Excitement mounts as #CLVolleyW group stage is about to get underway!

The wait is finally over! The group stage of the CEV ZEREN Group Champions League Volley 2026 | Women will get underway on Tuesday with three exciting fixtures, followed by another four matches on Wednesday and three on Thursday, respectively, thereby igniting a real Volleyball fever across Europe and even further beyond. Last year’s gold medal winners A. Carraro Prosecco DOC CONEGLIANO will start their quest for an unprecedented third straight title when they host Türkiye’s rookies ANKARA Zeren Spor Kulübü on Tuesday night in Treviso. 

Pool A 

VakifBank ISTANBUL (TUR) vs. Volero LE CANNET (FRA) 

Six-time #CLVolleyW winners VakifBank and Volero face each other for the first time in the competition.  However, these teams met in the Pool phase of the 2018 FIVB Women’s Club World Championship with VakifBank winning 3-0. The Turkish side won the trophy that year. While Volero LE CANNET have never faced a Turkish team in the Champions League, VakifBank have a 17-7 win-loss record against French opposition, including an impressive nine straight 3-0 wins in their last such fixtures. The matchup is somehow special for the current coach of Volero, Marco Fenoglio, a former winner of the CEV Champions League with Volley BERGAMO in 2007. Last year, Fenoglio was coaching VakifBank city rivals Fenerbahçe and they exited the competition in the quarterfinals after losing to Giovanni Guidetti’s side at the Golden Set (11-15). 

With six titles to their name, VakifBank is the most successful club in the history of the CEV Champions League. This achievement has earned the club a place in the Guinness World Records. VakifBank claimed their first title in 2011, followed by victories in 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2023, and now they aim for a seventh such title. Last season, they reached the Final Four where they ended up in a disappointing fourth place. Prior to the start of the current season, they also boast an all-time record of 172 wins in the competition. 

On the other hand, Volero’s roster recently experienced some changes following the departure of Elizabet Inneh. However, it remains a very young and energetic team – the average age of their roster stands at 23.3. They currently sit in fifth place in the French national league on a record of five wins and three losses. 

“For this first match, we play probably one of the best five teams in the world. I think that for us, and especially for the players, this will be a really good experience. The possibility to show who they are against one of the best teams in the world is a privilege. I am also happy for the club because it is very important to have this kind of visibility. It’s a big chance, even though it feels like a mission impossible, also because we have so many young players. Despite this, I am happy to start to play this kind of matches. We are in a very competitive group, including SCANDICCI, another team trying to reach the final, and the third one is Alba BLAJ. They are first in the Romanian national league. I am confident that these matches will be a great experience for my team,” said Volero head coach Marco Fenoglio. 

“We are fully focused and excited for the upcoming match. Our team is ready to fight for every point and to show our best Volleyball,” commented outside spiker Liubou Svetnik. 

Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI (ITA) vs. CS Volei Alba BLAJ (ROU) 

Last year’s silver medal winners Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI start their campaign with a home matchup against Romania’s multiple national champions 207 days after the gold medal match they lost to CONEGLIANO in May of this year. Back in 2023, these same teams clashed in the final of the CEV Cup – with the Italians winning 3-1 away and 3-0 at home. Ekaterina Antropova was the top scorer in those matches with 19 and 20 points to her name. However, this is their first clash in the #CLVolleyW even though SCANDICCI previously played another Romanian side also in the group stage – C.S.O. VOLUNTARI 2005 – with an unblemished record of two wins in as many matches without conceding a single set. SCANDICCI have been performing well in their domestic league, currently sitting in second place on a record of 11 wins and two losses this far. BLAJ will be having a truly demanding task, as historically they have lost all six of their matches against Italian teams – including four times to sides coached by the current SCANDICCI mentor, Marco Gaspari.

Guillermo Naranjo Hernandez, now coaching Alba BLAJ, faced SCANDICCI while coaching SC POTSDAM in the 2022 CEV Cup and 2023 Challenge Cup. On the other hand, three players of Savino Del Bene - Gaia Traballi, Avery Skinner and Camilla Weitzel - will all be contesting a #CLVolleyW match for the first time in their careers. 

