President Luis Abinader Corona and Prominent Sports Officials

Invited as Guests of Honor to the 2026 FIVB World Congress

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, November 12, 2026. – Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader Corona heads the list of distinguished personalities invited to the 40th World Congress of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), scheduled to take place from November 20 to 22 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, bringing together leading officials from the international volleyball community.

Among the guests of honor are Minister of Sports and Recreation Kelvin Cruz Cáceres; Minister of Tourism David Collado Morales; President of Centro Caribe Sports and member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Luis Mejía Oviedo; President of the Dominican Olympic Committee, Garibaldy Bautista; and Dr. José Joaquín Puello Herrera, President ad vitam of the Dominican Olympic Committee and Chair of the FIVB Ethics Panel.

NORCECA President and FIVB First Executive Vice-President, Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, expressed his great satisfaction and enthusiasm about hosting this important gathering in his home country, particularly with the invitation extended to the nation's highest government authorities and prominent figures of the Dominican sports movement.

For Marte Hoffiz, hosting the World Congress is a source of national pride and an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the Dominican Republic to the international volleyball community, while strengthening ties between sports institutions and the authorities of the host country.

The presence of these distinguished guests will add special significance to a gathering that will bring together representatives of National Federations, Continental Confederations, and FIVB officials, led by FIVB President Fabio Azevedo, to discuss strategic priorities and the future of volleyball worldwide.

Among the distinguished guests, Dr. José Joaquín Puello Herrera stands out as one of the most experienced figures in the Dominican and regional Olympic movement. In addition to chairing the FIVB Ethics Panel, he led the Dominican Olympic Committee for more than two decades, served as President of the Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (ODECABE), now known as Centro Caribe Sports, and chaired the Organizing Committee of the Santo Domingo 2003 Pan American Games.

The Congress is being organized through the joint efforts of the FIVB, NORCECA, and the Dominican Volleyball Federation, headed by its President Ramón Alexis García, who are coordinating preparations to welcome representatives of the global volleyball community.

Punta Cana's selection as the host city was unanimously approved by the FIVB Board of Administration in April 2025, following a proposal submitted by Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, highlighting the Dominican Republic's sporting tradition, its strong ties to volleyball, and its capacity to organize major international events.

The 40th FIVB World Congress will be guided by the International Federation's Strategic Vision 2032, aimed at promoting the growth, strengthening, and global expansion of volleyball.

By hosting this prestigious gathering, the Dominican Republic will once again take center stage in the international sports community, reaffirming its commitment to volleyball development and its ability to welcome leading representatives of world sport.