Namibia’s men’s beach volleyball team Max and Jura Krafft heads into next month’s CAVB Zone VI Beach Volleyball Tour with renewed confidence after improving its position in the latest FIVB World Rankings.

According to the current rankings, Namibia is placed 121st in the world with 1,388 ranking points, making it one of the highest-ranked teams among the Southern African nations competing at the regional tournament in Swakopmund from 6 to 8 August.

Only Mozambique’s José Alberto Mondlane and Osvaldo Mungoi are ranked, ranked 87th with 1,916 points, sits above Namibia among the participating Zone VI countries. Botswana follows in 123rd position with 1,368 points, underlining the competitiveness expected at the regional event.

The rankings provide an encouraging boost for the host nation as it prepares to welcome teams from Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe for the fourth leg of the 5th CAVB Zone VI Beach Volleyball Tour.

The tournament, hosted by the Namibia Volleyball Federation (NVF) under the auspices of the Namibia Volleyball Federation (CAVB) and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), will offer valuable ranking points and international competition for the region’s top beach volleyball players. For the Namibian team, competing on home sand presents an opportunity to improve its world ranking while challenging some of the continent’s strongest beach volleyball nations.

The event is also expected to promote the continued growth of beach volleyball in Namibia by exposing local players to high-level international competition and inspiring more young athletes to take up the sport. With home advantage and strong regional standing, Namibia will be looking to translate its world ranking into a successful performance when the first serve is made on the beaches of Swakopmund from 6 to 8 August 2026.

By Rudi Bowe