Russia women's volleyball team to play at 2027 World Championship
In short
The Russian women's volleyball team has qualified for the 2027 World Championship in the United States and Canada, the All-Russian Volleyball Federation said. The team qualified through its world ranking, currently 11th, in a 32-team field for the tournament running from 20 August to 5 September 2027. Russia's men's team will not take part, the federation said earlier, citing safety reasons.
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The Russian women's volleyball team will compete at the 2027 World Championship, the All-Russian Volleyball Federation said, according to state and business outlets. TASS, RIA Novosti, Interfax, Kommersant and Vedomosti all reported the qualification on the afternoon of 5 October. Kommersant attributed the announcement to the press service of the national federation, while Vedomosti said the federation published it on its website. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
According to Kommersant and Vedomosti, the team qualified through its position in the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) world ranking, where it currently stands 11th. The tournament will be held in the United States and Canada from 20 August to 5 September 2027 and will feature 32 national teams. Vedomosti listed the host cities as Anaheim, Montreal, Omaha, Orlando and Quebec City, and said the United States and Canada qualified as hosts while Italy qualified as reigning world champion. The same outlet named the other teams that qualified through the ranking: the Netherlands, Germany, Czechia, Belgium, France, Slovenia, Sweden, Mexico, Ukraine, Greece, South Korea, Bulgaria and Switzerland. [ 4 , 5 ]
The qualification follows the removal of restrictions on Russian volleyball. Kommersant reported that the ban had been in place since March 2022 and that its lifting was preceded by a recommendation from the International Olympic Committee to remove restrictions on Russian athletes, with volleyball becoming the first team sport where this happened. Vedomosti dated the FIVB decision to admit Russian volleyball players to 8 July, and reported that on 30 September the European Volleyball Confederation admitted the Russian men's and women's teams to competitions under its auspices. [ 4 , 5 ]
The men's team will not take part in the 2027 World Championship. Kommersant reported that a month after the FIVB decision, the federation said the men's team would not travel to the tournament «for safety reasons». Kommersant also reported that a full return of Russian teams to international competition would be possible in 2027, first in the Nations League and then at the world championships. [ 4 ]
Kommersant noted that the Russian women's team last appeared at a world championship in 2018, finishing eighth, and that it has won the world title twice, in 2006 and 2010. [ 4 ]
Why it matters
The women's entry follows the lifting of restrictions on Russian volleyball, which the documents describe as the first team sport where Russian athletes were readmitted after an IOC recommendation, making this a test case for the wider return of Russian teams to international competition. Full participation is only expected in 2027 through the Nations League and then the world championships. The men's team's refusal to travel shows the return remains partial.
Key facts
- The Russian women's volleyball team will take part in the 2027 World Championship, according to the All-Russian Volleyball Federation [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The federation said the team qualified through its position in the FIVB world ranking, 11th [ 4 , 5 ]
- The tournament will be held in the United States and Canada from 20 August to 5 September 2027 and will involve 32 national teams [ 4 , 5 ]
- Vedomosti reported the host cities as Anaheim, Montreal, Omaha, Orlando and Quebec City, with the USA and Canada qualifying as hosts and Italy as reigning champion [ 5 ]
- The International Volleyball Federation decided in July to admit Russian volleyball players to competitions under its auspices, after an IOC recommendation to review restrictions [ 4 , 5 ]
- On 30 September the European Volleyball Confederation admitted the Russian men's and women's teams to its competitions [ 5 ]
- The Russian men's team will not go to the 2027 World Championship, the federation said, citing safety reasons [ 4 ]
- Russia's women last played at a world championship in 2018, finishing eighth, and won the title in 2006 and 2010 [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Russian women's volleyball team has qualified for the 2027 World Championship [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The tournament will be held in the United States and Canada from 20 August to 5 September 2027 with 32 teams [ 4 , 5 ]
- Russia qualified through its world ranking rather than through a qualifying tournament [ 4 , 5 ]
- The International Volleyball Federation moved to readmit Russian volleyball players in July, after an IOC recommendation [ 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the Russian men's team will compete at the 2027 World Championship Kommersant reports the federation said the men's team will not travel for safety reasons, while Vedomosti reports only that the men's and women's teams were admitted by the European confederation; no document reports a change to the men's decision.
- The full list of host cities and of the other teams qualified through the world ranking These details appear only in Vedomosti's article and are not confirmed by any other document.
- The precise conditions attached to Russia's readmission, including any flag or representation rules The documents say restrictions were lifted but give no details of the terms.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports the Russian women's volleyball team will play at the 2027 World Championship [ 1 ]
- RIA Novosti reports the same qualification [ 2 ]
- Interfax reports Russia has been included among the teams taking part in the 2027 women's world championship [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reports the participation with detail on the format, ranking and the men's team's decision not to go [ 4 ]
- Vedomosti reports the qualification, listing venues, ranking qualifiers and the readmission steps [ 5 ]