More than 48 volleyball clubs from eight West African countries will partake in the CAVB Zone III Volleyball Club Championship in Accra, Ghana from March 1 to 8, 2026.
The tournament, which is being staged in collaboration with the Ghana Volleyball Federation (GVF) and Kalibi Volleyball Club, is on the theme “Uniting West Africa Through Volleyball Excellence”.
Clubs from Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Niger, Togo, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Liberia would compete for laurels.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, the Minister of Sports and Recreation, said the tournament shouldn’t be just about matches but a movement and statement that volleyball was alive and ready to take its rightful place in the hearts of the youth.
“The launch of the championship represents a call to action and a new chapter for volleyball in Ghana and the subregion. Volleyball has a proud history in our country, and it is one of the oldest games that has inspired teamwork, discipline and resilience across generations.
“Yet we can’t shy away from the reality that it suffers some challenges, including facilities that fall short of international standards, funding and inadequate media visibility,” Mr Adams said.
He also urged the media to create more platforms for the promotion of least financed sports so that they would attract the needed attention, especially from corporate Ghana.
“The government is committed to addressing these challenges faced by the least financed sports, and our plans to build multi-purpose courts across the country is a direct response to the need for accessible and sustainable infrastructure,” Mr Adams said.
He stated the need for volleyball to be rebranded so as to attract the attention of the international sports community.
Mr George Tetteh, President of the GVF, said Ghana was ready to host the tournament next year and would hopefully win the men’s and women’s competition.
“Volleyball and sports, for that matter, are not only for unearthing talent but also to instil discipline, leadership and unity among the nations.
“It is an uphill task to organise this tournament, but with the support of the Ministry, Ghana would host it successfully and win it, and I have no doubt at all,” he said.
Mr Tetteh also assured the Minister that before he left office they would make sure that volleyball would become the number one sport in Ghana.
Mr Bernard Mornah, the Chairman of the Kalibi Volleyball Club, was grateful to partners for supporting the programme and was hopeful that next year’s tournament would be a success.
He was grateful to the Minister of Sports and Recreation for his support for volleyball as well as the security services, who contribute the highest number of players to the sport.
GNA
