2009 FIVB World League

WL History

The World League was created in 1990 as part of the intensive marketing program that would become a distinctive mark of the FIVB's activities near the end of the century.

The idea was to promote the sport of volleyball by establishing an annual competition that would appeal to audiences all over the world. At that point, international competitions involving top volleyball teams (i.e., the Olympic Games and World Championship) took place only in four-year cycles, and were usually confined to a host city or nation. By contrast, the World League was designed to be played on a one-year basis, with a system of rotating cities that allowed every team to host a number of matches in the preliminary round. Further restrictions on participation, such as mandatory local broadcasting, ensured massive TV and media coverage.

At the turn of the century, the World League was fully consolidated as a major international volleyball event. Generous rewards in cash - from 1990 to 2004, the total sum spent on prize money jumped from $1 to $13 million dollars - made up for the competition's relative lack of tradition and prestige in the eyes of the national federations.