AVC Women's Volleyball Champions League
| Most recent season or competition: 2025 AVC Women's Volleyball Champions League | |
| Founded | 1999 (rebranded in 2004 and 2025) |
|---|---|
| Organising body | AVC |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Continent | Asia and Oceania |
| Most recent champion(s) | Zhetysu VC (1st title) |
| Most titles | Tianjin Bohai Bank (5 titles) |
| Qualification | FIVB Women's Volleyball Club World Championship |
| Streaming partner(s) | Volleyball TV |
| Official website | asianvolleyball.net |
The AVC Women's Champions League, previously the AVC Cup Women's Club Tournament (between 1999 and 2002) and Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship (between 2004–2024), 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 Thailand in 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 Women's Club Volleyball Championship qualifies for the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship. Starting in 2024, the restructured qualification now allows the two finalists to directly qualify in the world tournament.[1]
Starting from the 2025 edition, the tournament is rebranded and will be known as the AVC Women's Volleyball Champions League.[2]
Tianjin Bohai Bank holds the record for most victories, winning the competition five times. China's teams have won the tournament eight times, the most for any nation. The current Asian club champions are Zhetysu VC from Kazakhstan, who defeated VTV Bình Điền Long An from Vietnam (3–1) in the final of the 2025 edition.
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.[3][4] The tournament was initially known as the AVC Cup Women's Club Volleyball Tournament for its first four editions, before being renamed the Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship in 2004.
The first three editions was played in a round-robin format. In 2002, 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). From 2004 to 2007, the tournament reverted to a round-robin format. From 2008 to 2021, the tournament followed a similar format, with the final stage included quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final (except in 2016, when the tournament had a three-round system: a preliminary round, a classification round, and a final round). In 2022, a round-robin preliminary round had been adopted, with a final round consisting of just two matches (a third place match and a final). From 2023 up to now, the same format as from 2008 to 2021 has been followed, with little difference in 2023 when there are no quarter-finals in the final stage.
Starting with the 2025 edition, the tournament will be rebranded as the AVC Women's Volleyball Champions League.[5][6]
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.[5][7] 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.[8]
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.[8][9]
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).[8][9] 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
Performances by club
Performances by country
| Country | Champions | Runners-up | Third place | Years champions | Years runners-up | Years third place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 8 | 5 | 6 | 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2019 |
2004, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2016 |
1999, 2000, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2023 |
| Thailand | 6 | 7 | 8 | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018 |
1999, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2019, 2021, 2023 |
2001, 2006, 2012, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 |
| Kazakhstan | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2004, 2007, 2021, 2022, 2025 |
2010, 2013, 2022 | 2002, 2011, 2014 |
| Japan | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2002, 2014, 2016, 2024 | 1999, 2001, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018 |
2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2019 |
| Vietnam | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2023 | 2024, 2025 | — |
| South Korea | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1999 | — | 2005 |
| Chinese Taipei | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 2005, 2006 | 2004 |
Performances by zonal association
| Zonal association | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| EAVA | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| SAVA | 7 | 9 | 8 |
| CAVA | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Total | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Hosts
List of hosts by number of championships hosted.
