AVC Men's Champions League

AVC Men's Champions League

Upcoming season or competition: 2025 AVC Men's Champions League
Formerly	AVC Cup Men's Club Tournament (1999–2002) Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship (2004–2024)
Sport	Volleyball
Founded	1999;26 years ago (1999)
Administrator	AVC
No. of teams	Various
Country	AVC members
Continent	Asia and Oceania
Most recent champion(s)	Foolad Sirjan (2 titles) (2024)
Most titles	Paykan Tehran (8 titles)
Streaming partner(s)	Volleyball TV (since 2024)
Official website	Asian Volleyball Confederation

The AVC Men's Champions League, previously the AVC Cup Men's Club Tournament (between 1999 and 2002), and Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship (between 2004 and 2024), is an annual continental club volleyball competition organized by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), the sport's continental governing body. The competition was first contested in China 1999. It was not held in 2003 and 2020 due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic respectively.

For a long time, the winner of the Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship qualifies for the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship. Starting in 2024, the restructured qualification now allows the two finalists to directly qualify in the world tournament. ^[1]

Paykan Tehran holds the record for most victories, winning the competition eight times. Iran's teams have won the tournament 16 times, the most in any nation. The current Asian champions are Iran's Foolad Sirjan, who defeated their fellow Iranian club Shahdab Yazd in a 3–0 finals match of the 2024 event.

History

Main article: Asian Volleyball Confederation

The competition began in 1999 when the Asian Volleyball Confederation announced the establishment of the first official championship for men's and women's clubs, to be played under its supervision for the first time. ^{[2] [3] [4]} It played the first 4 editions under the name AVC Cup Men's Club Tournament before it changed to Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship starting in 2004.

The first edition was played as a round-robin format. From 2000 to 2004, the tournament consisted of an 'elimination round' (consisting of a group stage, through which the top four teams advanced to the next round) and a 'final round' (consisting of a semi-final and a final). In the 2005 season, the round-robin format was returned. In the years 2006–2009, the tournament again consisted of two rounds: qualifying and final. Currently, the competition is played in a similar system as in the years 2006–2009, but the final tournament currently consists of a quarter-final, semi-final, and final.

Starting from the 2025 edition, the tournament will be known as the AVC Champions League for Men. ^[5]

Format

Entrants and team composition

• A maximum of 12 teams will join the tournament, including the hosts, which were automatically qualified.
• The host country is allowed to field two teams in the tournament.
• A team had a maximum 22 team members: 14 players, 6 officials, 1 accompanying referee, and 1 press with FIVB ID.
• A maximum of three foreign players with a valid International Transfer Certificate can be on the team roster playing at any time.

Competition formula

The tournament will span a total of 8 game days. The overview of the competition format in the AVC Champions League is as follows:

Preliminary round

• Participating teams are divided into four pools of three teams apiece.
• The top two teams per pool will advance to the Final round.

Final round

• Quarterfinals
  • Quarterfinal 1: A1 VS. D2
  • Quarterfinal 2: A2 VS. D1
  • Quarterfinal 3: B1 VS. C2
  • Quarterfinal 4: B2 VS. C1
• Semifinals
  • Semifinal 1: QF1 winner vs. QF2 winner
  • Semifinal 2: QF3 winner vs. QF4 winner
• Finals
  • Bronze medal: SF1 loser vs. SF2 loser
  • Gold medal: SF1 winner vs. SF2 winner

Prize money

Teams will battle for a spot in the FIVB Men's Volleyball Club World Championship and a share of the USD$50,000 prize money allocated for the event.

• 1st place: USD$20,000
• 2nd place: USD$15,000
• 3rd place: USD$10,000
• 4th place: USD$5,000

