Overview
Volleyball was invented by William G. Morgan in 1895 in Holyoke, Massachusetts, as a less physically demanding alternative to basketball. He originally named the new game "Mintonette" before observers noted its volleying nature and the sport was renamed volleyball. It made its way to the Olympic Games at Tokyo 1964 for both men and women, and has remained a fixture ever since.
Indoor volleyball is contested between two teams of six players separated by a net, with each team allowed up to three touches of the ball before returning it. A defensive specialist known as the libero plays alongside the team, wearing a different-coloured jersey and subject to special substitution rules. Matches are played to the best of five sets: the first four to 25 points and a deciding fifth to 15, always requiring a two-point margin of victory.
Beach volleyball was added to the Olympic programme at Atlanta 1996 and quickly became one of the most televised events of the Summer Games. Played outdoors on sand between teams of two — with no substitutions and no libero — beach volleyball strips the game to its essentials: serve, pass, set, attack, and defence, with each player required to be effective in every role. The sport is governed by the FIVB, founded in 1947, which has developed both formats over the decades to keep them among the world's most widely played team sports.
Featured News
Team Qatar Beach Volleyball 2 Defeat Sri Lanka at Aichi-Nagoya 2026
Aichi-Nagoya - Qatar’s beach volleyball team “Qatar 2”, comprising Mousa Al Khair and Ehab Mohammed, continued their winning run in Group D at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games with a deserved 2–1 victory over Sri Lanka in their second match of the competition.The Qatari pair registered their second consecutive victory after opening their campaign with a win over South Korea, underlining their strong form as they continue their steady progress towards the knockout rounds.The sets went Qatar’s way 21–10, 21–16 and 15–10 in a match in which the Qatari duo produced a strong performance and imposed their superiority through their high level of concentration, powerful hitting and effective management of the different stages of the match.Mousa Al Khair and Mohammed Ehab impressed throughout the three sets, helping them overcome their Sri Lankan opponents and record a second successive victory.Mohammed Salem Al Kuwari, General Supervisor of Qatar’s beach volleyball team, expressed his satisfaction with the performances of Mousa Al Khair and Mohammed Ehab during their participation in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, saying the pair are progressing steadily and have performed well since the start of the competition.Al Kuwari said: “Praise be to God, Mousa Al Khair and Mohammed Ehab have performed well so far and managed to win two consecutive matches. This is extremely positive and demonstrates their ability to handle the atmosphere and demands of Asian competition. We hope they can maintain the same consistency in their upcoming matches and achieve the results we are aiming for.”
Qatar Begin Gold-Medal Defence in Style with Victories over Philippines and South Korea
Aichi-Nagoya - Qatar beach volleyball team made a strong start to their Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games campaign, with Qatar 1 and Qatar 2 both recording convincing victories. The two wins reflected the readiness of the Qatari pairs and their determination to challenge for the leading positions and maintain Qatar’s strong record in beach volleyball at the continental level.Qatar 1, represented by Ahmed Tijan and Cherif Younousse, claimed a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Philippines in Group A, which also includes Oman. The Qatari pair dominated the opening set 21-7 before maintaining their superiority to take the second 21-10 and wrap up the match in straight sets.Tijan and Younousse produced a strong performance from the outset and controlled the match through their excellent understanding and high level of concentration in reception, attack and defence.
Qatar’s Beach Volleyball and 3x3 Basketball Teams Begin Asian Games Campaigns
Aichi–Nagoya - Qatar’s men’s beach volleyball teams will begin their Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games campaigns today, aiming to build on their previous achievements and retain the gold medal won at the last edition in Hangzhou, China.Qatar 1, comprising Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, will open their Group A campaign against the Philippines. The group also includes Oman.The Qatari pair will be aiming for a strong start that provides an important morale boost, strengthens their prospects of remaining in contention and helps them advance to the knockout stages.The participation of Younousse and Tijan carries particular significance as they are the defending Asian Games champions.Qatar 2, represented by Mousa Al-Khair and Mohammed Ehab, will also begin their campaign today when they face South Korea in Group D, which also features Thailand and Sri Lanka.In the women’s competition, Qatar 1’s Haya Ashraf and Laila Mohammed began their campaign with a difficult match against hosts Japan, losing 2–0. Qatar 2 will face Thailand today.Qatar 3×3 basketball begin campaign against Indonesia and Chinese TaipeiQatar’s men’s 3×3 basketball team will begin their Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games campaign today with two challenging matches against Indonesia and Chinese Taipei.Qatar enter this edition with high ambitions after winning the silver medal at the previous Asian Games in China. That achievement adds further significance to their current participation as they face a new challenge to deliver strong performances and maintain Qatar’s impressive presence in 3×3 basketball.Qatar’s squad comprises Mohammed Hashim, Hamad Yassin, Nizar Mahmoud and Mubarak Jameh. The coaching staff will rely on the players’ understanding, the experience gained from previous tournaments and competitions, and the team’s physical and technical readiness ahead of the opening matches.
Qatar Women’s Volleyball Team Face Hong Kong
Qatar women’s national volleyball team will face Hong Kong today in the third and final round of Group D at the 20th Asian Games – Aichi-Nagoya 2026 – in Japan. Qatar will be looking for victory to bounce back from yesterday’s 3-0 defeat to South Korea in the second round of Group D. The sets ended 25-6, 25-6 and 25-10.Qatar began their campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Vietnam.The women’s volleyball competition features 14 teams divided into four groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.Qatar women’s volleyball team will be aiming to finish the group stage with a victory and a positive result that builds on the experience gained from their participation in the Asian Games, which provides an important opportunity to compete against continental opposition and gain further experience for the future.