Turan TOVUZ to break new ground with #CLVolleyW historic debut on home soil

The early rounds of the elite CEV Champions League Volley 2027 Women will get underway this coming Tuesday, October 20, when Azerbaijan’s rookies and reigning national champions Turan TOVUZ host Croatia’s Mladost ZAGREB. This is a truly special moment for Turan TOVUZ since the club was established only in 2025 and made its debut in the Azerbaijan Women’s Volleyball Super League during the 2025/2026 season. In its inaugural participation, the club won the national league title, thereby securing qualification for the early rounds of the elite CEV Champions League Volley 2027.

Following the conclusion of the 2025/2026 season, Turan parted ways with 11 players: Joseline Landeros (Mexico), Tahmina Mustafazada (Azerbaijan), Khadija Alakbarova (Azerbaijan), Valeriya Kondratyeva (Azerbaijan), Ulkar Karimova (Azerbaijan), Bohdana Anisova (Ukraine), Franciele Stedile (Brazil), Sabina Alizada (Azerbaijan), Sh’Diamond Holly (USA), Larisa Smeltsova (Azerbaijan) and Zarina Namazova (Azerbaijan).

Ahead of the 2026/2027 season, the club strengthened its roster with 11 new signings: Jaeyeong Lee (South Korea), Dayeong Lee (South Korea), Kenia Carcaces (Cuba), Ana Yilian Cleger (Cuba), Wilma Salas (Cuba), Yang Hanyu (China), Jeyran Imanova (Azerbaijan), Nilufar Aghazada (Azerbaijan), Yelyzaveta Ruban (Azerbaijan), Mariya Kirilyuk (Azerbaijan) and Minami Yoshioka (Japan).

Moreover, the Tovuz Olympic Sports Complex underwent extensive renovation and modernisation over a three-month period. The works covered both the entrance area and the entire interior of the facility. As part of the renovation, the spectator capacity was increased from 700 to 1,500. The monitoring systems, acoustic equipment and ventilation systems were also renewed and upgraded. In addition, new equipment was purchased to provide athletes with the necessary facilities for training and preparation. Following these improvements, the complex now offers modern facilities and suitable conditions for hosting Volleyball matches at a competitive level.

Ziya Rajabov, head coach: “Our club will be participating in the CEV Champions League for the first time, and naturally, I have clear expectations and ambitions as head coach. Our primary objective is to progress through the qualifying rounds and reach the main phase of the competition. We aim to go as far as possible and achieve the best results we can. The players who have joined our team bring valuable experience from previous Champions League campaigns. I believe their international experience will be a major asset and will help us compete at this level and secure victories. We invite all Volleyball fans in Tovuz to come and support our team at our home match on 20 October. I hope we can achieve the best possible result and take an important step towards progressing to the next stage of the competition.”

Team captain Ayshan Abdulazimova: “Our team is currently continuing preparations in Baku at a high intensity for the second qualifying round of the CEV Champions League. We previously took part in training camps in Italy, Greece and Türkiye, where we also played several friendly matches. These games were valuable in helping us gain match experience and prepare more effectively for the important challenge ahead. For the first time in Turan’s history, our club is competing in the CEV Champions League. This is a very important milestone for us. I hope that, with the support of our home fans, we will successfully progress through the qualifying round and move forward confidently towards our next goals.”