African volleyball tourney relocated to Tunisia as Wafalme Stars ramp up preps

The 2026 Men's African Nations Volleyball Championship has been moved from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Tunisia due to an Ebola outbreak in the Central African country, the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) announced on Thursday.

The biannual championship initially scheduled to take place from September 7 to 21 in Kinshasa will now serve off from September 13 to 26 in Tunis.

“This decision follows communications received in recent weeks from several National Federations, conveying concerns raised by their respective national authorities regarding the travel of their delegations to Kinshasa, in light of the current health situation observed in the DR Congo. Following careful review of the situation by its Board of Directors, the CAVB has, not without regret, decided to relocate the competition to Tunis, Tunisia,” said CAVB in a statement.

Sixteen countries have secured places at the continental showpiece, including Kenya, Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Cameroon, Rwanda, Tunisia, Chad, Morocco, Uganda, The Gambia, Nigeria, The Central African Republic and Zimbabwe.

Unfazed by the abrupt venue change, the national men’s volleyball team Wafalme Stars, have stepped up their preparations with the head coach Gideon Tarus expressing full confidence in the squad’s readiness to deliver a standout performance.

While the women’s national team Malkia Strikers, have dominated the continent with ten titles, Wafalme Stars have long lived in the shadow of North Africa's powerhouses but Tarus is determined to flip the script this year with a podium finish in sight.

“We have always been telling stories, and sometimes the story can change, and we can make a new story and reach a new level. A podium finish for us will be a huge success,” assured Tarus.

The seasoned tactician is riding high on the recent Zone Five Qualifiers in Uganda, where Wafalme Stars qualified for the Men's African Nations Volleyball Championship unbeaten.

“The championship in Uganda is long forgotten but it has given us a sense of belief ahead of the African championship. We are going to a higher championship and the game is different. We are focused on working on the mistakes we had and improving our game,” Tarus stated.

“I cannot say I am trimming the squad to a certain number but come next week we will have lesser players. We will continue training and see. A few who were not in Uganda are really doing well and actually look much better” he added.

Meanwhile, team captain Brian Melly, backed his coach by stating that the fitness levels of the players are on par ahead of the championship.

He highlighted player sacrifice as a key component to getting success and even to motivate them to higher honors.

“We started with fitness training for like 4-5 days and did ball control for three days to check our movements and coordination. What made us play well is sacrifice as a team and as individual players.

“This allows us to get good physical fitness. We will remain united and give the best to the country,” Melly explained.