A delegation from the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB), led by President Bouchra Hajij and Walter Otieno, has arrived in Nairobi to assess Kenya’s preparedness to host the 2026 Women’s African Nations Volleyball Championship.
The inspection, scheduled from February 25 to 28, will evaluate the country’s readiness ahead of the continental tournament set for August 23 to September 5, 2026.
Nairobi was confirmed as host city for the championship, marking the return of the senior women’s event to Kenya for the first time since 2015.
The tournament will also serve as a qualification pathway for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Comprehensive inspection
The CAVB delegation will conduct a detailed review in line with competition regulations, focusing on Competition and training venues, including lighting, seating capacity and warm-up courts.
Also the accommodation facilities for teams and officials, Transport and logistics arrangements the Medical services and anti-doping preparedness,Media operations and live broadcast infrastructure and government guarantees on security, visas, customs facilitation and overall support.
The delegation will also assess infrastructure standards, operational systems and the capacity of the Local Organising Committee.
Government and federation commitment
The Government of Kenya, through the Ministry of Sports, has reaffirmed its commitment to support the championship, including security coordination, medical services and smooth entry procedures for participating nations.
The Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) has pledged compliance with all CAVB hosting requirements, expressing confidence in delivering a successful tournament.
Defending champions
Kenya heads into the 2026 tournament as defending champions. The national women’s team, the Kenya women’s national volleyball team popularly known as Malkia Strikers won the 2023 edition after defeating Egypt 3–0 in the final held in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The victory marked Kenya’s first continental title since 2015.
Hosting agreement
Following the inspection, CAVB President Bouchra Hajij is expected to formalise the hosting agreement if Kenya meets the required standards, a key step in the countdown to the 2026 championship.
