FIVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup
Overview
The FIVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup is a beach volleyball competition organized by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). The tournament was first introduced in 2010 as part of the qualification process for the 2012 London Olympics. The Continental Cup features teams from the same continental confederation and serves as a pathway for countries to qualify for the Olympic Games.
History
The FIVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup was conceived as a means to broaden the base of the sport, increase participation at the grassroots level, and provide more opportunities for countries to qualify for the Olympics. The inaugural edition of the tournament took place from 2010 to 2012, with the final round held in Moscow, Russia. The second edition of the tournament was held from 2014 to 2016, culminating in the final round in Sochi, Russia. The third edition of the tournament is currently underway, with the final round scheduled to be held in 2021.
Format
The tournament format of the FIVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup involves multiple stages, including sub-zonal, zonal, and final phases. The number of teams participating in each stage varies depending on the continental confederation. Each participating team consists of two pairs of players. The competition format is based on a country versus country system, with the team that wins two matches out of three advancing to the next round.
Continental Confederations
The FIVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup is divided into five continental confederations: the Asian (AVC), the African (CAVB), the European (CEV), the North, Central American and Caribbean (NORCECA), and the South American (CSV). Each confederation organizes its own qualification tournaments for the Continental Cup.
Olympic Qualification
The FIVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup serves as one of the pathways for countries to qualify for the Olympic Games. The top-ranked team from each continental confederation at the end of the final round secures a spot for their country in the beach volleyball event at the Olympics. In addition to the five continental winners, the winner of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Continental Cup Olympic Qualification tournament also qualifies for the Olympics.