Japanese Teams for the AVC Champions League 2026

Tokyo, 19 March 2026 - The SV.LEAGUE, Japan's premier volleyball league, decided on the selection process for Japanese teams participating in the AVC Champions League 2026, scheduled to take place in April and May 2026.

With regard to the AVC Champions League 2026 (ACL 2026), the SV.LEAGUE has been in ongoing communication with the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), seeking early confirmation of the competition schedule. This was to ensure the participation of the previous season’s league champions—Osaka Marvelous and Suntory Sunbirds Osaka—who hold qualification rights for the tournament.　However, the official schedule for ACL 2026 was announced on 20 December 2025, after the start of the DAIDO LIFE SV.LEAGUE season, and it was subsequently identified that the dates overlap with the DAIDO LIFE SV.LEAGUE Championship Finals.

In light of this situation, the SV.LEAGUE engaged in consultations with the relevant clubs as well as all member clubs, carefully considering how best to secure opportunities for international participation. Following these discussions, the Executive Board resolved the framework for selecting and dispatching participating clubs to ACL 2026.

For club teams, the FIVB Volleyball Men’s and Women’s Club World Championships represent the pinnacle of international competition, and achieving podium success at this level is a key objective for both the SV.LEAGUE and its clubs. The ACL serves as Asia’s premier competition and a crucial pathway to qualification for these global events, and is therefore positioned as a tournament of significant importance.

Taking into account the circumstances, the SV.LEAGUE has also communicated with the AVC regarding the importance of early confirmation of competition schedules and continued coordination with domestic league calendars. The SV.LEAGUE appreciates the constructive dialogue with the AVC, and understands that future editions are expected to be scheduled in a manner that avoids overlap with the SV.LEAGUE calendar.

The SV.LEAGUE will continue working closely with all relevant stakeholders to further enhance the environment in which Japanese clubs can compete and succeed on the international stage.

ACL 2026 Tournament Overview

WOMEN

Dates: April 26–30, 2026
Host Country: Republic of Korea

MEN

Dates: May 13–17, 2026
Host Country: Indonesia

Method for Determining the Clubs Dispatched to ACL 2026

A Japanese representative club will be dispatched to ACL 2026. If any of the top four clubs in last season’s overall standings do not advance to the Championship Final and express a willingness to participate, such clubs will be designated as “alternate candidate clubs.”

Based on the results of the Semifinals, preparations—including flight arrangements and visa applications—will be made in advance with the assumption that the designated alternate candidate club may be dispatched.

Taking into account the intentions of each club, the following clubs have been designated as alternate candidate clubs:

WOMEN

NEC RED ROCKETS KAWASAKI

SAGA Hisamitsu Springs

MEN

JTEKT STINGS AICHI

WOLFDOGS NAGOYA

Reference: Top Four Clubs in the Final Standings for 2024–25 Daido Life SV.LEAGUE Season

WOMEN

1. OSAKA MARVELOUS
2. NEC RED ROCKETS KAWASAKI
3. SAGA Hisamitsu Springs
4. DENSO AIRYBEES

MEN

1. SUNTORY SUNBIRDS OSAKA
2. JTEKT STINGS AICHI
3. OSAKA BLUTEON
4. WOLFDOGS NAGOYA

Based on the results of the Semifinals, the dispatched clubs for ACL 2026 will be determined as follows:

WOMEN

If OSAKA does not advance to the Final
→OSAKA will be dispatched to ACL.

If OSAKA advances to the Final and either NEC or SAGA HM does not advance to the Final
→ The club that does not advance to the Final will be dispatched to ACL.

If OSAKA advances to the Final and neither NEC nor SAGA HM advances to the Final
→ NEC will be dispatched to ACL (based on the higher ranking in the previous season).

MEN

If SUNTORY does not advance to the Final
→SUNTORY will be dispatched to ACL.

If SUNTORY advances to the Final and either STINGS AICHI or WD NAGOYA does not advance to the Final
→ The club that does not advance to the Final will be dispatched to ACL.

If SUNTORY advances to the Final and neither STINGS AICHI nor WD NAGOYA advances to the Final
→ STINGS AICHI will be dispatched to ACL (based on the higher ranking in the previous season).