Nairobi will welcome 16 teams for the 2026 CAVB Women’s African Nations Championship from 25 August to 4 September, with qualification for the LA28 Olympic Games and the 2027 FIVB Volleyball World Cup adding to the stakes.
The championship will be staged across two venues, the Kasarani Indoor Arena and Ulinzi Sports Complex, as teams from across Africa compete for the continental title.
The champions will secure direct qualification for the LA28 Olympic Games, while the top three finishers will earn places at the 2027 FIVB Volleyball World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States and Canada.
Ten of the 16 participating national federations have also received support through FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, including technical assistance, coaching support and funding through the Volleyball Empowerment Projects Platform.
Hosts and defending champions Kenya are among the leading contenders. The Malkia Strikers will be looking to defend their title on home soil, with a squad combining experienced international players and emerging talent.
Egypt are expected to be among their main challengers, while multiple-time champions Cameroon bring considerable experience into the competition.
Tunisia also arrive in Nairobi following their gold-medal performance at the Zone I Championship, while Algeria and Senegal have shown progress in recent competitions. Regional qualifier winners Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo add further competition to the 16-team field.
FIVB Volleyball Empowerment support extends across several regions represented at the championship.
Within CAVB Zone V, Kenya have received USD 597,000 in support through 2023, alongside equipment assistance worth USD 98,000 through 2026. Egypt received USD 147,000 through 2024, with a further USD 12,000 in knowledge-transfer support scheduled through 2026.
Rwanda initially received USD 3,500 in 2017 before securing USD 88,000 in equipment support and USD 24,000 in knowledge transfer through 2025. Burundi, meanwhile, are set to receive USD 10,500 through a newly approved project.
In Zone IV, Cameroon have received USD 84,000 in coaching support for head coach Paulo De Tarso Milagres through 2026, as well as USD 117,000 in equipment and USD 48,000 in knowledge-transfer support between 2021 and 2025.
Democratic Republic of Congo have an ongoing USD 10,500 project with coach Yende Tiadjoue Lavoisier, focusing on technical and tactical development for the men’s U21 and women’s U20 national programmes, alongside USD 110,500 in equipment support through 2025.
Nigeria previously benefited from USD 21,000 in project support in 2019 and USD 149,000 in equipment funding through 2022. Ghana are set to receive a USD 21,000 project renewal after receiving USD 23,000 in equipment assistance through 2025.
Senegal have secured USD 84,000 in coaching support for senior and U18 head coach Emmanuel Fouchet from 2026 to 2027, following earlier support of USD 87,000 for equipment and USD 18,000 for knowledge transfer through 2025.
Zambia round out the supported teams with a newly commencing USD 10,500 project, having previously received USD 29,000 in equipment and USD 12,000 in knowledge-transfer funding through 2024.
The 16-team field comprises hosts Kenya, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.
