Europe`s premier volleyball clubs are holding their breath in anticipation of the results of the Drawing of Lots for the upcoming season of the CEV Champions League Volley, the world`s biggest club competition.
In the men’s tournament, CEV has confirmed that 20 teams will participate in the 4th round of this elite European competition. 18 teams have secured direct places, while the remaining two spots are reserved for the winners emerging from the 3rd round.
The official Drawing of Lots ceremony is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, July 15th, in Luxembourg, starting at 12:00 CEST.
Four Polish teams are set to compete, including Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie, a participant in last season’s Final Four. They are joined by PGE Projekt Warszawa, the reigning CEV Challenge Cup winners, Bogdanka LUK Lublin, and Asseco Resovia Rzeszów.
Defending champions Sir Sicoma Monini Perugia are among the three Italian powerhouses aiming to retain their trophy. They will be joined by Trentino Itas, the winners of the 2023/24 season, and Cucine Lube Civitanova.
Three teams from Türkiye will also be at the start: last season’s Final Four participant Halkbank Ankara, plus Ziraat Bank Ankara and Galatasaray Istanbul.
Germany will be represented by last season’s surprise package, SVG Lüneburg, and Berlin Recycling Volleys. Two Belgian sides, Knack Roeselare and Volley Haasrode Leuven, are also in the mix.
Rounding out the lineup are VK Lvi Praha from Czechia, Montpellier HSC VB from France, and Sporting CP Lisboa from Portugal, who will also be featuring in the next season of the European premium competition.
Wildcards for the men’s competition were granted to Halkbank Ankara, Asseco Resovia Rzeszów, and Montpellier HSC VB. The CEV Board of Administration aimed to strike a balance to ensure highly competitive matches while also considering the marketability of the CEV Champions League Volley across Europe and beyond. The market potential of the applicant clubs and their respective home countries played a primary role in this decision-making process.
The complete lineup for the 4th round will be finalised after the conclusion of the 3rd round, when the two additional teams from the preliminary rounds qualify.
