FIVB Board of Administration advances Strategic Vision

2032 and global volleyball growth roadmap

February 28, 2026.- The FIVB Board of Administration met online today to continue strengthening the future of volleyball and beach volleyball, with key decisions, strategic updates and major developments discussed that align with the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032.

The meeting opened with an update on the FIVB’s strong financial outlook, followed by progress reports from the FIVB Legal Department and Volleyball World, highlighting continued progress in strengthening the sport’s commercial and governance foundations.

Rule test proposals from several FIVB Commissions were also reviewed and approved by the Board of Administration. More on this can be found here. Abhijit Bhattacharya, founder of the Brahmaputra Volleyball League, was approved as the new President of the Mass Participation and Snow Volleyball Commission, replacing Peter Kleinmann following his resignation. Further, it was confirmed that Mark Eckert, the FIVB Executive Board member, will replace Steve Tutton, FIVB General Sports Director, in the FIVB Investment Committee.

The Board received an update from the Empowerment and National Federation Relations Department. To date, more than USD 54 million has been invested through nearly 1,700 projects across over 200 National Federations, empowering national teams and athletes globally.

Updates from the Development and Sustainability Department included progress on the National Federation categorisation system, which will introduce clearer development pathways and enhanced incentives to support long-term growth. The FIVB Volleyball Foundation also presented its latest activities, highlighting ongoing efforts to connect, serve and inspire global communities through volleyball to improve society.

The Board also approved important updates to the FIVB World Ranking system to further enhance fairness, inclusivity and transparency. The previously applied -50 points penalty sanction has been removed. National teams that have never competed will now be able to re-enter the World Ranking with 0 points. In addition, a match weight factor of 20 has been assigned to Zonal Association and Recognised Volleyball Associations events.

The Board received comprehensive updates on the international competition calendar from Head of Volleyball Alise Kessler and Head of Beach Volleyball Yu Cao. In volleyball, updates included preparations for the 2026 edition of the Volleyball Nations League, the upcoming Age Group World Championships, Continental Championships and Club World Championships.

In beach volleyball, the Board reviewed preparations for the 2026 Beach Pro Tour, Age Group World Championships and Continental Championships. Members also received an update on the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, which will mark the first Olympic event hosted on the African continent, with beach volleyball once again part of the sports programme.

The Board of Administration was updated on the launch of the FIVB Beach World Series, set to debut in November 2026. Designed to showcase beach volleyball at its highest level while celebrating the identity and culture of each host destination, the series will feature 10 world-leading sport and entertainment locations, with Dubai confirmed as the founding host.

A broader roadmap of future international events was also reviewed, reinforcing the FIVB’s commitment to delivering world-class competitions and expanding the sport’s global footprint in the years ahead.

FIVB President Fabio Azevedo reaffirmed the organisation’s long-term ambition to grow the sport’s global reach and impact.

“All of our efforts are aimed at advancing the Global Volleyball Movement in alignment with the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032,” he said. “We are working to make volleyball more accessible, affordable and understandable, and ultimately grow the Global Volleyball Movement to 1.6 billion people around the world. This is no small task. But Together as One, we can achieve this.”

Preparations for the upcoming 40th FIVB World Congress, set to take place in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in November, were also discussed. The global gathering is set to bring together the Global Volleyball Movement to further shape the bright future of the sport.

Preparations for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 also remained a key focus, with the Qualification Systems confirmed in December 2025 and planning continuing to ensure volleyball and beach volleyball once again deliver on the Olympic stage.

The meeting concluded with confirmation that the next meeting of the FIVB Board of Administration will take place at Volleyball House on 7 and 8 May 2026.