The European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) has confirmed the list of 28 men’s and 20 women’s team which will take part in the 2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League.  Four clubs received wild cards for the men’s edition and one received this honor on the ladies’ side.  The Drawing of Lots for the League Round will take place on June 27 in Vienna at the annual European Volleyball Gala co-hosted by the Austrian Volleyball Federation and the CEV.

For the first time in the 15-year history of the Champions League, a Finnish team from any gender will participate, as LP SALO received the wild card for the next women’s competition.

“I am happy to see that the Champions League is expanding its geography to new countries,” CEV President André Meyer states.  “This is our Confederation’s flagship club competition and it is important that fans from more and more of our member countries get to enjoy some of that Champions League fever.  Finland has been a Volleyball power in national team competitions for years and I am glad to see them progressing at the club level as well.”

The men’s wild card list is highlighted by reigning European and world club champions Belogorie BELGOROD from Russia.  Joining them is the Champions League regular, Belgian powerhouse Noliko MAASEIK.  The other two special invitations for participation in the men’s competition go out to last year’s rookies Posojilnica AICH/DOB from Austria and Energy Investments LUGANO from Switzerland.

All other participants were determined according to the CEV European Cups Ranking List for national federations, which takes into consideration the results from the 2011, 2012 and 2013 editions of CEV’s three club competitions.

There are a total of seven debutant clubs in the Champions League.  These are Belgium’s Precura ANTWERP and Italy’s Sir Safety PERUGIA in the men’s tournament and Finland’s LP SALO, France’s NANTES VB, Serbia’s Partizan Vizura BEOGRAD and Poland’s Chemik POLICE and Impel WROCLAW on the women’s side.  For Sir Safety PERUGIA and NANTES VB this will be even the inaugural participation in any European Cup tournament.

“In today’s dynamic environment, not only in Volleyball, but in pretty much any sphere of life, it is not only normal to have so many rookies in the Champions League, but it is also a positive trend,” President Meyer comments on.  “This is to show that, despite the economic difficulties the world is experiencing, our sport is vibrant and Europe’s club community is strong, flexible and vivid.  Anyway, the level of our most prestigious club competition remains very high, which is illustrated by the fact that in both genders the last three winners of the Champions League will fight for the crown in the 2015 edition as well.”

Teams participating in the 2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Women:

AZE - Rabita BAKU
AZE - Azeryol BAKU
CZE - Agel PROSTEJOV
FIN - LP SALO
FRA - RC CANNES
FRA - NANTES VB
GER - DRESDNER SC
ITA - Nordmeccanica PIACENZA
ITA - Unendo Yamamay BUSTO ARSIZIO
POL - Chemik POLICE
POL - Impel WROCLAW
ROU - Stiinta BACAU
RUS - Dinamo KAZAN
RUS - Dinamo MOSCOW
RUS - Omichka OMSK REGION
SRB - Partizan Vizura BEOGRAD
SUI - Volero ZÜRICH
TUR - VakifBank ISTANBUL
TUR - Fenerbahce ISTANBUL
TUR - Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL