The 24th edition of the CAVB Men’s African Nations Championship got underway in Cairo, Egypt on Wednesday with 15 teams vying for the continental title.
The competition, which is held every two years, is being held at four arenas located at Cairo International Stadium.
Organisers provided a nice show during the opening ceremony at Hall 2 of the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday night. Volleyball fans were treated to an amazing display of Egyptian culture and music, complete with a touch of colour provided by laser lights and artificial flares.
The opening ceremony of the CAVB Men’s African Nations Championship was a fantastic cultural celebration (Photo credits: SAMUEL GACHARIRA)
The technical meeting was held on Saturday night where the 15 participating teams were drawn in four pools. Pool B, C and D have four teams each while Pool A has three; namely hosts and second seeds Egypt, Algeria and Burundi.
Defending and record African champions, Tunisia, who are seeking a fourth consecutive title, headline Pool B which also has Tanzania, Mali and debutants Chad.
Two-time champions Cameroon are in Pool C with Kenya, Ghana and Libya. Pool D has fourth seeds Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal and Gambia.
Egypt got off to a flying start in their opening match, beating Burundi in straight sets (25-11,25-08, 25-10) on Sunday night.
After the preliminary round, the tournament will enter Round of 16, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and final where the champion will be decided.
This year’s edition is also a pathway to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with teams jostling for crucial ranking points that will enable them to qualify at next year’s Summer Games.
Fans can watch the action on CAVB Live Streaming page on Facebook.