Volleyball

VTV Bình Điền Long An will compete in the AVC Champions League 2025 next week in the Philippines. Photo thethao247.vn

HÀ NỘI — VTV Bình Điền Long An are ready for their first time in competition at the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Champions League 2025 starting this weekend in the Philippines.

The league features 12 clubs, divided into four groups of three, with the top two of each group advancing to the next stage.

The Vietnamese 2024 champions will play in Group C, up against favourites Beijing BAIC Motor of China and Saipa Tehran of Iran.

The game between VTV Bình Điền Long An and the Beijing team will be on April 21, while the decisive match against Saipa Tehran will be on April 22, deciding which team will advance to the quarter-finals.

The two top teams of the league will also secure slots in the Club World Championship 2025.

VTV Bình Điền Long An will leave for Pasig City on April 18, with their best roster, strengthened by outside hitter Natalia Lijewska.

The 1.92 metre-tall Polish player came to Việt Nam in February and proved her ability in the national championships 2025, which saw VTV Bình Điền Long An finish in second place.

She is already a trusted player, supporting captain Trần Thị Thanh Thúy in the continental tournament.

Another one to look out for is outside hitter Vi Thị Như Quỳnh from Quảng Ninh Club.

Quỳnh impressed coaches with her physical strength and strong smashes, with the 22-year-old good in both attack and defence.

After the AVC Champions League, players will join the national team for the AVC Challenge Cup, which will be held in Hà Nội on June 7-14.

It will be the fourth season of the Cup, with Việt Nam defending champions.

In other news, the coaching board has called up 18 players to serve the national men's team in the 2025's international tournaments.

The national men's vollyeball team will begin training for international competition this month in Hà Nội. -- Photo thethao247.vn

In addition to familiar faces, setter Đinh Văn Duy is back to the team after injury, while Phạm Thoại Khương and Phan Công Đức join their teammates for the first time.

Their first tournament will be the AVC Men’s Champions League on May 11-18 in Japan.

Top 12 teams across the continent, including two teams from hosts Japan, will battle it out for top spots and share of US$50,000 prize money over the eight-day competition, due to be held in both Osaka and Kyoto.

Top two teams from this top-tier event will make the cut for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship.

Teams are drawn into four pools of three teams apiece. Pool play will unfold from May 11 to 13 at the Panasonic Arena in Hirakata City, Osaka. Only the top two teams from each pool will progress to the knockout quarterfinals, with the third-placed finishers in each pool eliminated.

The Việt Nam national team will take on powerful Al-Rayyan Sports, which has already captured 12 titles in the Qatar Volleyball Association Championship, 16 titles in the Emir Cup and two (2023, 2024) titles in the West Asian Men’s Club Championship. They also finished second in the 2013 and 2014 Asian Club Championships after Bahrain Volleyball Club (BHR) in Pool D. VNS