Beach Volleyball runs on a primarily annual structure, rather than using alternating years, as is frequently the case in the indoor game.

At the top sit the various FIVB competitions. Here’s how FIVB depict them.

Below the FIVB sits the CEV competitions – European Championships and their age group versions for U22s, U20s, and U18s. NEVZA also run Senior and Age Group events.

Volleyball England field U18, U20, U22 and Senior teams in CEV competition, with our Senior teams also competing in FIVB events. We also field age group and senior teams in NEVZA competition when the opportunity allows.

Olympics

For both Beach and Indoor Volleyball, England athletes compete as part of Team GB. This is coordinated by the British Volleyball Federation (BVF). FIVB determines qualification for the Olympics. Great Britain is not a member of FIVB. Instead each of the Home Nations (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales) is a member in its own right. That means the path for England to compete in the Olympics relies on Home Nation qualification, not the qualification of GB teams.

In Beach Volleyball, qualification is based on pairs. If an England pair earn Olympic qualification, they would then represent GB at the Games. It wouldn’t open the door for forming a new team the way it does in Indoor.

England Talent Pathway

The England Talent Pathway is the set of systems and structures which identify and work to develop players for the England national teams across all disciplines. You can learn more about that here.