The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships is the double-gender world championship for the sport of beach volleyball organized by the (FIVB) the sport's global governing body. The first official edition of the event was held in Los Angeles, United States in 1997 and tournaments had been awarded every two years since then. Before 1997, ten unofficial championships not organized by the FIVB were all held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between 1987 and 1996. The most recent World Championships took place in Australia in 2025.
Winning the World Championships is considered to be one of the highest honours in international beach volleyball, surpassing the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour and being surpassed only by the beach volleyball tournament at the Summer Olympic Games.
Format The tournament has a 48-team main draw per gender and consists of two stages: the group stage followed by the knockout stage. The prize pool for each gender is US$500,000.
Editions First Beach Volleyball World Championships were held from 10 to 13 September 1997 in Los Angeles, California (United States). It was the first official edition of this event, after 10 unofficial championships between 1987 and 1996.
EditionYearHost cityHost countryEvents1987–1996: 10 Unofficial World Championships before recognition by FIVB11997 Los Angeles 221999 Marseille 232001 Klagenfurt - Maria Wörth - Velden 242003 Rio de Janeiro 252005 Berlin 262007 Gstaad 272009 Stavanger 282011 Rome 292013 Stare Jabłonki 2102015 The Hague - Amsterdam - Apeldoorn - Rotterdam 2112017 Vienna 2122019 Hamburg 2132022 Rome 2142023 Tlaxcala - Apizaco - Huamantla 2152025 Adelaide 2162027 The Hague - Amsterdam - Apeldoorn - Rotterdam 2
Men's tournament YearHost cityGold medal matchBronze medal matchTeamsGold MedalistsScoreSilver Medalists Bronze MedalistsScore4th place1997DetailsLos AngelesRogério Ferreiraand Guilherme Marques2–1Canyon Cemanand Mike WhitmarshDain Blantonand Kent SteffesPaulão Moreiraand Paulo Emilio Silvawas not played, both pairs who lost at semi-finals were awarded a bronze medals561999DetailsMarseilleJosé Loiolaand Emanuel Rego1–0Martin Lacigaand Paul LacigaRogério Ferreiraand Guilherme Marques1–0Javier Bosmaand Fabio Díez872001DetailsAustriaMariano Baracettiand Martín Conde2–1José Loiolaand Ricardo SantosVegard Høidalenand Jørre Kjemperud2–0Rob Heidgerand Chip McCaw482003DetailsRio de JaneiroEmanuel Regoand Ricardo Santos2–0Dax Holdrenand Stein MetzgerMárcio Araújoand Benjamin Insfran2–0 awarded(walkover)João Brenhaand Miguel Maia482005DetailsBerlinMárcio Araújoand Fábio Luiz Magalhães2–0Sascha Heyerand Paul LacigaJulius Brinkand Kjell Schneider2–1Marvin Polteand Thorsten Schön482007DetailsGstaadPhil Dalhausser2–0Dmitri Barsukand Igor KolodinskyAndrew Schachtand Joshua Slack2–0Emanuel Regoand Ricardo Santos482009DetailsStavangerJulius Brinkand Jonas Reckermann2–0Alison Ceruttiand Harley Marques SilvaPhil Dalhausserand Todd Rogers2–0David Klempererand Eric Koreng482011DetailsRomeAlison Cerutti2–0Márcio Araújoand Ricardo SantosJulius Brinkand Jonas Reckermann2–1Mārtiņš Pļaviņšand Jānis Šmēdiņš482013DetailsStare JabłonkiAlexander Brouwer2–0Álvaro Morais Filhoand Ricardo SantosJonathan Erdmannand Kay Matysik2–0Alison Ceruttiand Emanuel Rego482015DetailsNetherlandsAlison Cerutti2–1Reinder Nummerdorand Christiaan VarenhorstEvandro Oliveiraand Pedro Solberg2–0Theo Brunnerand Nick Lucena482017DetailsViennaEvandro Oliveira2–0Clemens Dopplerand Alexander HorstViacheslav Krasilnikovand Nikita Liamin2–0Maarten van Garderenand Christiaan Varenhorst482019DetailsHamburgOleg