U18 Beach Volleyball championships in Solomon Islands set to elevate regional talent
The Oceania Zonal Volleyball Association (OZVA), in collaboration with the FIVB and Olympic Solidarity, is set to host the U18 Beach Volleyball Championships in Honiara, Solomon Islands, from 6 to 9 April 2025. This landmark event, hosted through the Olympic Solidarity Youth Athlete Development Programme, is designed to provide young athletes with greater exposure to high-level competition and strengthen the foundation of beach volleyball in Oceania.
Bringing together 12 men’s and 7 women’s teams from across Oceania – including Guam, Palau, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Australia, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea – the competition will showcase the regions’ rising stars of beach volleyball.
To date, the Oceania region has received CHF 1.3 million of funding by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment programme, primarily through coach support programmes.
Beyond the competition, the Solomon Islands National Olympic Committee will host an Olympic Solidarity Technical Coaches course for referees and also conduct a Development Needs Survey for coaches, helping to ensure that the event benefits all levels of the volleyball ecosystem and leaves a lasting legacy for the sport.
OZVA President Hugh Graham, who also serves as Secretary General of the Asian Volleyball Confederation and Executive Vice-President of the FIVB, emphasised the values driving this initiative.
“The FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 emphasises four core pillars: Professionalism, Integration, Empowerment, and Mass Participation. These principles aim to make volleyball even more accessible and impactful, bringing people together, inspiring positive experiences, and ensuring a brighter future for the sport. This event is a fantastic example of that.”
He also highlighted the importance of empowering young athletes in the Oceania region, recognising this competition as a vital stepping stone for emerging talent.
“This competition is a great opportunity for young athletes in the region to gain invaluable experience in competing on the international stage. By creating opportunities like this, with the help of the FIVB and Olympic Solidarity, I am confident that we are building a stronger pathway for our younger players to succeed at higher levels and we are shaping an exciting future for volleyball in Oceania.”
This initiative is another milestone in the strong partnership between the FIVB and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through Olympic Solidarity, following similar successful youth development projects around the world. Most recently, the first-ever junior female beach volleyball event in the Middle East was held in December 2024, with the WAVA U20 Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship taking place in Doha, Qatar.
Additionally, the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) U19 Beach Volleyball Championships held in St. Kitts and Nevis in 2023 enhanced young athletes’ exposure to high level competition and created opportunities for teams to qualify for continental and international age group competitions, such as the FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championships in 2025.
As young athletes from across Oceania prepare to compete in the U18 Beach Volleyball Championships, the FIVB remains committed to creating a stronger, more empowered and more connected Global Volleyball Movement, grounded by the motto “Together as One”.
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