African Men’s Volleyball Club Championship kicks off in Rwanda

APR VC, one of the four clubs representing Rwanda played in the opening match against Zimbabwe’s Black Rhinos VC.

APR VC defeated Black Rhinos VC in straight sets (25-18, 25-10, 25-11).

Speaking earlier during the official opening ceremony, Rwandan Minister of Sports Nelly Mukazayire urged volleyball federations represented at the tournament to invest more in grassroots development for a stronger future.

“As a continent, this is the moment to reflect on the shift towards a high-performance system that delivers real results. We must continue investing in talent development and coaching to help our athletes reach their full potential,” she said.

The Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) Vice President, Louis Rwakiranya noted that Rwanda was chosen to host the games not by chance but because it is a “symbol of resilience, unity and ambition for the whole of Africa” exactly what the championship represents.

“Africa unites through sports. This championship is a clear demonstration that African volleyball has reached a new dimension,” he said.

The teams are in Kigali not only for competition but to write a new chapter in the history of Africa sports, Rwakiranya added. 

The President of the Rwanda Volleyball Federation, Raphael Ngarambe said the event offers an opportunity to consolidate volleyball across Africa, share experience as well as promote unity and excellence by sport.

The number of participating clubs in the 47th edition of the games dropped from 30 initially confirmed to 24 following the withdrawal of six teams, an official of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Sanga Issouf Kone told reporters in Kigali on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s opening.

The tournament will run through May 3.

The countries represented include host Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Ghana and Burundi.

The teams were grouped into four:

Group A: APR VC (Rwanda), Litto Team Volleyball (Cameroon), Nemo Stars VC (Uganda), Nigeria Customs Service (Nigeria), Petrojet SC (Egypt), Black Rhinos VC (Zimbabwe).

Group B: Al Ahly SC (Egypt), Cameroun Sports Volleyball (Cameroon), Kepler VC (Rwanda), SPORT-S VC (Uganda), AS INJS (Côte d’Ivoire), Equity Bank VC (Kenya).

Group C: Faith Union Sport (Morocco), Kenya Ports Authority (Kenya), Wolaitta Volleyball (Ethiopia), Police VC (Rwanda), Prisons VC (Tanzania), Ghana Army (Ghana).

Group D: General Service Unit VC (Kenya), Port Autonome de Douala (Cameroon), Atlético Clube do Mindelo (Cape Verde), Rukinzo VC (Burundi), Kalibi SC (Ghana), REG VC (Rwanda).

The top 16 teams will advance to the knockout stage, from the Round of 16 to the final.