Stoyanovskiy2–1Julius Tholeand Clemens WicklerAnders Moland Christian Sørum2–1Tri Bourneand Trevor Crabb482022DetailsRomeAnders Moland Christian Sørum2–0Renato Carvalhoand Vitor FelipeAndré Steinand George Wanderley2–1Chaim Schalkand Theodore Brunner482023DetailsMexicoOndřej Perušičand David Schweiner2–1David Åhmanand Jonatan HellvigBartosz Łosiakand Michał Bryl2–0Trevor Crabband Theodore Brunner482025DetailsAdelaideDavid Åhmanand Jonatan Hellvig2–0Jacob Nilssonand Elmer AnderssonTéo Rotarand Arnaud Gauthier-Rat2–0Nils Ehlersand Clemens Wickler48
Medals table
Women's tournament YearHost cityGold medal matchBronze medal matchTeamsGold MedalistsScoreSilver Medalists Bronze MedalistsScore4th place1997DetailsLos AngelesSandra Piresand Jackie Silva2–1Lisa Arceand Holly McPeakShelda Bedeand Adriana BeharKarolyn Kirbyand Nancy Renowas not played, both pairs who lost at semi-finals were awarded a bronze medals451999DetailsMarseilleShelda Bedeand Adriana Behar1–0Annett Davisand Jenny Johnson JordanLiz Masakayanand Elaine Youngs1–0 awarded(walkover)Sandra Piresand Adriana Samuel712001DetailsAustriaShelda Bedeand Adriana Behar2–0Tatiana Minelloand Sandra PiresEva Celbováand Soňa Nováková2–0Barbra Fontanaand Elaine Youngs472003DetailsRio de JaneiroMisty Mayand Kerri Walsh2–0Shelda Bedeand Adriana BeharNatalie Cookand Nicole Sanderson2–0Annett Davisand Jenny Johnson Jordan472005DetailsBerlinMisty May-Treanorand Kerri Walsh2–0Larissa Françaand Juliana SilvaTian Jiaand Wang Fei2–0Dalixia Fernándezand Tamara Larrea482007DetailsGstaadMisty May-Treanorand Kerri Walsh2–0Tian Jiaand Wang JieLarissa Françaand Juliana Silva2–1Xue Chenand Zhang Xi482009DetailsStavangerJennifer Kessyand April Ross2–0Larissa Françaand Juliana SilvaMaria Elisa Antonelliand Talita Antunes2–0Shelda Bedeand Ana Paula Connelly482011DetailsRomeLarissa Françaand Juliana Silva2–1Misty May-Treanorand Kerri WalshXue Chenand Zhang Xi2–0Lenka Háječkováand Hana Klapalová482013DetailsStare JabłonkiXue Chenand Zhang Xi2–1Karla Borgerand Britta BütheLiliane Maestriniand Bárbara Seixas2–0Whitney Pavlikand April Ross482015DetailsNetherlandsÁgatha Bednarczukand Bárbara Seixas2–0Fernanda Alvesand Taiana LimaMaria Elisa Antonelliand Juliana Silva2–1Katrin Holtwickand Ilka Semmler482017DetailsViennaLaura Ludwigand Kira Walkenhorst2–1April Rossand Lauren FendrickLarissa Françaand Talita Antunes2–1Sarah Pavanand Melissa Humana-Paredes482019DetailsHamburgSarah Pavanand Melissa Humana-Paredes2–0Alix Klinemanand April RossTaliqua Clancyand Mariafe Artacho del Solar2–0Nina Betschartand Tanja Hüberli482022DetailsRomeEduarda Santos Lisboaand Ana Patrícia Ramos2–0Sophie Bukovecand Brandie WilkersonSvenja Müllerand Cinja Tillmann2–1Joana Heidrichand Anouk Vergé-Dépré482023DetailsMexicoSara Hughesand Kelly Cheng2–0Ana Patrícia Ramosand Eduarda Santos LisboaKristen Nussand Taryn Kloth2–1Mariafe Artacho del Solarand Taliqua Clancy482025DetailsAdelaideTīna Graudiņaand Anastasija Samoilova2–1Kristen Nussand Taryn BrasherCarolina Solberg Salgadoand Rebecca Cavalcante2–0Thâmela Coradello Galiland Victória Lopes48
Medals table
Combined medal table
See also Beach volleyball at the Summer Olympics FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour European Beach Volleyball Tour FIVB Beach Volleyball U23 World Championships FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championships FIVB Beach Volleyball U19 World Championships FIVB Beach Volleyball U17 World Championships
References
External links Fédération Internationale de Volleyball – official website 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships – official website