Volleyball World and CAA China Announce Exclusive Partnership to Accelerate Growth in China

Volleyball World, the commercial arm of the FIVB responsible for driving the sport’s global growth and fan experience, today announces an exclusive partnership with CAA (Creative Artists Agency) China aimed at accelerating the commercial development and market presence of its premier properties in China, one of the most important and high-potential markets for international volleyball.

The partnership will focus on raising the commercial profile of Volleyball World’s flagship products, including the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), the FIVB Volleyball World Championship, and the newly introduced FIVB Beach World Series. CAA China will also play a key role in supporting the launch and growth of the Beach World Series in China as it kicks off in November 2026.

China represents a cornerstone market for Volleyball World, underpinned by the women’s Indoor national team’s strong Olympic legacy, a generation of star athletes, and consistently strong fan engagement. Recent events have further demonstrated the scale of opportunity, with the Volleyball World Championships delivering exceptional audiences across both the men’s and women’s competitions. The FIVB Women’s World Championship 2025 generated more than 1.1 billion views across broadcast and digital platforms in China, including over 500 million viewers on CCTV5 during prime-time coverage and a further 638 million views through Douyin streamer partnerships, while the FIVB Men’s World Championship also attracted multi-million audiences for China matches, reinforcing volleyball’s position as one of the country’s most followed international sports.

Under the agreement, CAA China will leverage its deep expertise and extensive network across sport, media and entertainment to drive and support Volleyball World’s long-term growth strategy in the region, helping to unlock new commercial partnerships and deepen engagement with fans, broadcasters and stakeholders.

The partnership builds on Volleyball World’s recent announcement of upcoming VNL events in China, with Nanjing hosting the women’s pool and Linyi the men’s pool, followed by the women’s Finals in Macao and the men’s Finals returning to Ningbo for a second consecutive year. Together, these events further strengthen Volleyball World’s on-the-ground presence in China.

CAA China has a long-standing presence in local market and has consistently collaborating with leading global and regional sports organizations, content platforms, and cross-sector brands. Its operations span sports, film, television and digital entertainment, playing an instrumental role in connecting premium global sports properties with the Chinese and broader markets, including UEFA Euro, UEFA Champions League, Asian Games, and the Australian Open. Its China operations are led by Mary Gu, a highly respected executive with deep experience across sport, major events and international partnerships.

Volleyball World CEO Ugo Valensi said:

“China is a strategic priority for Volleyball World. The passion for volleyball, the success of the national teams, and the scale of the audience makes it one of the most exciting and fastest growing markets in the world. Partnering with CAA China allows us to fully realise the commercial potential of our events in China and build a sustainable platform for long-term growth.”

CAA China CEO Mary Gu added:

“Partnering with Volleyball World represents an important step for CAA China. With volleyball enjoying a well-established and stable audience base in China, CAA China will leverage its local market experience and resources to support the long-term development of the sport and its commercial properties.”