The AVC Men's Volleyball Champions League is an annual continental club volleyball competition organised by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), and contested by Asia and Oceania's top-division volleyball clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition in Asia and Oceanian volleyball, played by the national league champions (and, for some nations, one or more runners-up) of their national federations.
Introduced in 1999 as the AVC Cup Men's Club Tournament, the competition rebranded as Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship in 2004. It was rebranded again in 2025 to its current name.
Despite its name implying a league format, the competition is structured as a tournament featuring 12 elite clubs from across Asia and Oceania. The champion and runner-up of the competition earn qualification for the prestigious FIVB Men's Volleyball Club World Championship.
The most successful club in the competition is Paykan Tehran with a total of eight titles. Iran's teams have been dominating the tournament by winning 17 times, the most for any nation. The current Asian club champions are Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi from Indonesia, who defeated Foolad Sirjan Iranian from Iran (3–0) in the 2026 final.
History The competition began in 1999 when the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) announced the establishment of the first official men's and women's club championships, to be held under its supervision. The tournament was initially known as the AVC Cup Men's Club Volleyball Tournament for its first four editions, before being renamed the Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship in 2004.
The inaugural edition was played in a round-robin format. From 2000 to 2004, the competition adopted a two-round system: a preliminary round (featuring a pool round, from which the top four teams advanced) followed by a final round (consisting of semi-finals and a final). In 2005, the tournament reverted to a round-robin format. Between 2006 and 2009, it once again featured two rounds: preliminary and final rounds. Currently, the tournament follows a similar format to the 2006–2009 editions, but the final stage now includes quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final.
Starting with the 2025 edition, the tournament will be rebranded as the AVC Men's Volleyball Champions League.
Competition formula Qualification The tournament features a maximum of 12 participating teams, with the host country automatically qualifying. The host nation is permitted to field up to two teams in the competition. Other teams will qualify through the designated qualification pathway established for that particular year.
For the 2025 edition, all remaining participating teams were granted entry by invitation only.
Final tournament The tournament consists of two rounds: a preliminary round (pool phase) and a final round (direct elimination phase). During the preliminary round, the 12 qualified teams are divided into four pools—labeled A through D—each containing three teams. Within each pool, teams compete in a round-robin format, with each team playing against the other two teams once. Following the pool phase, the top two teams from each pool advance to the final round, which includes the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final match.
Prize money The teams advancing to the semifinals of this competition will be awarded a total prize of US$50,000 by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC). This marks the first time that a prize has been introduced in an AVC event in 2025. Champions: US$20,000 Runners-up: US$15,000 Third place: US$10,000 Fourth place: US$5,000
Results #YearHostFinalThird place matchTeamsChampionsScoreRunners-up3rd placeScore4th place11999DetailsHefeiSichuan FulanRound-robinSamsung FirePaykan TehranRound-robinChengdu Enwei622000DetailsSuphanburiSamsung Fire3–1Paykan TehranJin Han Wang3–1PTT832001DetailsShehongSamsung Fire3–0Suntory SunbirdsShanghai Cable TV3–1Sichuan Fulan742002DetailsTehranPaykan Tehran3–1Sanam TehranAtyrau3–1Al Rayyan6 –2003JakartaCanceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak52004DetailsTehranSanam Tehran3–0Paykan TehranAtyrau3–0Shanghai Oriental762005DetailsIslamabadRahat CSKARound-robinSaipa TehranShanghai OrientalRound-robinHabib Bank Limited772006DetailsHanoiPaykan Tehran3–1Rahat CSKAJakarta BNI Taplus3–2Army1082007DetailsManamaPaykan Tehran3–0Al HilalAl Arabi3–1Al