The FIVB Senior World Rankings is a ranking system for men's and women's national teams in volleyball. The teams of the member nations of Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), volleyball's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest. A points system is used, with points being awarded based on the results of all FIVB-recognised full international matches. The rankings are used in international competitions to define the seeded teams and arrange them in pools. Specific procedures for seeding and pooling are established by the FIVB in each competition's formula, but the method usually employed is the serpentine system. The ranking system has been revamped in 2020, responding to criticism that the preceding calculation method did not effectively reflect the relative strengths of the national teams. The old version of the ranking system was finally used on 31 January 2020. As of 23 July 2023, the highest ranked team in the men's category is Poland, while in the women's category is Turkey.

Previous calculation method

The system of point attribution for the selected FIVB World and Official Competitions below is as follows:

Current calculation method

In 2019, FIVB collaborated with Hypercube Business Innovation of the Netherlands to design a new world ranking platform. The previous calculation method had a problem of circularity in the international volleyball calendar: only countries who participate in the major volleyball events can earn ranking points, whilst the number of ranking points of countries also determines seeding and access of teams for major events. This unfair principle does not contribute to the sporting and commercial quality of volleyball. On 1 February 2020, the new ranking system will be implemented and will take into account all results from 1 January 2019. The system will be consistently updated to reflect the latest results and performances. The new World Ranking considers the match results from all official competitions: The rankings outcome of each match depends on two main factors:

Ranking Procedure

It is based on the zero-sum system, like CONCACAF Ranking Index or FIFA World ranking, where, after each game, points will be added to or subtracted from a team's rating according to the formula: where:

Match result

We set the result R=R_n, where n is the index of the actual result (set score)

Expected match result

The expected results is then calculated as where P_n is the probability of the outcome R_n obtained using the following model (known as Ordered probit): where \Phi(z) is the Cumulative distribution function of the Normal distribution, and are the cut-points set so that P_n is the probability of the outcome n between two equal strength opponents (that is when \Delta=0), which is derived from the actual match results of the past decade. The parameter \Delta represents the scaled difference of the teams rankings where:

Examples

Before the match at the FIVB Volleyball World Championship (K = 45), Brazil (Team A) is ranked number 1 with a 415 WR score and Japan (Team B) is ranked number 11 with a 192 WR score. Expected match result for Brazil: Expected match result for Japan: World Ranking scores for Brazil: World Ranking scores for Japan: World Ranking scores for Brazil: World Ranking scores for Japan: World Ranking scores for Brazil: World Ranking scores for Japan: World Ranking scores for Brazil: World Ranking scores for Japan: World Ranking scores for Brazil: World Ranking scores for Japan: World Ranking scores for Brazil: World Ranking scores for Japan:

World and Continental Rankings

The five Continental Rankings filter the World Ranking points won and lost in matches played between teams from the same Continental Confederation. Japan (Asian Volleyball Confederation) vs Italy (Confédération Européenne de Volleyball)<Br> The points calculated in FIVB World Rankings. Japan (Asian Volleyball Confederation) vs South Korea (Asian Volleyball Confederation)<Br> The points calculated in FIVB World Rankings, and AVC Continental Rankings.

FIVB World Rankings

Current men's top teams

Current women's top teams

Historic men's leaders

For historical men's FIVB rankings from October 2005 to present.

Historic women's leaders

For historical women's FIVB rankings from September 2005 to present.

Notes and references