LAUSANNE, January 18, 2005 - The largest-ever festival of elite Volleyball is underway with a record 174 teams (97 men’s and 77 women’s) from 101 countries participating in the FIVB World Championships 2006 – compared with 118 teams for the 2002 World Championships.   

The FIVB Volleyball World Championships are held every four years and are the sport’s premier competition.  The next men’s and women’s World Championship finals will be held in Japan from 16 November to 3 December 2006, with 24 teams of each gender participating.  

FIVB President Dr Rubén Acosta says: “The FIVB 2006 World Championships finals in Japan will be the biggest-ever festival of elite Volleyball, with 24 men’s and 24 women’s teams participating, in contrast with other major competitions which are limited to 12 teams each. 

“While the FIVB Volleyball World Championships are seen as the ultimate title in international Volleyball, it is also a special competition due to the fact that every affiliated National Federation has the chance to enter teams.  This year a record 174 teams have entered, which is nearly a 50% increase on the 118 teams participating in the 2002 World Championships,” he added.  

All Continents will be represented in the 2006 World Championships finals in Japan, with the number of places allocated according to a formula based on their FIVB world rankings.  First round matches start in January 2005 with all finalists to be decided by August 2005. 

The reigning Men’s World Champions Brazil and Women’s World Champions Italy are automatically qualified for the finals, along with the hosts Japan.  The 2002 World Championships finals were held in different countries – Argentina for the men and Germany for the women. 

Dr. Rubén Acosta, FIVB President comments: “National Federations on all Continents are keen to build on the success of Volleyball in Athens, where Volleyball was one of the best attended tournaments and the TV viewing figures were among the highest of all sports. 

 “Volleyball is one of the world’s top five sports, with 35 million registered players and 218 national federations.  Interest in the sport is growing at all levels: as an elite spectator sport and as a mass participation sport, as a professional sport and as an amateur sport played in clubs, schools and universities on all continents,” he added. 

The FIVB is the world governing body for Volleyball and Beach Volleyball. Under the leadership of its President Dr. Rubén Acosta, Volleyball has grown to become one of the world’s top spectator and participation sports on all continents.