First qualifying round begins in #CLVolleyM 2026

The CEV Champions League Volley 2026 Men gets underway with the first qualifying round, as national champions and top clubs from across Europe take their first steps toward a place in the group stage of the continent’s top competition.

Among the opening ties, Dinamo București of Romania meets VC Strumica STRUMICA from North Macedonia. Dinamo, one of Romania’s most consistent sides in recent years, is aiming to build on a solid start in this two-leg encounter. For Strumica, this campaign represents another step in gaining experience at the continental level, as they aim to demonstrate progress against strong opposition.

In Serbia, Radnički Kragujevac head into their home match in a strong position after a composed away performance against Azerrail Baku of Azerbaijan. The Serbian side will aim to finish the job in front of their fans and book a place in the next phase.

ACH Volley Ljubljana, one of Slovenia’s most established clubs, meets Orion Stars Doetinchem of the Netherlands. With plenty of experience at this level, Ljubljana will look to manage the tie confidently, while the Dutch visitors hope to test themselves against proven European opponents.

Greek champions Olympiacos Piraeus are back in the competition, facing OK Napredak Odžak of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Olympiacos aims to make a strong return to Europe’s main event, while Napredak sees this as a valuable opportunity to build on their recent growth and exposure.

Also in action are Spanish champions Guaguas Las Palmas, who take on MÁV Foxconn Székesfehérvár of Hungary. The second leg will be played at the Gran Canaria Arena, where Guaguas will hope to make home advantage count and move on to the next round.

Austria’s TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg is also in action, meeting AKAA Volley from Finland. Hartberg made a strong start at home and will travel for the return leg, looking to maintain their advantage and continue their campaign.

The winners from these matchups will advance to the second qualifying round, taking one more step toward a place in the #CLVolleyM 2026 group stage.