The CAVA Women’s Volleyball Championship, set to take place from Friday in Kathmandu, is not merely a tournament for Nepal; it is a decisive turning point that will determine Nepal’s international ranking and its future at the Asian level.
Right now, it’s not just the captain of the Nepali team that has changed; nearly half the players in the squad have been replaced. Six players have entered the national team at once. How Nepal performs in this competition will determine a great deal about the future standing of Nepali women’s volleyball.
Since this tournament is also an FIVB ranking event, Nepal’s world ranking is directly at stake.
Because this is a ranking competition, Nepal will receive an FIVB ranking upon participating. According to officials of the Nepal Volleyball Association and the head coaches, Nepal’s inclusion in the rankings is certain. The exact ranking will depend on Nepal’s performance.
Furthermore, if Nepal wins the championship title, the Association claims Nepal’s ranking could improve significantly, potentially placing them in the top 60 in the women’s world rankings.
Nepal was once ranked 86th. However, due to not regularly playing in internationally recognised ranking competitions, Nepal is currently not ranked. Nepal had competed in the 19th Asian Games in China in 2023 and finished 11th. If Nepal wins this championship, its Asian ranking would also improve considerably, likely placing it within the top 20 in Asia.
The CAVA Women’s Volleyball Championship includes strong teams from Central Asia, such as Iran and Kazakhstan. Nepal’s group contains neighbouring India and Kyrgyzstan. All four of those teams currently hold FIVB rankings, while Nepal does not. If Nepal defeats ranked teams in the group stage, they will face other ranked teams in the knockout stage, and beating more of them would greatly benefit Nepal’s ranking.
This tournament is therefore important not only for Nepal to perform well, but also to secure a world ranking.
If Nepal wins the title with a stellar performance on home soil, it would not only earn a ranking but also qualify to compete at the Asian Cup. According to Nepal Volleyball Association President Jitendra Chand, if Nepal wins the CAVA Women’s Volleyball Championship, the country will earn a spot in the Women’s Asian Cup. The Asian Volleyball Confederation currently hosts various competitions at the Asian level, and qualifying for the Asian Cup would open doors to other Asian-level tournaments as well.
The Nepali women’s team has never played in the Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship. At one point, Nepal was scheduled to compete in a championship held in the Philippines, but the opportunity was lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nepal also has an opportunity to establish itself as the best team in CAVA on home soil. At the same time, there is the sting of having failed to win the title on home turf in the last two CAVA competitions. A championship win would be a chance to erase that pain.
In 2023, Nepal finished third at the CAVA Women’s Volleyball Challenge Cup held in Kathmandu. And in 2024, Nepal reached the final of the CAVA Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup in Kathmandu but fell to India in the final, settling for runners-up. In that edition, Nepal had made history by defeating India in the league stage, but could not replicate that performance in the final, as India claimed the title.
India and Nepal have become familiar rivals, having played each other many times on Nepali soil. The Nepali court has seemed to suit India as well. This time, Nepal is set to open the group stage against India on Friday. If Nepal beats India in the very first match, team morale would soar and carry momentum into subsequent games.
Nepal is being led in this tournament by outside hitter Niruta Thagunna as captain. Her 14-member squad includes 6 players making their national team debut. Rima Kunwar has also made a return to the national squad. While 8 players have prior international experience, this is also a great opportunity for the 6 new young players to gain international exposure right on home court. It will serve as a test for them as well, a chance to secure their places in the national team and raise their level of play.
