The FIVB: The World Governing Body of Volleyball

The Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) is the international governing body for all forms of Volleyball, leading a global community of 222 national federation members, making the sport one of the most widely played and organised sports in the world.

The headquarters are located in Lausanne, Switzerland, with Fabio Azevedo of Brazil is the president of the governing body.

The Federation establishes the official rules of the game, manages international competitions such as the Volleyball World Championships and Beach Volleyball World Tour and works closely with the International Olympic Committee to ensure a prominent place in the Olympic Games.

History of FIVB

The Federation Internationale de Volleyball was founded in 1947 in Paris by 14 countries to create a unified global body for volleyball. Although the sport was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan, it had no international structure until the Federation for the sport was formed.

The federation quickly organised the first Men’s World Championship in 1949 and the Women’s Championship in 1952. Volleyball became very popular sport when it became an Olympic sport in 1964.

In 1984, the Federation Internationale de Volleyball moved its headquarters to Lausanne, Switzerland, and later expanded its responsibilities to include the fast-growing discipline of beach volleyball, which entered the Olympics in 1996.

In recent years, the Federation Internationale de Volleyball has modernised the sport through global development programs, professional leagues, and commercial partnerships, helping volleyball grow into one of the world’s most popular and widely played sports.

The Structure of Volleyball Governance: FIVB and Beyond

The Federation Internationale de Volleyball is responsible for the development of the game at the international level, the creation of global rules and standards, the supervision of international competitions, and the coordination of continental and national federations.

However, not all the Volleyball activities are not directly managed by the world governing body itself. Many responsibilities, like regional championships, domestic leagues, grassroots development, and local administration, are delegated to national federations.

Federation Authorities

• All global governance of volleyball and its forms — indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, and other forms comes under the sports body.
• Setting the official rules and standards — Rules for the game, equipment and facility standards, and regulations across the world (for International and domestic levels)
• Organising global/international competitions — World Championships, global club championships, world-level tournaments, etc…
• Regulation of referees, player eligibility, international transfers — governs the rules for who can play, and appointment/oversight of international referees.
• Overseeing continental and national federations — Managing and coordinating with continental (Asia, Europe) and National federations.

What Doesn’t Fall Under the FIVB

• Local / national-level leagues and competitions — domestic leagues, local tournaments, youth championships, etc, organised by national federations.
• Regional/continental competitions — Continental confederations or zonal associations will manage regional championships.
• Non-volleyball-governance matters in countries — The sport governing body is not involved in funding decisions, national sports policies, or domestic administrative issues unrelated to international standards.
• Unaffiliated Competitions or events — Local/unaffiliated tournaments or informal events that don’t follow FIVB’s competition regulations.

Fédération Internationale de Volleyball Officials

The president of the Federation of Volleyball is the highest position that is elected for an initial term of eight years.

Fédération Internationale de Volleyball Events

The Federation Internationale de Volleyball organises top international volleyball competitions for men and women, including the World Championship, World Cup, Volleyball Nations League, and Beach Volleyball World Tour. These events feature the best teams and players globally, drawing huge fan followings.

FIVB Partners

The FIVB (Federation Internationale de Volleyball) works with a range of global partners who help support and grow volleyball and beach volleyball worldwide.

These partners include major brands in sports technology, broadcasting, event management, and commercial sponsorship.

Through these collaborations, the Federation enhances competition quality, expands global reach, improves fan experience, and drives innovation across its events and development programs.

FIVB Revenue

The Federation for Volleyball generates its revenue through a mix of global commercial activities that support and grow volleyball worldwide.

Most of the governing body’s income comes from broadcasting and sponsorship deals linked to major international events, alongside revenue from its commercial arm, Volleyball World.

Additional funds come from hosting fees, ticketing, Olympic revenue, licensing, and administrative fees. Together, these streams allow the FIVB to reinvest heavily into developing the sport across all continents.

In 2022, the Federation Internationale de Volleyball reported total revenues of CHF 50.21 million (INR 558.8 crore), which declined to CHF 28.88 million (INR 321.2 crore) in 2023. Revenue streams included broadcast and media rights, license fees, transfer fees, Olympic-related funds, ticketing, and other miscellaneous income.

In 2023, net proceeds from sales amounted to CHF 28.9 million (INR 218.3 crore), media and licensing fees contributed CHF 16.20 million (INR 180.1 crore), and transfer fees and Olympic funds added CHF 3.42 million (INR 38.0 crore) and CHF 5.63 million (INR 62.7 crore), respectively.

Total expenditures in 2023 were CHF 26.46 million (INR 294.2 crore), covering international competitions, development programs, administrative costs, and salaries.

A significant portion of the governing body’s income comes from dividends paid by its commercial venture, Volleyball World, and over half of the federation’s revenue is reinvested into prize money, development programs, and support for national federations, reflecting its focus on global growth and development of the sport.

FIVB Academy

The FIVB Academy is the global education and training platform of the Federation Internationale de Volleyball. It aims to support the growth of Volleyball worldwide by providing sources for coaches, referees, players and administrators.

The key features include coaching development, Referee education, player development, administration and governance.

The academy is part of the World governing body’s vision to professionalise volleyball globally, ensuring standards and empowering national federations to develop talent efficiently. Many courses are online and accessible globally, making it a hub for knowledge and best practices.

FIVB Awards

The FIVB awards are primarily tournament-specific, and the categories recognise both overall excellence and position‑specific performance. Here’s a clear breakdown of the main award categories used in competitions:

• Most Valuable Player (MVP)
• Best Team / Dream Team
• Positional Awards
• Special & Lifetime Honors