| Times hosted | Nations | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Vietnam | 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2023 |
| 7 | Thailand | 1999, 2002, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2021, 2024 |
| 4 | Kazakhstan | 2004, 2017, 2018, 2022 |
| 3 | Philippines | 2006, 2016, 2025 |
| 2 | China | 2000, 2019 |
| 1 | Indonesia | 2010 |
Medals
As of 2025 AVC Women's Volleyball Champions League.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 8 | 5 | 6 | 19 |
| 2 | Thailand | 6 | 7 | 8 | 21 |
| 3 | Kazakhstan | 5 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
| 4 | Japan | 4 | 6 | 6 | 16 |
| 5 | Vietnam | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | South Korea | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | Chinese Taipei | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Totals (7 entries) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 75 | |
MVP by edition
- 1999 – Park Soo-jeong (KOR) (LG Caltex)
- 2000 – not awarded
- 2001 – Shen Hong (CHN) (Shanghai Cable TV)
- 2002 – Keiko Hara (JPN) (Hisamitsu Springs)
- 2003 – tournament canceled
- 2004 – Olga Grushko (KAZ) (Rahat Almaty)
- 2005 – Li Shan (CHN) (Tianjin Bridgestone)
- 2006 – Wang Li (CHN) (Tianjin Bridgestone)
- 2007 – Yelena Pavlova (KAZ) (Rahat Almaty)
- 2008 – Li Shan (CHN) (Tianjin Bridgestone)
- 2009 – Onuma Sittirak (THA) (Federbrau)
- 2010 – Nootsara Tomkom (THA) (Federbrau)
- 2011 – Wilavan Apinyapong (THA) (Chang)
- 2012 – Yin Na (CHN) (Tianjin Bridgestone)
- 2013 – Xu Yunli (CHN) (Guangdong Evergrande)
- 2014 – Miyu Nagaoka (JPN) (Hisamitsu Springs)
- 2015 – Pleumjit Thinkaow (THA) (Bangkok Glass)
- 2016 – Sarina Koga (JPN) (NEC Red Rockets)
- 2017 – Fatou Diouck (SEN) (Supreme Chonburi)
- 2018 – Ajcharaporn Kongyot (THA) (Supreme Chonburi)
- 2019 – Li Yingying (CHN) (Tianjin Bohai Bank)
- 2020 – tournament canceled
- 2021 – Sana Anarkulova (KAZ) (Altay)
- 2022 – Aleksandra Ćirović (SRB) (Kuanysh)
- 2023 – Trần Thị Thanh Thúy (VIE) (Sport Center 1)
- 2024 – Yoshino Sato (JPN) (NEC Red Rockets)
- 2025 – Karina Denisova (UKR) (Zhetysu VC)
See also
- AVC Men's Volleyball Champions League
- Asian Women's Volleyball Championship
- Asian Women's Volleyball Cup
- AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup
- Asian Volleyball Confederation
References
- ^ "FIVB Board of Administration approves key proposals from FIVB Commissions and Councils". www.fivb.com. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
- ^ "Volleyball League resumes with exciting matches". Arab Times. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ "AVC History". Asian Volleyball Confederation. Archived from the original on 13 April 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ "Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship". Asian Volleyball Confederation. Archived from the original on 11 May 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Volleyball League resumes with exciting matches". Arab Times. 8 January 2025. Archived from the original on 16 April 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ "Volleyball League resumes with exciting matches". Asian Volleyball Confederation. 14 February 2025. Archived from the original on 16 April 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "Youtube Link Available For Media To Watch Live Press Conference And Drawing Of Lots For 1st AVC Champions League". Asian Volleyball Confederation. Archived from the original on 16 April 2025. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
- ^ a b c "Regulations – 1st AVC Women Champions League" (PDF). Asian Volleyball Confederation. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 May 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Press Conference and Drawing of Lots Set Off Electrifying Action in 1st AVC Champions League in Philippines and Japan". Asian Volleyball Confederation. Archived from the original on 16 April 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
- ^ "Rahat Wins Gold Medal at Asian Women's Club Championhsip". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 24 June 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Thai Federbrau win Asian Women's Club Championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 9 June 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Federbrau crowned Asian Women's Club Champion". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 5 July 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Thailand's Chang takes Asian Women's Club title". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 26 June 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Tianjin seal Club World champs berth". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Evergrande qualify for FIVB Women's Club World Champs". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Hisamitsu Springs capture Asian Women's Club Championship title and ticket to FIVB Club World Championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Bangkok Glass reign supreme in Asian Women's Club Championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "NEC Red Rockets reign Supreme over Asian Women's Club Championship". Asian Volleyball Confederation. 11 September 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Thailand's Supreme VC win Asian Women's Club Championship". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Supreme win back-to-back Asian Women's Club Championship titles". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 18 July 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Li Yingying powers Tianjin to Asian Women's Club Championship triumph". Fédération Internationale de Volleyball. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Cancellation and postponement confirmed for 2020 AVC Championships". Asian Volleyball Confederation. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Altay power past Nakhon Ratchasima in thrilling three-setter to reign supreme at Asian Women's Club Championship". Asian Volleyball Confederation. 7 October 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- ^ "Defending champs Altay dethroned, Denysova's heroics help Kuanysh in epic comeback win at 2022 Asian Women's Club Championship". Asian Volleyball Confederation. 30 April 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
- ^ "Sport Center 1 make hosts Vietnam proud after epic comeback win against Diamond Food for their unprecedented title in 2023 Asian Women's Club Championship". Asian Volleyball Confederation. 3 May 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ Preechachan (11 September 2024). "Duels set for 2024 Asian Women's Club Championship in Thailand". AVC. Retrieved 22 September 2024.