Najma1292008DetailsAlmatyPaykan Tehran3–1Rahat AlmatySuntory Sunbirds3–2Al Nasr8102009DetailsDubaiPaykan Tehran3–0Al HilalAl Arabi3–0Al Nasr13112010DetailsZhenjiangPaykan Tehran3–1Al ArabiPanasonic Panthers3–0Shanghai Tang Dynasty10122011DetailsPalembangPaykan Tehran3–0Rahat Almaty Shanghai Tang Dynasty3–0Osaka Blazers Sakai12132012DetailsShanghaiAl Arabi3–1Shanghai Tang DynastyKalleh Mazandaran3–0Rahat Almaty16142013DetailsTehranKalleh Mazandaran3–1Al RayyanTaiwan Power3–0Liaoning13152014DetailsPasayMatin Varamin3–1Al RayyanBeijing BAIC Motor3–0Kondensat Zhaikmunay16162015DetailsTaipeiTaichung Bank3–1Al ArabiPaykan Tehran3–1Pavlodar16172016DetailsNaypyidawSarmayeh Bank Tehran3–1Al ArabiToyoda Gosei Trefuerza3–2Shanghai Golden Age14182017DetailsNinh Bình / Nam ĐịnhSarmayeh Bank Tehran3–0Toyoda Gosei TrefuerzaAl Arabi3–1Altay13192018DetailsNaypyidawKhatam Ardakan3–0AtyrauWapda3–2Sanest Khánh Hòa13202019DetailsTaipeiShahrdari Varamin3–2Panasonic Panthers Al Rayyan3–0Chennai Spartans14 –2020Nakhon RatchasimaCanceled due to COVID-19 pandemic212021DetailsNakhon RatchasimaFoolad Sirjan Iranian3–1Al ArabiBurevestnik Almaty3–0Nakhon Ratchasima QminC10222022DetailsTehranPaykan Tehran3–2Suntory Sunbirds3–0Taraz8232023DetailsManamaSuntory Sunbirds3–1Jakarta Bhayangkara PresisiPolice SC3–116242024DetailsYazdFoolad Sirjan Iranian3–0Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi3–0 Pavlodar8252025DetailsHirakata / KyotoAl-Rayyan Sports Club3–0Osaka BluteonSuntory Sunbirds Osaka3–0Foolad Sirjan Iranian12262026DetailsPontianakJakarta Bhayangkara Presisi3–1Foolad Sirjan IranianJTEKT Stings Aichi3–0Hyundai Capital Skywalkers8
Performances by club ClubChampionsRunners-upThird placeYears championsYears runners-upYears third place Paykan Tehran8222002, 2006, 2007, 2008,2009, 2010, 2011, 20222000, 20041999, 2015 Samsung Fire2102000, 20011999 Foolad Sirjan Iranian2102021, 20242026 Shahrdari Varamin2002014, 2019 Sarmayeh Bank Tehran2002016, 2017 Al Arabi14320122010, 2015, 2016, 20212007, 2009, 2017 Suntory Sunbirds Osaka12220232001, 20222008, 2025 Al-Rayyan Sports Club12120252013, 20142019 Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi111202620232024 Sanam Tehran11020042002 Rahat CSKA11020052006 Kalleh Mazandaran10120132012 Sichuan1001999 Taichung Bank1002015 1002018 Osaka Bluteon0212019, 20252010 Al Hilal0202007, 2009 Rahat Almaty0202008, 2011 Shanghai Bright01320122001, 2005, 2011 Atyrau01220182002, 2004 Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza01120172016 01120242022 Saipa Tehran0102005 Jin Han Wang0012000 Jakarta BNI 460012006 Taiwan Power0012013 Beijing BAIC Motor0012014 Wapda0012018 Burevestnik Almaty0012021 Police SC0012023 JTEKT Stings Aichi0012026
Performances by country CountryChampionsRunners-upThird placeYears championsYears runners-upYears third place17642002, 2004, 2006, 2007,2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022,20242000, 2002, 2004, 2005,2024, 20261999, 2012, 2015, 20222652012, 20252010, 2013, 2014, 2015,2016, 20212007, 2009, 2017, 2019,20232102000, 2001199915520232001, 2017, 2019, 2022, 20252008, 2010, 2016, 2025, 2026143 20052006, 2008, 2011, 20182002, 2004, 2021115199920122000, 2001, 2005, 2011,2014112202620232006, 2024101201520130202007, 20090012018
Performances by zonal association Zonal association Champions Runners-up Third place CAVA 18 10 8 EAVA 5 7 11 WAVA 2 8 5 SAVA 1 1 2 Total 26 26 26
Hosts List of hosts by number of championships hosted.
Times hostedNationsYear(s)52002, 2004, 2013, 2022, 202441999, 2001, 2010, 201222000, 20212006, 20172007, 20232015, 20192016, 20182011, 2026120052008200920142025
Medals As of 2026 AVC Men's Volleyball Champions League.
MVP by edition 1999 – (Sichuan Fulan) 2000 – (Samsung Fire) 2001 – (Samsung Fire) 2002 – (Paykan Tehran) 2003 – tournament canceled 2004 – (Sanam Tehran) 2005 – not awarded 2006 – (Paykan Tehran) 2007 – (Paykan Tehran) 2008 – (Rahat Almaty) 2009 – (Al Nasr) 2010 – (Paykan Tehran) 2011 – (Paykan Tehran) 2012 – (Al Arabi) 2013 – (Kalleh Mazandaran) 2014 – (Matin Varamin) 2015 – (Taichung Bank) 2016 – (Sarmayeh Bank Tehran) 2017 – (Sarmayeh Bank Tehran) 2018 – (Khatam Ardakan) 2019 – (Shahrdari Varamin) 2020 – tournament canceled 2021 – (Foolad Sirjan Iranian) 2022 – (Paykan Tehran) 2023 – (Suntory Sunbirds) 2024 – (Foolad Sirjan Iranian) 2025 – (Al-Rayyan Sports Club) 2026 – (Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi)
See also
AVC Women's Volleyball Champions League
References
External links