KVF chief confident Kenya will be ready for 2026 Women's African Volleyball Championship
Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 22.07.26. | 09:54
The tournament will feature 16 teams and carries added significance as it doubles as a qualification event for both the 2027 FIVB Women's World Championship in Poland and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) has expressed confidence that the country will be ready to host the 2026 Women's African Nations Championship, with renovation works at the two competition venues progressing steadily ahead of the continental showpiece.
Kenya will host the championship from 23 August to 5 September 2026, with matches taking place primarily at the Moi International Sports Centre Indoor Arena in Kasarani, while the Ulinzi Sports Complex will serve as the secondary venue for matches and training sessions.
The tournament will feature 16 teams and carries added significance as it doubles as a qualification event for both the 2027 FIVB Women's World Championship in Poland and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Speaking on the country's preparations, KVF President Paul Bitok said Kasarani will be the main venue, with Ulinzi providing additional facilities as Kenya prepares to welcome the continent's best teams.
"The 2026 Women's African Nations Championship will be played here in Nairobi. We will be using the Kasarani Indoor Arena as the main venue, while the Ulinzi Sports Complex will be our second venue," Bitok told Mozzart Sport.
Bitok revealed that all 16 participating teams have now been confirmed following the conclusion of the zonal qualification tournaments.
"Sixteen teams have qualified, with every zone represented. Kenya, as the host nation, qualified automatically, while the top teams from the previous championship, including Egypt, Cameroon, Rwanda and Kenya, also secured automatic qualification," he explained.
The former KCB Volleyball coach added that several traditional African volleyball powerhouses have already confirmed their participation.
"We have teams like Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, Congo and several others that have already confirmed participation," he said.
According to Bitok, the tournament initially attracted interest from more than 24 countries before the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) capped the field at 16 because of its status as an Olympic qualification event.
"This is an Olympic qualifier with only 16 teams. We had more than 24 countries register, but FIVB ruled that, because it is a qualification tournament, only 16 teams can participate," he said.
On infrastructure, Bitok acknowledged that work is still ongoing but noted that both venues are making steady progress following an inspection by the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) technical team.
"The venues are still being prepared. We had the first CAVB inspection by the technical team, and they advised us to complete areas such as the toilets, changing rooms and training facilities," he said.
He disclosed that Kasarani is approximately 60 percent complete, while the Ulinzi Sports Complex is around 40 percent complete, expressing confidence that both venues will be ready on time.
"Kasarani is already at 60 percent, while Ulinzi Sports Complex is at 40 percent. We appreciate the Ulinzi management because they have committed resources to the renovations. A construction firm is working around the clock, and the venue is expected to be handed over to KVF at the end of July," he added.
Kenya heads into the tournament as the defending champions after the Malkia Strikers claimed a record-extending 10th African title at the 2023 championship in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
As hosts, Kenya qualified automatically, while Tunisia secured the Zone One ticket, Senegal advanced from Zone Two, Ghana, Nigeria and Burkina Faso qualified from Zone Three, and Uganda booked the Zone Five slot after winning the East African qualifiers in Kampala.
The remaining places were filled through automatic qualification based on the continental rankings, setting the stage for one of the most competitive editions of the Women's African Nations Championship.
