The African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) has expanded the Men’s Club Championship to a 32-team format ahead of the 47th CAVB Men’s Club Championship 2026, which will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from April 20 to May 3, 2026.
According to a press release dated 15 April 2026, the new format will be applied whenever the number of participating teams exceeds the standard cap of 24 teams. Under the revised structure, the tournament will feature 8 pools of 4 teams.
The confederation said the change is meant to fit the competition within the available timeline while accommodating the growing number of entrants. However, final classification matches for positions 17 to 32 will no longer be played. Instead, final rankings for those places will be determined through the combined ranking of the two concerned teams, in line with the CAVB Competition Regulations (2024).
The press release also noted that placement matches at the quarter-final and semi-final stages will still be played.
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The 2026 edition will mark the first time the championship is hosted in Sub-Saharan Africa, placing Kigali at the center of one of the continent’s biggest club volleyball events.
The tournament is expected to bring together 32 teams from across Africa, promising a larger and more competitive edition of the championship.
