Both the men's and women's Russian national volleyball teams have returned to the world rankings after the International Olympic Committee lifted their ban.
On 9 Jul 2026 GMT+7, following the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to temporarily lift the ban on the Russian Olympic Committee, various sports resumed participation. Consequently, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) reinstated Russia's men's and women's volleyball teams into the world rankings after they had been removed since 2022.
Upon returning to the world rankings, Russia regained the points that had been frozen before their suspension, placing the men's team at 3rd in the world with 352.10 points.
Meanwhile, the women's team re-entered the rankings at 9th place globally with 277.59 points, despite not having competed internationally for more than four years.
Rejoining the world rankings also enhances Russia's opportunity to return to the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in 2027, as world rankings are used to determine promotion rights for teams not participating in the current season; the highest-ranked team can replace relegated teams.
Although Russia is back in the world rankings, the FIVB has yet to officially announce when it will permit Russia to rejoin international competitions. Previously, the IOC allowed each sports federation to decide on the return of Russian athletes and teams at their discretion.
This decision has sparked criticism among volleyball fans worldwide, many questioning the fairness of the ranking system, since over the past four years many nations have had to actively compete and accumulate points to maintain their rankings, while Russia has not played a single match yet still retains its frozen points and a higher world ranking than several continuously competing countries.
If Russia is approved to compete in the 2027 VNL, it will intensify competition since Russia is a volleyball powerhouse with multiple major championships and has consistently ranked among the top teams worldwide, leading many to believe Russia can immediately perform at a high level again.
At the same time, Russia's return may impact many nations fighting to keep their VNL spots, as the competition to avoid relegation and secure tournament berths will become tougher, especially for mid- and lower-ranked teams facing increased pressure from a returning volleyball giant like Russia.