From national teams reaching new international stages to young athletes preparing for a historic Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, volleyball and beach volleyball across Africa continues to go from strength to strength as momentum builds.
Against the backdrop of the CAVB Women’s African Nations Championship in Nairobi, Kenya, the wider development journey of African volleyball was brought into focus through meetings with CAVB and National Federation and Zonal leaders from across the continent.
The FIVB delegation, led by FIVB President Fabio Azevedo, alongside CAVB President Bouchra Hajij, met National Federation leaders from Nigeria, Togo, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Senegal, Ghana, The Gambia, Cameroon, Benin, Uganda and hosts Kenya, as well as leaders from Zones 3, 4 and 5.
While each National Federation has its own ambition and development needs, one message connected discussions: for African volleyball to realise its full potential, progress must extend across the entire ecosystem.
FIVB President Fabio Azevedo emphasised the importance of empowering National Federations to plan for the long term and strengthening structures around their athletes.
It is an approach supported by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme, which has so far invested over USD 9 million in 461 projects across Africa. And it is already producing results, with new countries qualifying for major international events.
Just a few recent examples include Morocco claiming the men’s title at the 2026 CAVB Africa Beach Volleyball Championships to secure an LA28 Olympic quota place, while Egypt’s supported boys’ and girls’ U18 teams both qualified for the 2027 FIVB U19 World Championships. The Gambia also made its debut at the FIVB U18 Beach Volleyball World Championship in 2025, recording a historic victory over the USA.
Discussions in Nairobi also highlighted the potential of beach volleyball to create new pathways for young talented athletes and broaden participation. With the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026 now less than two months away, the stage is set to accelerate the development of the sport and ensure a long-term legacy.
The ambition now is to ensure success at the highest level is supported by equally strong foundations underneath it.
By strengthening National Federations, expanding opportunities across volleyball and beach volleyball and planning for the long-term, the FIVB is committed to working hand in hand with the Global Volleyball Movement to build an African volleyball ecosystem capable of growing stronger at every level.
