The Venezuela women's volleyball team has gone missing on its way to a world grand prix tournament in Canberra, leaving officials scratching their heads just hours before they were due to play.

Volleyball Australia officials were left waiting at Canberra Airport at 6am on Saturday after being told the team was flying on the Venezuelan Presidential jet.

But the aircraft didn't show up and Canberra Airport staff had no knowledge of the arrival details.

After some digging, Volleyball Australia was told the team was in Cape Town and expected to arrive in Perth at 8pm on Saturday, despite being scheduled to play in Canberra at 7pm.

However, it's believed officials fear the team will not show up at all and the grand prix tournament in the capital has been used as a smokescreen for players to escape Venezuela's political and economic unrest.

Clashes between police and protesters have killed more than 100 people and injured 1500 in the anti-government protests since April. President Nicolas Maduro faces pressure to cancel plans to create a new super body called a Constituent Assembly, which would have powers to rewrite the constitution.

Amid the crisis, applications for asylum lodged by Venezuelan nationals have added to 52,000 already this year against 27,000 in 2016, the United Nations refugee agency said this week. This represented "only a fraction" of those in need of safe harbour from violence and food shortages, it said.

The women's volleyball team only qualified last week to play in Canberra and needed to book last-minute flights, which could be a major factor in their troubles of trying to find appropriate flights.

It seems unlikely the team would be granted access to the Presidential jet at an unstable time in the country.

The team was expected to arrive in Canberra on Friday, but never showed up. Volleyball Australia officials have since been told the Venezuela ambassador to Australia will meet the team in Perth to help fast-track any visa problems.

The FIVB, the international volleyball body, has told Volleyball Australia to cancel the clash on Saturday night. The Venezuelan embassy is still waiting for details and is expected to provide an update on Saturday night.

It is hoped the team will arrive in Canberra by Sunday to play in a bronze-medal match. However, no one can confirm where the team is, when they will arrive or if they will play.

"We are really hoping the team will make it in time," said Volleyball Australia chief executive Mathieu Meriaux.

"We've been preparing to play the semi-final. We are very disappointed that the game will probably not go ahead [on Saturday night], but we are still hoping they can make it before the bronze-medal game on Sunday."

Australia, Venezuela, Hungary and France are the four teams in the FIVB grand prix group three finals at the AIS Arena.

The bronze medal match will be played at 1pm on Sunday before the grand final at 4pm.

Australia will advance straight to the grand final in Venezuela do not show up, while Hungary and France will square off in the other semi-final.

The Australian team, the Volleyroos, are riding high after breaking through two weeks ago for their first win outside of an Olympic Games since 1982.

Volleyroos captain Beth Carey said the team was keen to build on its drought-breaking triumph.

"There is a lot of confidence going around the team," Carey said.

"We've played some really good sets and if we find the consistency we can beat any of the teams that are here. I think the girls are pretty excited and eager for the challenge."