A decisive moment in the history of volleyball’s first 100 years was certainly that of the founding of the FIVB (Federation Internationale de Volleyball) when in April 1947 representatives of 14 countries (Belgium, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, France, Netherlands, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Uruguay, USA and Yugoslavia) met in Paris under the leadership of France’s Paul Libaud to found the FIVB. Mr. Libaud, President of the French Federation, was elected first President of the FIVB. The headquarters were established in Paris, where they remained for the first 37 years until 1984 when Mexico’s Dr. Rubén Acosta took over the Presidency from Libaud.
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| The Beginning of the FIVB World Championships | |
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The first World Championships were organised in 1949 for Men and 1952 for Women and both have remained the biggest events in volleyball, along with the Olympic Games, since 1964. The world competitions immediately generated enthusiasm, and the number of players and National Federations affiliated with the FIVB grew by leaps and bounds. Volleyball fever had caught on just about everywhere and increased rapidly. FIVB promoted events began to multiply.
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Olympic Games
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 | Testifying to the prestige attained in 1959 at the IOC session in Munich, volleyball was included as a medal sport in the Olympic Games. The game was played with 10 Men’s and six Women’s teams for the first time at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where the Japanese Women and USSR Men won gold medals. Consequently, the Volleyball phenomenon started in Japan soon after the Games. Thirty-two years later, at the Atlanta Games, Beach Volleyball, one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, made its Olympic debut as Volleyball’s successful second discipline. |
| The World Cup | |
| In 1965, Poland hosted the first World Cup for Men before Uruguay hosted the first World Cup for Women in 1973. Following the first two editions for Men and the first edition for Women, Japan gave new life to Men’s and Women’s World Cups by staging the third and second editions respectively in 1977. From there on until today, with the sponsorship of Fuji Television, the quadrennial World Cup has become a major event and qualifies three teams for the Olympic Games. |
| Members rising | |
| From the 14 founding members the FIVB grew to 45 in 1955, 89 in 1964 and 101 in 1968, distributed over the five continents: 25 in Europe, 25 in Asia, 25 in Africa, 11 in South America, and 15 in NORCECA (North, Central America and the Caribbean). Today the Federation counts 220 affiliated National Federations including 53 in Africa, 65 in Asia, 56 in Europe, 34 in NORCECA and 12 in South America. |
| Dr Rubén Acosta succeeds President Paul Libaud | |
 | One of the big turning points for the FIVB came in 1984 when President Paul Libaud, by then in his 80s and highly acclaimed for having founded the Federation and making it a significant reality on the world sports stage, resigned after 37 years of leadership. Dr. Rubén Acosta was elected new President to succeed Libaud at the World Congress in Long Beach, California. |
| The Move | |
| The FIVB moved its headquarters to Lausanne, Switzerland, the same year, bringing it closer to the International Olympic Committee and providing a wonderful base to promote the sport in worldwide competitions held in the five continents (Asia, Africa, Europe, South America and NORCECA). |
| From game to great TV spectacle | |
| At the same time, volleyball went through a number of modifications to change the face of the sport. The need to make it more telegenic in order to attract fans and sponsors led to major modifications in 1998, such as the introduction of the Rally Point System, the Libero player, the “let ball in play” rule and many other new rules that makes the game much more attractive. |
| Change at the helm in 2008 | |
 | Mr Jizhong Wei of China became the third President in the history of the FIVB after the 31st FIVB World Congress in Dubai approved by acclamation his election following the retirement of Dr. Rubén Acosta after 24 years of outstanding success. Mr Wei, who will be President until elections are held in 2012, immediately ushered in a new era of development for the FIVB with specific concentration being made to support national federations and confederations in their activities and the growth of volleyball around the world. |
| Investing in development and further federation support | |
| The FIVB spent more in development during 2009 than any other year in its history by allocating increased financial resources to the FIVB confederations to help national federations. The key behind the new initiative is increased support for grass roots development, with the beneficiary in the long term being volleyball right around the world.
