By: Jejje Muhinde
The 2026 Men’s African Club Volleyball Championship has reached its fever pitch. Following the conclusion of a high-octane group stage, the bracket for the Round of 16 is officially set.
Sixteen teams remain in the hunt for continental glory, with matches scheduled to take place on April 29, 2026 at BK Arena and Petit Stade in Kigali.
For the home supporters, the headline story is the challenging path laid out for APR Volleyball Club. The Rwandan giants finished third in their group and now find themselves in a bracket wing that could see them face Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly in the quarter-finals, provided both teams navigate their initial knockout hurdles.
The top 16 volleyball clubs in Africa, includes four Rwandan representatives (APR VC, REG VC, Police VC, and Kepler VC) and traditional giants like Egypt’s Al Ahly.
The Round of 16 (single-elimination phase) of the 47th CAVB Men’s Club Championship, will determine which clubs advance to the quarter-finals in the pursuit of the African club title.
The draw has set the stage for several “East African Derbies.” Kenya’s representatives face a “sink or swim” moment against regional neighbors. The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), having finished fourth in Group 3, faces a formidable challenge against Uganda’s Nemostars, who dominated Group 1 with a perfect 12 points.
The Ugandan side delivered a composed performance to seal a 3-0 triumph (25-21, 25-16, 25-21) in their final group match played at Petit Stade on Monday.
Meanwhile, the “Paramilitary” boys of Kenya’s General Service Unit (GSU) are set for a tactical showdown against Rwanda’s Kepler VC. Equity Bank VC, the third Kenyan side in the mix, will have to contend with the physical prowess of Cameroon’s Port Autonome de Douala (PAD).
In the local camp, APR VC hosts FUS Rabat of Morocco. Should APR advance, and should Al Ahly defeat Burundi’s Kalibi Sporting Club, the two will meet in a highly anticipated quarter-final clash.
The championship follows a standard single-elimination format. Winners of the Round of 16 will advance to the quarter-finals, while the losing sides will enter a classification bracket to determine rankings from 17th to 24th place.
As the tournament moves into this do-or-die phase, the pressure is squarely on the host nation’s clubs to utilize their home-court advantage. With the possibility of an all-Rwanda quarter-final between Kepler VC and Police VC also on the cards, the Kigali crowd is expected to turn out in record numbers to cheer their local heroes toward the podium.
The Round of 16 Fixtures:
Nemostars (Uganda) vs. Kenya Ports Authority (Kenya)
REG VC (Rwanda) vs. Sport-S VC (Uganda)
Police VC (Rwanda) vs. Nigeria Customs (Nigeria)
Kepler VC (Rwanda) vs. GSU (Kenya)
PAD (Cameroon) vs. Equity Bank (Kenya
Petrojet (Egypt) vs. Ghana Army (Ghana)
Al Ahly (Egypt) vs. Kalibi (Burundi)
FUS Rabat (Morocco) vs. APR VC (Rwanda)
