# AVC Men's Champions League

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.
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

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. 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.

## 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

## Results
### As Asian Men's Club Volleyball Championship

| # | Year | Host | Final | Final | Final | | Third place match | Third place match | Third place match | | Teams |
| # | Year | Host | Champions | Score | Runners-up | | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | | Teams |
| 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 | Canceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak | Canceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak | Canceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak | Canceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak | Canceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak | Canceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak | Canceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak | Canceled due to 2002–2004 SARS outbreak |
| 5 | 2004 Details | Tehran | Sanam Tehran | 3–0 | Paykan Tehran | | Atyrau | 3–0 | Shanghai Oriental | | 7 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 11 | 2010 Details | Zhenjiang | Paykan Tehran | 3–1 | Al Arabi | | Panasonic Panthers | 3–0 | Shanghai Tang Dynasty | | 10 |
| 12 | 2011 Details | Palembang | Paykan Tehran | 3–0 | Rahat Almaty | | Shanghai Tang Dynasty | 3–0 | Osaka Blazers Sakai | | 12 |
| 13 | 2012 Details | Shanghai | Al Arabi | 3–1 | Shanghai Tang Dynasty | | Kalleh Mazandaran | 3–0 | Rahat Almaty | | 16 |
| 14 | 2013 Details | Tehran | Kalleh Mazandaran | 3–1 | Al Rayyan | | Taiwan Power Company | 3–0 | Liaoning | | 13 |
| 15 | 2014 Details | Pasay | Matin Varamin | 3–1 | Al Rayyan | | Beijing BAIC Motor | 3–0 | Kondensat Zhaikmunay | | 16 |
| 16 | 2015 Details | Taipei | Taichung Bank | 3–1 | Al Arabi | | Paykan Tehran | 3–1 | Pavlodar | | 16 |
| 17 | 2016 Details | Naypyidaw | Sarmayeh Bank Tehran | 3–1 | Al Arabi | | Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza | 3–2 | Shanghai Golden Age | | 14 |
| 18 | 2017 Details | Ninh Bình / Nam Định | Sarmayeh Bank Tehran | 3–0 | Toyoda Gosei Trefuerza | | Al Arabi | 3–1 | Altay | | 13 |
| 19 | 2018 Details | Naypyidaw | Khatam Ardakan | 3–0 | Atyrau | | Wapda | 3–2 | Sanest Khánh Hòa | | 13 |
| 20 | 2019 Details | Taipei | Shahrdari Varamin | 3–2 | Panasonic Panthers | | Al Rayyan | 3–0 | Chennai Spartans | | 14 |
| – | 2020 | Nakhon Ratchasima | Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | Canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic | 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 |
| 22 | 2022 Details | Tehran | Paykan Tehran | 3–2 | Suntory Sunbirds | | Shahdab Yazd | 3–0 | Taraz | | 8 |
| 23 | 2023 Details | Manama | Suntory Sunbirds | 3–1 | Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi | | Police SC | 3–1 | Shahdab Yazd | | 16 |
| 24 | 2024 Details | Yazd | Foolad Sirjan | 3–0 | Shahdab Yazd | | Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi | 3–0 | Pavlodar | | 8 |

### As AVC Men's Champions League

| # | Year | Host | Final | Final | Final | Third place match | Third place match | Third place match | Teams |
| # | Year | Host | Champions | Score | Runners-up | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | Teams |
| 1 (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 |
| 2 | Vietnam | 2006, 2017 |
| 2 | Brunei | 2007, 2023 |
| 2 | Taiwan | 2015, 2019 |
| 2 | Myanmar | 2016, 2018 |
| 1 | Pakistan | 2005 |
| 1 | Kazakhstan | 2008 |
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | 2009 |
| 1 | Indonesia | 2011 |
| 1 | Philippines | 2014 |
| 1 | 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 |
| 4 | 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) | Totals (10 entries) | 24 | 24 | 24 | 72 |