After 72 days from the triumph of the Panthers in Istanbul, the CEV Champions League is back: tomorrow in Luxembourg, at 12 noon, the Broadcasting Centre Europe (ECB) will host the draws of the pools of the top European competition. A. Carraro Prosecco DOC presents itself as reigning champion of the last two editions.
The 20 participants of the group stage will be divided into 5 groups with 4 teams each, the matches will be played with a two-legged formula from 25 November 2025 to 4 February 2026. The top teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals, while all the runners-up and the best third-placed teams – six teams in all – play the Playoffs, from which three teams advance to the quarterfinals. The four winners of the quarterfinals will compete in the Final Four to be played on May 2 and 3, 2026, with venue TBD.
Compared to the 2024/25 edition, there are two novelties to report: the Igor Gorgonzola Novara and the Ankara Zeren Spor Kulübü have received a wild card to participate in the competition. The Italian will be placed in the third tier, the Turkish in the fourth, they could immediately meet their national rivals.
As for the other teams, A. Carraro Prosecco DOC Conegliano is included in the first tier together with Vakifbank Istanbul, Fenerbahce, Milano and Resovia. In the second pot there are Eczacibasi Istanbul, the Polish Lks Lodz and Budowlani Lodz, the German Schwerin. In third, in addition to Novara, Dresden, Levallois Paris, Železničar Lajkovac and Alba Blaj are inserted; in fourth, in addition to Zeren Ankara, four teams are expected to arrive from the preliminary rounds that will be completed on November 13. Except for wild cards, no one can face teams of the same nationality in the first phase.
The draws will be broadcast live from 12 noon on YouTube on the CEV European Volleyball channel and on Imoco Volley’s social channels.