KATHMANDU, Nepal — Iran’s women’s national volleyball team completed an unbeaten campaign to win the 2026 Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Women’s Championship, capturing the regional title for the second consecutive year and making a significant climb in the world rankings.
Perfect Run Ends with Gold Medal
The second edition of the CAVA Women’s Championship was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, featuring eight teams from Central and South Asia. Iran entered the tournament ranked 47th in the world and delivered a flawless performance, winning all six of its matches. The team defeated Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Nepal and Kazakhstan again in the final to secure the championship trophy.
In the gold-medal match, Iran overcame Kazakhstan 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-15, 25-21), finishing the tournament undefeated and successfully defending the title it won a year earlier.
Six-Place Rise in World Rankings
Iran’s dominant performance earned valuable ranking points and resulted in a six-place jump in the FIVB Women’s World Rankings. The achievement reflects the steady progress of the national team as it continues to establish itself among Asia’s emerging volleyball powers.
Fatemeh Khalili Named MVP Again
The tournament’s Dream Team was announced following the final, with Iran’s Fatemeh Khalili once again receiving the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. It marked the second consecutive edition in which the Iranian libero earned the competition’s highest individual honor.
Khalili also played a key role in the final victory, while Elaheh Poorsaleh and Reyhaneh Karimi were among Iran’s top scorers throughout the championship.
Squad and Coaching Staff
Iran’s championship-winning roster included Shabnam Alikhani, Sepinoud Dastbarjan, Reyhaneh Karimi, Elaheh Poorsaleh, Zahra Karimi, Fatemeh Khalili, Zahra Salehi, Masoumeh Ghadami, Seyedeh Negar Hashemi, Hasti Vahedi, Negar Abbasi, Aida Valinejad, Yasna Ahankoub and Shaghayegh Hassankhani.
The team was led by South Korean head coach Lee Do-hee, assisted by Sargol Alizadeh and Fatemeh Hasani Saadi, with Mojgan Hassanzadeh serving as team manager.
Next Stop: Asian Women’s Cup
Following their triumph in Kathmandu, the Iranian women will travel to the Philippines for an overseas training camp and preparations for the upcoming AVC Women’s Cup, where they will face stronger continental opposition as they continue their push toward higher international rankings.
With back-to-back CAVA titles, an unbeaten tournament record and growing confidence on the international stage, Iran’s women’s volleyball team has taken another important step in its rise within Asian volleyball.
From: IRNA