Results

#	Year	Host		Final				Third place match				Teams
				Champions	Score	Runners-up		3rd place	Score	4th place
1	1999 Details	Hefei		Sichuan Fulan	Round-robin	Samsung Fire		Paykan Tehran	Round-robin	Chengdu Enwei		6
2	2000 Details	Suphanburi		Samsung Fire	3–1	Paykan Tehran		Jin Han Wang	3–1	PTT		8
3	2001 Details	Shehong		Samsung Fire	3–0	Suntory Sunbirds		Shanghai Cable TV	3–1	Sichuan Fulan		7
4	2002 Details	Tehran		Paykan Tehran	3–1	Sanam Tehran		Atyrau	3–1	Al Rayyan		6
–	2003	Jakarta		Canceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak
5	2004 Details	Tehran		Sanam Tehran	3–0	Paykan Tehran		Atyrau	3–0	Shanghai Oriental		7 [6]
6	2005 Details	Islamabad		Rahat CSKA	Round-robin	Saipa Tehran		Shanghai Oriental	Round-robin	Habib Bank Limited		7
7	2006 Details	Hanoi		Paykan Tehran	3–1	Rahat CSKA		Jakarta BNI Taplus	3–2	Army		10
8	2007 Details	Manama		Paykan Tehran	3–0	Al Hilal		Al Arabi	3–1	Al Najma		12 [7]
9	2008 Details	Almaty		Paykan Tehran	3–1	Rahat Almaty		Suntory Sunbirds	3–2	Al Nasr		8
10	2009 Details	Dubai		Paykan Tehran	3–0	Al Hilal		Al Arabi	3–0	Al Nasr		13 [8]
11	2010 Details	Zhenjiang		Paykan Tehran	3–1	Al Arabi		Panasonic Panthers	3–0	Shanghai Tang Dynasty		10 [9]
12	2011 Details	Palembang		Paykan Tehran	3–0	Rahat Almaty		Shanghai Tang Dynasty	3–0	Osaka Blazers Sakai		12 [10]
13	2012 Details	Shanghai		Al Arabi	3–1	Shanghai Tang Dynasty		Kalleh Mazandaran	3–0	Rahat Almaty		16 [11]
14	2013 Details	Tehran		Kalleh Mazandaran	3–1	Al Rayyan		Taiwan Power Company	3–0	Liaoning		13 [12]
15	2014 Details	Pasay		Matin Varamin	3–1	Al Rayyan		Beijing BAIC Motor	3–0	Kondensat Zhaikmunay		16 [13]
16	2015 Details	Taipei		Taichung Bank	3–1	Al Arabi		Paykan Tehran	3–1	Pavlodar		16 [14]
17	2016 Details	Naypyidaw		Sarmayeh Bank Tehran	3–1	Al Arabi		Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza	3–2	Shanghai Golden Age		14 [15]
18	2017 Details	Ninh Bình / Nam Định		Sarmayeh Bank Tehran	3–0	Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza		Al Arabi	3–1	Altay		13 [16]
19	2018 Details	Naypyidaw		Khatam Ardakan	3–0	Atyrau		Wapda	3–2	Sanest Khánh Hòa		13 [17]
20	2019 Details	Taipei		Shahrdari Varamin	3–2	Panasonic Panthers		Al Rayyan	3–0	Chennai Spartans		14 [18]
–	2020	Nakhon Ratchasima		Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic
21	2021 Details	Nakhon Ratchasima		Foolad Sirjan	3–1	Al Arabi		Burevestnik Almaty	3–0	Nakhon Ratchasima QminC		10 [19]
22	2022 Details	Tehran		Paykan Tehran	3–2	Suntory Sunbirds		Shahdab Yazd	3–0	Taraz		8 [20]
23	2023 Details	Manama		Suntory Sunbirds	3–1	Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi		Police SC	3–1	Shahdab Yazd		16 [21]
24	2024 Details	Yazd		Foolad Sirjan	3–0	Shahdab Yazd		Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi	3–0	Pavlodar		8 [22]
25	2025 Details	Hirakata / Kyoto										12

Performances by club

Club	Titles	Runners-up	Third place	Years won	Years runners-up	Years third place
Paykan Tehran	8	2	2	2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2022	2000, 2004	1999, 2015
Daejeon Samsung Fire Bluefangs	2	1	0	2000, 2001	1999	—
Shahrdari Varamin	2	0	0	2014, 2019	—	—
Sarmayeh Bank Tehran	2	0	0	2016, 2017	—	—
Foolad Sirjan	2	0	0	2021, 2024	—	—
Al Arabi	1	4	3	2012	2010, 2015, 2016, 2021	2007, 2009, 2017
Suntory Sunbirds	1	2	1	2023	2001, 2022	2008
Sanam Tehran	1	1	0	2004	2002	—
Rahat CSKA	1	1	0	2005	2006	—
Kalleh Mazandaran	1	0	1	2013	—	2012
Sichuan	1	0	0	1999	—	—
Taichung Bank	1	0	0	2015	—	—
Khatam Ardakan	1	0	0	2018	—	—
Al Rayyan	0	2	1	—	2013, 2014	2019
Al Hilal	0	2	0	—	2007, 2009	—
Rahat Almaty	0	2	0	—	2008, 2011	—
Shanghai	0	1	3	—	2012	2001, 2005, 2011
Atyrau	0	1	2	—	2018	2002, 2004
Wolfdogs Nagoya	0	1	1	—	2017	2016
Panasonic Panthers	0	1	1	—	2019	2010
Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi	0	1	1	—	2023	2024
Shahdab Yazd	0	1	1	—	2024	2022
Saipa Tehran	0	1	0	—	2005	—
Jin Han Wang	0	0	1	—	—	2000
Jakarta BNI 46	0	0	1	—	—	2006
Taiwan Power Company	0	0	1	—	—	2013
Beijing BAIC Motor	0	0	1	—	—	2014
Wapda	0	0	1	—	—	2018
Burevestnik Almaty	0	0	1	—	—	2021
Police SC	0	0	1	—	—	2023

