By Arinzechi Chukwunonso
President of the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Zone 3, Ali Yaro, has hailed the successful hosting of the 2026 African Nations Cup Zone 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire describing the tournament as a major boost for volleyball development across the region.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Yaro commended Côte d’Ivoire for staging the regional championship for the first time, saying the achievement marked a significant milestone despite the financial and logistical challenges many countries face in organising international sporting events.
“This is the first time Côte d’Ivoire has hosted an event like this, and it is a very positive development for the competition,” Yaro said.
“In our countries, we do not always have enough support to organise competitions like this. Therefore, I want to sincerely thank everyone who made it possible.”
The five-day championship brought together seven nations and produced a high standard of competition, with Yaro applauding the participating federations, officials and organisers for delivering a successful tournament.
He confirmed that Nigeria’s men’s team qualified for the 2026 African Nations Championship in the Democratic Republic of Congo this September after an outstanding unbeaten campaign in Abidjan.
Yaro also announced that Nigeria’s women’s team secured qualification for the 2026 Women’s African Nations Cup in Kenya this August. Ghana and Burkina Faso also booked their places after finishing among the top teams in the women’s competition.
The CAVB Zone 3 President praised the organising committee, match officials, volunteers, media and all stakeholders for their dedication, noting that the championship reflected the growing standard of volleyball in the region.
Yaro expressed confidence that the qualified teams would represent Zone 3 strongly at the continental championships later this year, adding that the success of the Abidjan tournament provides a solid foundation for the continued growth of volleyball across West Africa.
