By Seif Shaggy Gracien Hasingizwimana/Kigali/Rwanda,
As Rwanda prepares to host the African Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, the CAVB Men’s Club Championship 2026, set to run from April 22 to May 2, 2026, another aspect has emerged highlighting the role of Rwandans in managing this tournament at the international level.
Reliable information indicates that among the international referees to officiate this competition, there are three Rwandans namely Alphonse Ndayisaba, Faustin Nsangamahoro, and Emmanuel Havugimana, who was recently promoted to the international level. The inclusion of these referees in a tournament hosted in Rwanda reflects the trust they continue to earn in officiating at the African level.
The tournament will bring together about 30 teams from 17 countries across the African continent, with Rwanda represented by four teams including APR VC, the host team, Police VC, Kepler VC, and REG VC, which was confirmed at the last minute. This further highlights Rwanda’s strong role both as host and participant in the competition.
The matches are scheduled to take place at BK Arena and Petit Stade in Remera, where entry for games at BK Arena will cost Rwf 15,000 for CIP, Rwf 10,000 for VIP, and Rwf 3,000 for the remaining seats via ticqet.rw. At Petit Stade, entry will cost Rwf 3,000 via sportspass.rw and by dialing 9393*2#.
The CAVB Men’s Club Championship was first held in 1980, with North African teams, especially those from Egypt and Tunisia, historically dominating the competition. Al Ahly SC holds the record for the most titles, having won it 16 times, followed by CS Sfaxien with 6 titles, while other strong teams like Zamalek SC and Espérance Sportive de Tunis have each won it five times.
Overall, the tournament has been held 46 times, and since 1983 it has been played annually except in 2020 when it was not held due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In terms of national dominance, Egypt leads with 22 titles, followed by Tunisia with 17, Algeria with three, and Libya with one, won by Asswehly SC in the most recent 2025 edition.
