There are 11 matches left to play in the tournament, which can be potentially attended by up to 125,400 spectators
Lodz, Poland, September 16, 2014 - The FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Poland 2014 not only continues to break records with teams qualifying for the final six for the first time in their history but the action on the court is also attracting a record spectator numbers.
More than a half million - exactly 508,012 fans watched the matches of the first and second round of the FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship Poland 2014, breaking all previous records in the history of the competition.
The first round alone had already topped the numbers achieved by the World Championship in Italy four years ago. That tournament was watched by a total of 339,324 people in the stands. The 2006 edition of the World Championship in Japan, so memorable for Polish fans, with their favourite White-and-Reds' silver medal, is already far behind, as its 104 matches gathered a combined audience of 298,352.
Breakdown of match popularity by participating teams is also interesting:
1. Poland – 134,034 spectators
2. Serbia – 98,542 spectators
3. France – 73,500 spectators
4. Italy – 70,930 spectators
5. USA – 61,350 spectators
6. Iran – 59,400 spectators
7. Russia – 55,328 spectators
8. Brazil – 47,415 spectators
9. Argentina – 36,581 spectators
10. Canada – 36,498 spectators
11. Finland – 35,891 spectators
12. Belgium – 35,600 spectators
13. Bulgaria – 34,047 spectators
14. Germany – 33,320 spectators
15. China – 29,449 spectators
16. Australia – 28,560 spectators
17. Puerto Rico – 28,450 spectators
18. Cuba – 25,016 spectators
19. Mexico – 19,400 spectators
20. Venezuela – 17,520 spectators
21. Korea Rep.– 15,050 spectators
22. Egypt – 15,200 spectators
23. Cameroon – 13,592 spectators
24. Tunisia – 11,370 spectators
Teams qualified for the third round - France, Iran, Germany, Brazil, Poland and Russia - will surely improve their record, as they advance through the semifinals, to the final matches for places 1 - 6.
There are 11 matches left to play in the tournament, which can be potentially attended by up to 125,400 spectators.