Kyoto, Japan, May 18, 2025 – Al-Rayyan Sports Club of Qatar cemented their dominance at the inaugural AVC Men’s Champions League with a sensational 3-0 (25–19, 25–22, 25–17) victory over Japan’s Osaka Bluteon in a thrilling final at Shimadzu Arena on Sunday.
The historic win marked Al-Rayyan as the first-ever champions of the newly rebranded tournament, which replaces the longstanding Asian Men’s Club Championship.
With this victory, both Al-Rayyan and Osaka Bluteon have secured qualification for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship later this year.
Star outside hitter Noumory Keita spearheaded Al-Rayyan’s charge with a match-high 21 points, including 17 kills and 4 aces. Veteran Abdel-Aziz Nimir added 15 points (12 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace), forming a formidable offensive duo that Osaka Bluteon struggled to contain. No player from the Japanese side reached double digits, with Shoma Tomita tallying 9 points (7 kills), and support from Larry Ik Evbade-Dan and Yuji Nishida with 9 and 6 points, respectively.
Al-Rayyan controlled the match across all key statistics: 37 attack points to Osaka’s 29, 9 blocks to 7, 5 service aces to none, and they capitalized on more opponent errors (24 vs. 22).
Bronze Medal Match Recap
Earlier in the day, Japan’s SV.League champions Suntory Sunbirds Osaka bounced back from their semifinal disappointment to claim the bronze medal with a dominant 3-0 (25–15, 25–15, 25–19) victory over defending Asian Club champions Foolad Sirjan Iranian.
Towering outside hitter Dmitriy Muserskiy was a standout performer, registering 20 points with 15 kills, 1 block, and 4 service aces. Alain De Armas and Ran Takahashi contributed 10 and 9 points, respectively. Foolad Sirjan’s Delavari Mohsen led his team with 14 points (13 kills).
Awards Ceremony and Closing Highlights
The awards ceremony, attended by over 4,000 enthusiastic fans, was presided over by AVC President Mr Ramon Suzara. Also present were Mr Luis Alexandre Pontes Rodrigues, FIVB Director for Asia and Oceania, Mr Richard Palou, President of the Premier Volleyball League and Vice President of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation, SV.League Secretary General Mr Fuyutaka Saneyoshi, JVA Executive Board Member Mr Takuya Naito, and Mr Yasuhiro Matsuura, MUFG Bank Ltd, Head of Retail & Digital Product Division, Senior Fellow & Managing Director.
Mr Suzara presented the gold-colored trophy, gold medals, and US$20,000 in prize money to the newly crowned champions, Al-Rayyan Sports Club. Second place Osaka Bluteon received their trophy, silver medals and US$15,000, while third-place Suntory Sunbirds Osaka were awarded trophy, bronze medals and US$10,000. Fourth-place Foolad Sirjan Iranian earned US$5,000.
A Tournament to Remember
The curtain has come down on a successful debut edition of the AVC Men’s Champions League, co-hosted in Osaka and Kyoto. With its top-tier organization, marketing, and strong fan engagement, the tournament has set a new benchmark for continental volleyball competitions in Asia. Anticipation is already building for next year’s edition, which promises to be even bigger and more memorable for participating clubs and fans alike.
DREAM TEAM
Best Outside Spiker: Lopez Castro Miguel Angel (No.81, Osaka Bluteon, Japan)
Best Outside Spiker: Takahashi Ran (No.12, Suntory Sunbirds Osaka, Japan)
Best Middle Blocker: Diagne Papemachette (No.2, Al-Rayyan Sports Club, Qatar)
Best Middle Blocker: Evbade-Dan Larry IK (No.23, Osaka Bluteon, Japan)
Best Opposite: Abdel-Aziz Nimir (No.3, Al-Rayyan Sports Club, Qatar)
Best Setter: Milos Stevanovic (No.5, Al-Rayyan Sports Club, Qatar)
Best Libero: Yamamoto Tomohiro (No.13, Osaka Bluteon, Japan)
Most Valuable Player: Abdel-Aziz Nimir (No.3, Al-Rayyan Sports Club, Qatar)
Click the link below for match schedule, results and photos
https://asianvolleyball.net/new/2025-avc-mens-champions-league/
QUICK LINKS
AVC Website: click www.asianvolleyball.net
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AVC Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/avcvolley/?hl=en
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AVC Youtube: click: Asian Volleyball Confederation
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