FIVB Volleyball World Championships to expand to 32-teams per gender and enhance competition formula

The FIVB has confirmed an increase in the number of participating teams in the FIVB Volleyball World Championships following the approval of the FIVB Board of Administration, with 32 teams per gender set to participate in the next editions of the prestigious tournament.

An enhanced competition formula will be equal for both the men’s and women’s events and will see 32 teams divided into 8 groups of 4 teams for the round-robin phase with 2 best teams per group moving into the direct knockout phase: round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals and final.

The FIVB President Dr Ary S. Graça F° said:
“The FIVB is keen to provide more opportunities for national teams to participate in our main event, the World Championships, while offering the great volleyball spectacles to fans from all over the world to follow. The increase in the number of teams participating in the tournament will also offer more opportunities for national teams that are part of the revolutionary programme of Volleyball Empowerment that aims to increase the level of national teams all over the world to participate in the major volleyball events and bring the teams to the podium.”

Additionally, following the evaluation of this year’s tournament, the FIVB and Volleyball World will work together to ensure the same conditions and high standard of competition for both the men’s and women’s teams at the next editions of the World Championships.