a Long-Term Project
Alongside major international competitions, the Federation is also focusing on sports infrastructure. One of its most important long-term ambitions is the development of a national volleyball centre.
Such a facility could provide better training conditions for Croatian national teams, support the development of younger age categories and create a permanent base for professional, technical and educational programmes.
The importance of such a project would extend far beyond the senior national teams. A dedicated national centre could help create a more systematic pathway for young players, improve conditions for national team training camps and make it easier to organize coaching education, development programmes and international volleyball projects.
The Croatian Volleyball Federation is therefore entering a period in which progress will be measured on several levels. Sporting success will remain the most visible indicator, but the Federation’s ability to strengthen its organization, secure sustainable funding, improve infrastructure and transform international connections into concrete projects will be equally important.
The appointments of Vlatka Peras and Ivan Dodig mark the beginning of this new phase. The next major steps — from the CEV General Assembly in Zadar and the ambitions surrounding EuroVolley 2028 to the proposed national volleyball centre — will show how successfully Croatian volleyball can turn its current plans into lasting development.
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