Volleyball: Nigeria Lead CAVB Zone 3 Men’s Rankings as FIVB Updates World Standings
Nigeria’s men’s national volleyball team has emerged as the highest-ranked side in CAVB Zone 3 following the release of the latest FIVB World Rankings after the 2026 CAVB Zone 3 Championship in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The latest rankings underline Nigeria’s growing influence in West African volleyball, with the men’s team climbing to 52nd in the world on 83.59 ranking points, comfortably ahead of regional rivals Benin, Niger and hosts Côte d’Ivoire.
The improvement follows Nigeria’s strong showing at the regional championship, where the team secured qualification for the 2026 African Volleyball Nations Championship.
Benin occupy second place in Zone 3 and 69th globally with 59.42 points, while Niger are ranked 81st on 48.12 points. Côte d’Ivoire sit fourth in the regional standings and 86th in the world with 45.94 points, followed by Togo (101st, 36.59 points) and Burkina Faso (116th, 24.26 points).
Ghana and Liberia are yet to earn FIVB ranking points.
On the women’s side, Ghana remain the leading team in CAVB Zone 3, occupying 51st place in the world with 72.83 points.
Côte d’Ivoire are next in 56th position on 63.79 points, while Benin Republic are ranked 81st with 41.39 points.
Togo are 92nd on 31.94 points, followed by Burkina Faso in 103rd with 27.16 points. Nigeria, Niger and Liberia are currently unranked in the women’s standings after the latest update.
The revised rankings reflect results from FIVB-recognised international competitions and are crucial in determining seedings and qualification pathways for future continental and global tournaments.
Nigeria’s rise in the men’s rankings represents another significant milestone for the country’s volleyball programme under the stewardship of Engineer Musa Nimrod as it continues to make steady progress on the African stage.
