Bangkok, Thailand, March 4, 2023 – Although participating club teams have yet been confirmed as some national volleyball leagues are still under way, the drawing of lots conducted by AVC on Saturday has already set off countdown to 2023 Asian Club Championships and revealed participating nations in the two topflight continental championships.
Regarding the 2023 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship, which will be held in Vinh Phuc, Vietnam between April 25 and May 2, club teams from the confirmed 9 nations will strut their stuff to vie for the eventual title and a spot in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship to be organised later this year.
According to results of the Saturday’s drawing of lots, club teams from hosts Vietnam have been drawn in Pool A with Iran, Japan and Chinese Taipei, while Pool B consists of club teams from Kazakhstan, China, Thailand, Mongolia and Hong Kong China.
In the previous edition last year in Kazakhstan, Kuanysh narrowly edged past Altay VC 3-2 in the all-Kazakhs final showdown. Thailand’s Diamond Food-Fine Chef Sport Club had to be content with bronze medal, with Iran’s Barij Essence in fourth place overall. Japan, China and Chinese Taipei did not field their club teams in the last year’s event due to grave concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and strict preventive measures in their countries.
Kuanysh Club of Kazakhstan crowned 2022 champions
As stated in the match schedule of the preliminary round, this year, club teams from hosts Vietnam and Iran will kick off their campaigns as the curtain-raiser on April 25, followed by the clash between club teams from Mongolia and China. The day’s last match sees club teams from Kazakhstan, the winning nation in the previous edition, take on Thailand, which are likely to field Diamond Food-Fine Chef Sport Club, former consecutive two-time Thailand League champions.
On April 26, club teams from Chinese Taipei will challenge Japan, with teams from Thailand playing Hong Kong, China and teams from Mongolia challenging Kazakhstan.
All participating teams will have to play their pool round-robin preliminaries between April 25 and 29, while the semifinals and finals are due to take place on May 1 and 2 respectively.
Since the tournament inception in 1999 in Thailand, the Asian Women’s Club Championship sees club teams from China take the lion’s share of 8 gold medals, followed by Thailand with 6, Kazakhstan (4), Japan (3) and Korea (1).
The 2003 edition was cancelled due to the SARS outbreak, while the impact of COVID-19 pandemic became the major problem for organising the 2020 edition and it was also cancelled eventually.
In teams of the 2023 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, which will be held in Manama, Bahrain from May 14 to 21, club teams from 16 strong countries have already confirmed their participation in the eight-day tournament, chasing their dreams of winning the eventual title to secure a place in the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship, which is due to be hosted by India between December 6 and 10, 2023.
According to the Saturday’s results of the drawing of lots, also conducted by AVC, club teams from hosts Bahrain will compete in Pool A with Korea, Australia and Indonesia, while Pool B consists of club teams from Iran, the winning nation in the previous edition last year, Iraq, Chinese Taipei and Afghanistan. Club teams from Japan, Thailand, Mongolia and Yemen are in Pool C, with club teams from Kazakhstan, Qatar, Hong Kong China and Kuwait in Pool D.
Paykan Tehran and two players from Suntory Sunbirds fight for the ball at the last year’s showdown
Paykan Tehran crowned 2022 champions
At the previous edition, Paykan Tehran survived a strong challenge from Suntory Sunbirds to narrowly beat the Japanese club team 3-2 to reign supreme in the 2022 Asian Men’s Club Championship on their home soil. Another Iranian team, Moghavemat Shahdab Yazd, picked up bronze medal following their sensational 3-0 victory against Kazakhstan’s Taraz. Qatar’s Al-Rayyan powered past Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima QminC 3-1 in the 5th-6th place playoff, with South Gas producing comeback 3-2 win against Erbil in the all-Iraqis battle to claim the 7th position.
According to the match schedule of the preliminary round as stated in the results of the Saturday’s drawing of lots, club teams from hosts Bahrain and Indonesia will set up the curtain-raiser on May 14, followed respectively by the eagerly-anticipated matches between club teams from Australia and Korea, Afghanistan and Chinese Taipei, Iraq and Iran, Mongolia and Yemen, Thailand and Japan, Qatar and Kazakhstan and Hong Kong, China and Kuwait.
All participating club teams at the 2023 Asian Men’s Club Championship will have to first test their mettle in the pool round-robin preliminaries from May 14 to 16, with well-qualified teams playing semifinals and finals on May 20 and 21 respectively.
The first edition of the Asian Men’s Club Championship dated back to 1999 in China. Since the inception of the tournament, club teams from Iran made the country proud with 16 overall titles including 8 from Paykan Tehran, followed by Korea with 2 gold medals. Club teams from Qatar, Kazakhstan, China and Chinese Taipei shared one gold medal apiece.
Like the women’s event, the 2003 and 2020 editions were cancelled due to the SAR outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic respectively.
AVC will keep its affiliated National Federations and the Asian Volleyball Family informed on further update of the 2023 Asian Club Championships, especially on confirmation of all club teams (teams’ names) participating in the two championships following the completion of all national volleyball leagues. Please stay tuned!
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