The most prominent women`s volleyball clubs across Europe are eagerly anticipating the CEV Champions League Volley Drawing of Lots, which marks the official start of the continent`s leading club competition for the 2025 season.
Competition Format and Drawing of Lots
The CEV has announced that 20 teams will participate in the 4th round of the women`s tournament. Fifteen clubs have already secured their places, with the final five spots to be determined by the winners of the 3rd round`s doubleheader matches, scheduled for September.
The official Drawing of Lots will be held on Tuesday, July 15, at 12:00 CEST in Luxembourg. This crucial event will reveal the pool compositions, setting the stage for elite clubs to begin their quest for Europe`s most prestigious volleyball title.
Confirmed Teams and National Powerhouses
Italy leads the pack with four powerful teams in the main draw: A. Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano (the two-time reigning champions), Savino Del Bene Scandicci, Numia Vero Volley Milano, and Igor Gorgonzola Novara (also a past winner). These clubs have consistently performed at the highest level, frequently reaching the latter stages of the competition.
Türkiye showcases its strength with four top clubs: Eczacibasi Istanbul, VakifBank Istanbul, Fenerbahçe Medicana Istanbul, and Ankara Zeren Spor Kulübü. While the three Istanbul teams are perennial contenders, Ankara Zeren Spor Kulübü will aim to make a strong impact.
Poland contributes three teams to the lineup: ŁKS Commercecon Łódź, Grot Budowlani Łódź, and Developres Rzeszów. Germany is represented by Dresdner SC and SSC Palmberg Schwerin. Other nations with a single participant include Serbia (OK Železničar Lajkovac), France (Levallois Paris Saint Cloud), and Romania (CS Volei Alba Blaj).
Wildcards and Final Qualification
Four additional spots remain open, with the full line-up for the season to be finalized after the conclusion of the 3rd round. The four winners from these preliminary rounds will advance to the 4th round.
This season, two wildcards were awarded to Ankara Zeren Spor Kulübü and Igor Gorgonzola Novara. The CEV Board of Administration made these decisions to ensure a balance between highly competitive matches and the overall 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 well-informed decision.
Finley Blackwood