In 2010, the FIVB pledged to increase federation support both financially and in terms of resources. A ground-breaking development fund, controlled by the FIVB, was launched to work in line with the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity program where all FIVB national federations have the opportunity to propose projects for funding through their continental confederations. |
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| A brand new FIVB | |
 | In 2011 the FIVB launched a new rebranding and marketing campaign in order to usher in a new era for volleyball and beach volleyball. As part of the rebranding a new FIVB logo was unveiled while a key marketing campaign – FIVB Heroes – was launched at the FIVB’s key events aimed at elevating the sport of volleyball globally through its biggest stars. |
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| FIVB-United Nations collaboration | |
 | The UN and the FIVB signed a Global Partnership for
Development agreement in 2011 where both organisations
announced their intention to promote shared values, to
drive forward international development and to support
the attainment of the UN Millennium Development Goals
throughout the world. |
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| New President in 2012 | |
 | Dr. Ary S. Graça F° was elected as the fourth FIVB President at the FIVB Congress at Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, USA on September 21, 2012, taking over the presidency from Mr Jizhong Wei. Dr. Ary S. Graça F° had previously been president of the Brazil Volleyball Federation and the South American Confederation (CSV), as well as a member of the FIVB Board of Administration. |
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| Today and tomorrow | |
| The FIVB consists of 220 affiliated federations and governs,
manages and promotes all forms of volleyball and beach
volleyball worldwide through tournaments such as the
World Championships, World League, World Grand
Prix, World Cup, Grand Champions Cup, Club World
Championships, FIVB Swatch World Tour, FIVB Swatch
World Championships, Beach Volleyball Continental
Cup and Beach Volleyball World Cup, Junior and Youth
tournaments and, of course, the Olympics. |
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KEY DATES
1954: Asian Confederation is created as a Zone Commission
1958: South America is created as a Zone Commission
1963: European Confederation is created as a Zone Commission
1967: African Confederation is created as a Zone Commission
1969: NORCECA (North, Central American and Caribbean) Confederation is created as a Zone Commission
1972: The five Continental Zone Sport Commissions are recognized as Continental Confederations.
1993: FIVB becomes the largest sports organisation in the world with 210 affiliated member associations.
FIVB PRESIDENTS
1947-1984 Paul Libaud (FRA)
1984-2008 Rubén Acosta (MEX)
2008-2012 Jizhong Wei (CHN)
2012- Ary Graça (BRA)
FIVB WORLD CONGRESS HISTORY
| Dates | Location | Number of delegates from NF* |
| 1 | 18-20 Apr 1947 | Paris (FRA) | 14 |
| 2 | 12-18 Sept 1949 | Prague (CZE) | 11 |
| 3 | 18-22 Sept 1951 | Paris (FRA) | 23 |
| 4 | 14-16 Nov 1953 | Bucharest (ROM) | 20 |
| 5 | 25-27 Nov 1955 | Florence (ITA) | 23 |
| 6 | 7-8 Sept 1957 | Moscow (RUS) | 30 |
| 7 | 2-6 Oct 1959 | Budapest (HUN) | 32 |
| 8 | 6-11 Sept 1961 | Marseille (FRA) | 34 |
| 9 | 16-20 Oct 1964 | Tokyo (JPN) | 46 |
| 10 | 8-10 Sept 1966 | Prague (CZE) | 47 |
| 11 | 18-22 Oct 1968 | Mexico City (MEX) | 74 |
| 12 | 25-29 Sept 1970 | Sofia (BUL) | 70 |
| 13 | 4-6 Sept 1972 | Munich (GER) | 81 |
| 14 | 9-10 Oct 1974 | Mexico City (MEX) | 79 |
| 15 | 28-29 July 1976 | Montreal (CAN) | 77 |
| 16 | 29-30 Sept 1978 | Rome (ITA) | 70 |
| 17 | 31 July - 1 Aug 1980 | Moscow (RUS) | 84 |
| 18 | 29-30 Sept 1982 | Buenos Aires (ARG) | 88 |
| 19 | 25-26 July 1984 | Los Angeles (USA) | 90 |
| 20 | 5-6 Sept 1986 | Prague (CZE) | 62 |
| 21 | 14-15 Sept 1988 | Seoul (KOR) | 91 |
| 22 | 13-14 Oct 1990 | Rio de Janeiro (BRA) | 101 |
| 23 | 21-22 July 1992 | Barcelona (ESP) | 110 |
| 24 | 23-24 Sept 1994 | Athens (GRE) | 134 |
| 25 | 14-16 July 1996 | Atlanta (USA) | 134 |
| 26 | 26-28 Oct 1998 | Tokyo (JPN) | 139 |
| 27 | 2-4 Aug 2000 | Seville (ESP) | 156 |
| 28 | 21-23 Sept 2002 | Buenos Aires (ARG) | 177 |
| 29 | 12-13 May 2004 | Porto (POR) | 168 |
| 30 | 23-25 Oct 2006 | Tokyo (JPN) | 196 |
| 31 | 16-17 June 2008 | Dubai (UAE) | 184 |
| 32 | 9-10 Sept 2010 | Rome (ITA) | 195 |
| 33 | 19-21 Sept 2012 | Anaheim (USA) | 206 |
| 34 | 30 Oct-Nov 1 2014 | Cagliari (ITA) | 210 |
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| * incl. proxies |
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