By Adrian Costeiu | July 14, 2025
Europe`s top volleyball clubs are once again holding their breath in anticipation of the Drawing of Lots for the upcoming season of the CEV Champions League Volley, the world`s premier club competition.
In the men`s competition, CEV has confirmed that 20 teams will participate in the 4th round. Of these, 18 teams hold fixed places, while the remaining two spots are reserved for the winners of the 3rd round of the competition.
The Drawing of Lots is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, July 15th, at 12:00 CEST in Luxembourg.
Four Polish teams are set to compete. This includes Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie, which participated 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 one of three Italian teams aiming to retain their trophy. They are joined by two other Italian powerhouses: Trentino Itas, the winners of the 2023/24 season, and Cucine Lube Civitanova.
Three teams from Turkey will also be at the start: last season`s Final Four participant Halkbank Ankara, alongside Ziraat Bank Ankara and Galatasaray Istanbul.
Last season`s surprise package, SVG Lüneburg, and Berlin Recycling Volleys will represent Germany in the next season of the CEV Champions League Men. Two Belgian sides, Knack Roeselare and Volley Haasrode Leuven, are also in the mix.
VK Lvi Praha from Czechia, Montpellier HSC VB from France, and Sporting CP Lisboa will also feature in the next season of this premium European competition.
Halkbank Ankara, Asseco Resovia Rzeszów, and Montpellier HSC VB were the three recipients of the wildcards available for the men’s competition. The CEV Board of Administration balanced ensuring highly competitive matches with enhancing the marketability of the CEV Champions League Volley across Europe and beyond. The market potential of the applicants and their respective home countries played a primary role in reaching a well-informed decision.
The complete lineup will be finalized after the conclusion of the 3rd round, when two additional teams from the preliminary stages will advance to the 4th round.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood