President of the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Zone 3, Ali Yaro, has praised Côte d’Ivoire for successfully hosting the 2026 African Nations Cup Zone 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan, describing the tournament as a major step forward for volleyball development in the region.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Yaro said Côte d’Ivoire had reached a significant milestone by hosting the regional championship for the first time despite financial and logistical challenges.
“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 sincerely thank everyone who made it possible.”
The five-day championship featured seven countries and showcased a high standard of competition.
Yaro commended the participating federations, organisers and match officials 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 after completing an 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.
Ghana and Burkina Faso also qualified after finishing among the top teams in the women’s competition.
The CAVB Zone 3 President praised the organising committee, volunteers, media and other stakeholders for their commitment, saying the tournament reflected the steady growth of volleyball across West Africa.
He 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 has laid a solid foundation for the sport’s continued development.
By Arinzechi Chukwunonso
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