Volleyball in Cameroon: the Lionesses, queens of Africa

The Lionesses: three African titles in a row

Long behind Kenya, Egypt and Algeria, Cameroon's women reached the African Championship final in 1999 and 2013, then won the title in 2017 in Yaoundé, in 2019 in Cairo and in 2021 in Kigali, beating Kenya to it each time. They then finished third in 2023 on home soil, and third again in 2026 in Nairobi.

At the African Games, the Lionesses reached four consecutive finals (2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019), after finishing third in 1991. Coach Jean-René Akono led the team from 2014 to 2023, covering all three title runs; the German Peter Nonnenbroich succeeded him in 2023. Players from that generation include captain Christelle Nana Tchoudjang and setter Stéphanie Fotso Mogoung, both of whom played in Rio.

Olympic Games and World Championships

The Lionesses booked their place in Rio by winning the African qualifying tournament, held in Yaoundé from 12 to 16 February 2016. At the Games, drawn in a pool with Brazil, Russia, South Korea, Japan and Argentina, they lost all five matches (winning two sets and losing fifteen) and finished 11th. It remains Cameroonian volleyball's only Olympic appearance.

For the 2025 World Championship in Thailand, their fifth, the Lionesses qualified through their third place at the 2023 African Championship; they faced Japan, Serbia and Ukraine. They also played the 2019 FIVB World Cup (12th). Wikipedia lists them as qualified for the 2027 World Championship.

The men's team

Cameroon's men were African champions in 1989 in Abidjan and in 2001 in Port Harcourt, runners-up in 1987, 1997, 2011, 2019 and 2021, and third in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2017. They also won the African Games in 1987 (Nairobi), 1999 (Johannesburg) and 2011 (Maputo). The team has played six World Championships since 1990, its best result being 13th place in Italy in 2010, and finished 8th at the 1989 World Cup. As of 1 October 2026 it was ranked 49th in the FIVB world rankings.

Clubs and league

The national league is decided by a Final Four sponsored by the state telecoms operator Camtel (the Camtel Volleyball Championship). In May 2022 in Yaoundé, it pitted Bafia Volleyball Evolution (BVE) against the Armed Forces and Police (FAP) in the women's competition, and Cameroun Sport against the Douala Port Authority (PAD) in the men's. The following month BVE completed the double by also winning the Cameroon Cup against FAP in a fifth-set decider; in the men's event, Cameroun Sport retained the Cup, again against FAP.

We could not find a complete, up-to-date list of national league winners published online, nor the champions for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

The federation and the 2023 dispute

On 20 January 2023 Bello Bourdanne was elected president of Fécavolley, through an electoral process launched under the government's July 2022 directives on renewing federation boards. His predecessor, Serge Abouem, rejected the result, arguing that CAVB and FIVB rules had not been followed and that only the sitting president could convene the general assembly. The FIVB had warned in a letter dated 19 January 2023 that it might refuse to recognise an election that did not meet its requirements.

On 25 April 2023, a sports ministry statement, attributed by Journal du Cameroun to Gabriel Nloga, ruled in Bello Bourdanne's favour, describing Serge Abouem's claims as “imposture” and “usurpation of title”. According to the same outlet, the election was approved by the ministry and recognised by the National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSC), CAVB and FIVB.

Frequently asked questions