Pool B 

Fenerbahçe Medicana ISTANBUL (TUR) vs. Sport LISBOA e Benfica (POR)

Chronologically, Pool B fixtures will mark the real start of the group phase, with both matches scheduled for Tuesday early evening. Fenerbahçe Medicana ISTANBUL, winners of the competition in 2012, have never faced a Portuguese opponent in the Champions League. This matchup will be truly special for Cansu Cetin – the outside hitter now wearing the shirt of the Portuguese Eagles played for the Yellow Angels from 2021 to 2024, when they reached the #CLVolleyW semis for three seasons in a row. 
Benfica are only the third Portuguese team to play in the group stage of the women’s Champions League. They will have a mountain to climb when they play Fenerbahçe – their predecessors in the competition lost all four of their matches against Turkish opposition. Most recently, this happened last year when FC PORTO could not take a single set from their fixtures with VakifBank. 

Fenerbahçe Medicana have won all seven of their league matches this season and return to the Champions League stage on the back of a real boost of energy. 

Marcello Abbondanza, head coach of Fenerbahçe Medicana: “We are starting a very difficult tournament. I see this as our main goal for the season. There are a lot of good teams, but like everyone else we want to win this cup. I hope this can be one of the competitions where we can show our best level until the end.” 

Agnieszka Korneluk, middle blocker of Fenerbahçe: “We are very excited. The Champions League starts tomorrow and we cannot wait for the first game. I know the expectations are high, but we are ready. We want to start strong and make our fans proud.”

“For us, it is an honour to be in the group stage. We will be facing some of the best teams in the world. Being here is very important for us. Fenerbahçe is a very experienced team, and it's difficult to find any weak point. We will have to be focussed and enjoy the experience,” said Henrique Furtado, head coach of Benfica. 

PGE Budowlani ŁÓDŹ (POL) vs. Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA (ITA) 

Last year’s CEV Cup winners, NOVARA return to the #CLVolleyW stage courtesy of a wildcard. When they travel to Poland to play their first match in Pool B, they will rely on the good memories from the 2018/2019 season, when they beat Budowlani 3-0 both at home and away as well. That season culminated in NOVARA triumphing at the Super Finals held in Berlin – their only title in Europe’s top-flight competition to date. NOVARA boast an impressive 6-2 win-loss record in the competition against Polish opposition, including six straight wins from their last six such ventures. On the other hand, Budowlani are yet to claim a single win in matches with Italian teams – they have lost six in a row, and the last four in straight sets. They will be relying on the home court advantage to try to turn the tide. 

Last season the European campaign of Igor Gorgonzola started in the Polish city as well: that time, for the CEV Cup 8th Finals, their opponent was the other club from Łódź, ŁKS Commercecon. 

The Italians have won their last three matches in the Italian League and for the first time in the season they will be able to count on a full roster. Four players from Igor Gorgonzola – Mayu Ishikawa, Giulia De Nardi, Taylor Mims and Giulia Melli – will all be making their #CLVolleyW debut. On the other hand, two of their players have already won the CEV Champions League: Carlotta Cambi did so in 2016 with Pomi CASALMAGGIORE while Federica Squarcini achieved this feat in 2024 with CONEGLIANO. 

Sara Bonifacio, middle blocker and captain of Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA: “I feel that our European campaign starts really in the best possible moment for us, as finally all our teammates are fully recovered and we can approach this competition at full strength. We are looking forward to our Champions League debut, we are aware that Budowlani can be a very tough team to play but we are in a very positive mood thanks to our recent results.” 

Pool C 

Numia Vero Volley MILANO (ITA) vs. Olympiacos PIRAEUS (GRE) 

This is the first time Numia Vero Volley MILANO and Olympiacos PIRAEUS face each other in a European competition. The only Italian vs Greek encounters in the Champions League were between Caposud REGGIO CALABRIA and Filathlitikos THESSALONIKI in the 2000/2001 Pool phase. The Italians won both matches – 3-0 and 3-1.

Olympiacos PIRAEUS are making their first appearance in the group stage of the #CLVolleyW. They last faced an Italian opponent in Europe in the 8th Finals of the 2024 Challenge Cup. Those matches resulted in 2-3, 0-3 defeats against Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA. Their middle blocker Jovana Stefanovic played for Vero Volley MILANO in 2022/2023, while their head coach Branko Kovacevic was an assistant coach with Serbia when they beat Italy 3-2 in the Final of the 2018 women’s World Championship in Japan. Their setter Isabella Di Iulio wore the shirt of Vero Volley in 2018/2019. The match coincides with the Champions League debut for some of Vero Volley players, namely Kamerynn Miner, Nicole Modesti, Benedetta Sartori, Emma Cagnin, and Rebecca Piva. 