Performances by country

Country	Titles	Runner-up	Third place	Years won	Years runner-up	Years third place
Iran	17	5	4	2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024	2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2024	1999, 2012, 2015, 2022
South Korea	2	1	0	2000, 2001	1999	—
Qatar	1	6	5	2012	2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021	2007, 2009, 2017, 2019, 2023
Kazakhstan	1	4	3	2005	2006, 2008, 2011, 2018	2002, 2004, 2021
Japan	1	4	3	2023	2001, 2017, 2019, 2022	2008, 2010, 2016
China	1	1	5	1999	2012	2000, 2001, 2005, 2011, 2014
Chinese Taipei	1	0	1	2015	—	2013
Saudi Arabia	0	2	0	—	2007, 2009	—
Indonesia	0	1	2	—	2023	2006, 2024
Pakistan	0	0	1	—	—	2018

Performances by zonal association

Zonal association	Titles	Runners-up	Third place
CAZVA	18	9	8
EAZVA	5	6	9
WAZVA	1	8	5
SEAZVA	0	1	2
Total	24	24	24

Hosts

List of hosts by number of championships hosted.

Times Hosted	Nations	Year(s)
5	Iran	2002, 2004, 2013, 2022, 2024
4	China	1999, 2001, 2010, 2012
2	Thailand	2000, 2021
	Vietnam	2006, 2017
	Brunei	2007, 2023
	Taiwan	2015, 2019
	Myanmar	2016, 2018
1	Pakistan	2005
	Kazakhstan	2008
	United Arab Emirates	2009
	Indonesia	2011
	Philippines	2014
	Japan	2025

Medals

As of 2024 Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Iran	17	5	4	26
2	South Korea	2	1	0	3
3	Qatar	1	6	5	12
4	Japan	1	4	3	8
	Kazakhstan	1	4	3	8
6	China	1	1	5	7
7	Chinese Taipei	1	0	1	2
8	Saudi Arabia	0	2	0	2
9	Indonesia	0	1	2	3
10	Pakistan	0	0	1	1
Totals (10 entries)		24	24	24	72

See also

• Volleyball portal
• Sports portal

• AVC Women's Champions League
• Asian Men's Volleyball Championship
• Asian Volleyball Confederation

References

1. "FIVB Board of Administration approves key proposals from FIVB Commissions and Councils". www.fivb.com. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
2. "AVC History". Asian Volleyball Confederation. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
3. "ASIAN MEN'S CLUB VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP". Asian Volleyball Confederation. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
4. "AVC History – Asian Volleyball Confederation – AVC" . Retrieved 12 February 2023.
5. "Volleyball League resumes with exciting matches". Arab Times. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
6. "Club Sanam crowned kings of Asia". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 30 April 2004. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
7. "Paykan of Iran Defend Title at Asian Men's Club Championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 9 June 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
8. "Payakan qualifies for FIVB Men's Club World Championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 25 June 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
9. "Paykan of Iran book ticket to FIVB World Men's Club Championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 14 June 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
10. "Paykan clinch club world champs berth". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 31 July 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
11. "Qatar score historic victory at Asian men's club volleyball championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 7 August 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
12. "Kaleh of Iran qualify for FIVB Men's Club World Championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 30 April 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
13. "Matin Varamin claim Asian Club Championship title, ticket to FIVB Men's Club Championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 16 April 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
14. "Taichung Bank capture maiden Asian Men's Club title". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 22 August 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
15. "Bank Sarmayeh win Asian Men's Club Championship to secure 2017 World Championship berth". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 1 August 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
16. "Sarmayeh Bank underline Asian Men's Club title credentials with scintillating win over Toyota in final showdown". Asian Volleyball Confederation . 7 July 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
17. "Khatam Ardakan of Iran claim 2018 Asian Men's Club Championship title". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 6 August 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
18. "Varamin keep Asian Club title in Iran for fourth year running". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball . 26 April 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
19. "Sirjan Foulad Iranian dominate 2021 Asian Men's Club Championship to secure berth for Club Worlds". Asian Volleyball Confederation . 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
20. "Host's Peykan defend Asian Men's Club Title for Iran after five set thriller against Suntory Sunbirds". Asian Volleyball Confederation . 20 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
21. "Suntory Sunbirds shine brightest to claim Japan's historic Asian Men's Club title in Bahrain". Asian Volleyball Confederation . 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
22. Preechachan (15 September 2024). "FOOLAD SIRJAN IRANIAN CROWNED ASIAN MEN'S CLUB CHAMPIONS FOR SECOND TIME". Asian Volleyball Confederation . Retrieved 18 September 2024.

External links

• Official website