Scottish Volleyball welcomes a significant update to the global volleyball calendar that directly benefits our national teams. For the first time, the CEV Small Countries Association (SCA) Championships will officially award FIVB World Ranking Points, following an important decision by the FIVB Board.
This decision is part of a broader reform to the FIVB World Ranking system, which aims to better reflect the modern international volleyball landscape. The changes were approved by the Volleyball Council and are designed to foster greater participation by national teams across the globe — including those from smaller federations such as Scotland.
What’s Changing?
Under the new framework:
- Each Continental Confederation may now include up to two annual events in the World Ranking system.
- Each Zonal Association — including the CEV Small Countries — may include one annual zonal event.
- Competitions must feature at least four senior national teams to be eligible for ranking points.
This ensures that results from events like the SCA Championships will now contribute to the FIVB World Rankings, providing a tangible incentive for teams to participate regularly and perform consistently.
A New Opportunity for Scotland
Both the Scotland Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s teams will now have the chance to earn World Ranking Points at their respective 2025 SCA Championships this June:
- Men’s Championships: 13–15 June 2025, San Marino
Participating teams: Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, San Marino - Women’s Championships: 27–29 June 2025, Ireland
Participating teams: Scotland, Iceland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, San Marino
This is a major step forward for Scottish Volleyball on the international stage. Our teams’ performances at these events will now play a direct role in shaping their global ranking, creating new opportunities for international recognition, future competition invitations, and long-term development.
Inactivity Rule Update
The FIVB also approved an update to team inactivity rules. National teams were previously marked as “inactive” if they had not competed within one year. As of 2025, this period has been extended to two years, giving smaller nations more flexibility while continuing to promote consistent international participation.
Tracking Progress Over Time
The FIVB World Ranking system is a dynamic and credible tool that offers an accurate assessment of a team’s technical performance. For Scotland, this means our national squads can now benchmark their development year by year on the world stage.
With the 2025 Championships on the horizon, Scottish Volleyball looks forward to supporting our national teams as they Reach New Heights — now with World Ranking Points at stake.