The Confederation Africaine de Volleyball, (CAVB) Zone V Club Championship scheduled for February 2026 in Kenya has been postponed after the Kenya Volleyball Federation failed to host as planned.
Zone V President Sadik Nasiwu said a new host and venue would be announced later, while confirming that all other zonal competitions remain unchanged.
In a circular dated January 19, 2026, Zone V President Sadik Z. Nasiwu informed member federations that the men’s and women’s championship, which was scheduled to take place in Kenya from 8 to 16 February, would no longer go ahead as planned.
“We regret to inform you that the above Championship that was set for 8th to 16th February in Kenya has been pushed following Kenya Volleyball Federation’s inability to host as scheduled,” the statement said.
The tournament brings together top club sides from 12 countries in Eastern and North-Eastern Africa, including Burundi, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
It also serves as an important pathway for clubs seeking qualification to continental competitions under the CAVB and FIVB structures.
Zone V did not give specific details on the reasons behind Kenya’s inability to host, but confirmed that the event would not be cancelled outright. Instead, officials are now searching for an alternative host nation.
“A new host and venue will be announced in due course,” the statement added, offering reassurance to member federations whose teams had already begun preparations.
The postponement comes just weeks before the scheduled start of the competition, creating uncertainty for clubs that had planned travel, training schedules and player registrations around the February dates.
Despite this disruption, Zone V emphasised that the change would not affect other activities on its calendar.
“The rest of the Zonal events remain as scheduled,” Nasiwu said.
Kenya has traditionally been one of the region’s most prominent volleyball nations, regularly hosting major tournaments and producing competitive club and national teams.
The loss of hosting rights for the 2026 championship is therefore likely to raise questions about organisational readiness and capacity within the local federation.
In the circular, Zone V apologised directly to its members for the disruption caused by the postponement. “We apologies for the inconveniences caused,” the statement said.
The communication was formally addressed to the presidents of all Zone V member federations, underlining the importance of the championship within the regional volleyball structure.
The event typically provides valuable match exposure for clubs, officials and referees, while also contributing to the development of the sport across the zone.
The championship is organised under the umbrella of the CAVB, which governs volleyball across Africa, and operates in line with international standards set by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB).
Zone V is one of several regional groupings responsible for implementing continental competitions and development programmes.
Despite the setback, Zone V officials struck an optimistic tone, closing their message with a call for unity. “Together for Volleyball,” the statement said.
For now, clubs and federations will have to wait for further communication on the new host country and revised dates.
With less than a month to the original kick-off, the timing of the announcement will be critical to ensuring the competition goes ahead smoothly.
As preparations shift, attention will turn to whether another Zone V member state can step in at short notice to host the tournament and whether the revised schedule will still allow clubs to compete at full strength.