“We are ready for our Champions League debut and we cannot wait to start this adventure. Olympiacos has players with international experience and has easily made it to the group stage. It will be essential for us to play with great focus and aggressiveness to get our campaign off to the best possible start with the help of our passionate fans,” says Stefano Lavarini, head coach of Numia Vero Volley MILANO. 

“On Wednesday, we will face Olympiacos and begin our Champions League campaign. I am really happy and cannot wait to step onto the court. We have a great team this year and I believe we will give our all to win, starting with Wednesday’s match. After finishing third last year, our goal is to achieve a good result and go as far as possible in this prestigious competition,” adds middle blocker Hena Kurtagic.

Eczacibasi Dynavit ISTANBUL (TUR) vs. OK Železničar LAJKOVAC (SRB) 

Eczacibasi Dynavit ISTANBUL and rookies OK Železničar LAJKOVAC face each other in the Champions League for the first time. However, these same teams previously met in the 16th Finals of the 2022 CEV Cup. Eczacibasi ISTANBUL defeated their Serbian rivals 3-0 both at home and away. The Turkish side eventually won the trophy that season. Eczacibasi have won all four Champions League matches against Serbian opposition this far. They did so against Postar 064 BEOGRAD in the 2007/2008 group phase (3-0, 3-0), and much more recently versus Tent OBRENOVAC in last season’s Round 4 (3-0, 3-1).

Pool D 

A. Carraro Prosecco DOC CONEGLIANO (ITA) vs. ANKARA Zeren Spor Kulübü (TUR)

The reigning champions return to the European stage with an immaculate record of 13 wins in as many matches they have contested in the Italian league this far. They somehow suffered an unusual setback right at the start of the season when they conceded the first domestic trophy since 2018/2019 – as they lost to Numia Vero Volley MILANO the Supercup match played in Trieste. However, since that rather surprising loss, which came at the very dawn of the current season, CONEGLIANO have showed traits of their usual supremacy and class. They start their quest for more European glory with a home matchup vs ANKARA Zeren Spor Kulübü. This will be the absolute premiere in any international competition for the team from the Turkish capital city. 

CONEGLIANO will bring some confidence to the court as they have claimed their last five #CLVolleyW matches against Turkish teams and their only group stage loss to a team from that country dates to December 2013 – when Galatasaray Daikin ISTANBUL emerged victorious at the tiebreak in Treviso. Previously, back in the 2021/2022 season, CONEGLIANO started their campaign in the competition against yet another rookie – Serbia’s ZOK UB – cruising to a commanding 3-0 victory. Moreover, the ‘Panthers’ will be able to count on Zhu Ting as well – who has just returned to Italy after her participation in the quadrennial Chinese National Games. 

“ANKARA is a dangerous team that is having a good season in their national league, which I am obviously following very closely. The club was established only a few years ago and they have all the assets to make their mark on the domestic and international stage,” says CONEGLIANO head coach Daniele Santarelli. “Their participation in the CEV Champions League speaks volumes about their high ambitions. They have very good spikers and they will do everything in their power to cause us troubles. We will have to perform to the best of our ability if we do not want to end up facing some real problems. I know their players very well – as I have coached them or played against them with my club or in national team competitions. We feel good and we have been enjoying a good run – we wish to start our campaign in the CEV Champions League in the best possible way and to please our fans. This is our last home match before the Club World Championship. The Champions League means a lot to us and we are happy to be back.” 

Stevan Ljubičić, head coach of ANKARA Zeren Spor Kulübü: “We made it here following a long journey and after two consecutive away matches in the league. However, as a team, we are obviously very excited for this historic moment. In my opinion, starting our campaign in the CEV ZEREN Group Champions League against the defending champions is one of the best possible scenarios. Our opponent is one of the best teams in the world, and facing them is both a great opportunity and a privilege for us. Although they have star players who have been playing together for a long time, this does not create any pressure or fear for us; this is simply the standard of competition at this level. It will allow us to gauge our own level and see where we stand in this race. We want to give our best performance and make our club proud on this big stage.” 

ŁKS Commercecon ŁÓDŹ (POL) vs. DRESDNER SC (GER) 

In a pool where CONEGLIANO obviously look like the dominant force, ŁKS Commercecon ŁÓDŹ will be hosting DRESDNER SC on Wednesday night in a fixture whose outcome may already be decisive in determining the fate of these teams in the competition. The two sides have only played each other once before – in a friendly match contested in September of 2023, when the Poles beat their German rivals in straight sets. 

If we look at past encounters against Polish teams, DRESDNER SC have a negative 2-4 win-loss record. Their latest victory over a club from Poland came in the 2015/2016 season, when they beat Impel WROCLAW 3-2. They had previously recorded another tiebreak victory over Tauron MKS DABROWA GORNICZA in 2012/2013. 

However, ŁKS Commercecon ŁÓDŹ also have a negative record against German opposition – with two wins to four losses to their name. They most recently beat Allianz MTV STUTTGART 3-2 in the 2019/2020 group phase – the season cut short by the outbreak of the pandemic. Whoever emerges victorious on Wednesday night will therefore improve such a negative head-to-head record. 

Alexander Waibl, head coach of DRESDNER SC: “We are all very excited about the start of the Champions League. Reaching this competition was one of the major goals and successes of the last season. Now it is finally happening. We have a very tough group with three extremely strong opponents. The away game in Łódź is going to be a real showstopper, a real litmus test for us. We will prepare ourselves to the max and put everything into it. I assume that we will also go through a learning process in the Champions League and that we can use this competition to develop ourselves. This will inevitably require us to adapt to this level with our very young team, as it will simply demand the quality of the opponents from us. But I think that will also make for some special highlights for all our fans at home games. We cannot wait for it to finally start.”

ŁKS Commercecon ŁÓDŹ head coach Adrian Chyliński: “We are starting the Champions League. For my team, it will be a big test because we do not have that many players with Champions League experience. DRESDNER SC is a good and stable team; they are performing very well. To fight with them as equals, we have to rise to our highest level – and maybe even play better than we normally can. It is shaping up to be an emotional, hard-fought match between these two teams.”

Pool E 

KS Developres RZESZÓW (POL) vs. Maritza PLOVDIV (BUL) 

These two teams did play each other also in last year’s pool phase, with the reigning Polish national champions celebrating a 3-1 home win in their opening game. They won the away fixture as well – in straight sets. These matches from last year account for KS Developres RZESZÓW’s only Champions League fixtures versus Bulgarian opposition. Moreover, earlier this season, KS Developres RZESZÓW defeated Maritza PLOVDIV 3-0 in a pre-season friendly tournament played in Ankara on September 24.
Multiple Bulgarian champions Maritza have lost all eight Champions League matches against Polish opposition this far. Their current head coach Ahmetcan Ersimsek was a member of Giovanni Guidetti’s coaching staff at VakifBank ISTANBUL that eliminated the Polish side in the 2022 quarterfinals (2-3, 3-1) and in the 2024 Playoff round (3-0, 3-0).

SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN (GER) vs. LEVALLOIS PARIS Saint Cloud (FRA) 

Just as their pool rivals from Poland and Bulgaria, LEVALLOIS PARIS Saint Cloud and SCHWERIN feature in the same group for the second straight season. Last year, the French national champions lost 0-3 and 2-3 to their German rivals. The 0-3 home defeat on 6 November 2024 was the club’s first Champions League match in their history. On the other hand, those wins were the first two victories for SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN against French clubs in the Champions League. As SCHWERINER SC they had lost all four matches versus RC CANNES, all in straight sets in the group phase in 2011/2012 and 2013/2014. At that time, RC CANNES was still among Europe’s top sides. 

The Germans just won their last match 3-2 to advance to the national cup semis. The reigning national champions, SCHWERIN have as many as 13 league titles to their name, plus eight and four from the National Cup and Supercup, respectively. The club was established back in 1957 in what was then East Germany and was previously known as SC Traktor SCHWERIN.  

Felix Koslowski, head coach of SCHWERIN: “PARIS is a very strong opponent, the reigning French champions, with quality on every position. We are really looking forward to this home game and are confident that we can make it very challenging for them here in Schwerin. At the same time, we are still in the process of developing as a team – games like this help us gain experience, clarify roles, and grow stronger step by step.”

Annegret Hölzig, outside hitter of SCHWERIN: “We are all really excited that the Champions League is finally starting. It is always something special, different from the national league. Having our first game at home with our fans is definitely an advantage, and we are all really looking forward to it.”