The Men’s African Volleyball Club Championship holders General Service Unit, GSU, from Kenya will be seeking to retain their title as this year’s action kicks off in Egypt tomorrow. A total of 23 teams will be competing at this year’s championship with draws slated for Sunday 31st March, 2019, and opening matches to go down on Monday 1st April, 2019.

GSU is joined by compatriots Kenya Prisons at this year’s championship that will be hosted by Egypt’s Al Ahly.

Kenya’s neighbours, Uganda, will also be represented by two participants; Uganda University and Nemo Stars. Nemo Stars come to Egypt as the champions of the Ugandan national league.

On their part, Libya will be fielding four teams. The teams from Libya being: Al Swehly, Ahli Tripoli, Al Ittihad El Masrati and Asaria.

Ahli Tripoli has won a bronze medal twice in 2009 and 2013 at past Men’s African Volleyball Club Championships while, Al Swehly finished 4th in the last three competitions as well as in 2008.

Hosts Egypt will be having 2 teams participating. 13-time winners Al Ahly host the competition for a second year in a row. They have finished at second position five times at previous competitions. The other Egyptian club, Smouha, won the bronze medal last year, in 2018, and also in 2016. They finished fourth in 2015.

Here is the full list of Confirmed participating teams in the 2019 Men’s African Volleyball Championship:

Al Ahly (Egypt) 🇪🇬
Smouha (Egypt) 🇪🇬
Al Swehly (Libya) 🇱🇾
Ahli Tripoli (Libya) 🇱🇾
Al Ittihad El Masrati (Libya) 🇱🇾
Asaria (Libya) 🇱🇾
Gendarmerie Nationale Volleyball (Madagascar) 🇲🇬
University of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe) 🇿🇼
Gisagra Volleyball Club – GVC (Rwanda) 🇷🇼
Police (Botswana) 🇧🇼
Cement (Ethiopia) 🇪🇹
Valaita Decha(Ethiopia) 🇪🇹
AS Fag (Guinea) 🇬🇳
Uganda University (Uganda) 🇺🇬
Nemo Star (Uganda) 🇺🇬
Rokinzo (Burundi) 🇧🇮
Inter Club (Congo) 🇨🇬
General Service Unit – GSU (Kenya) 🇰🇪
Kenya Prisons (Kenya) 🇰🇪
AS Injs (Cote d’Ivoire) 🇨🇮
Forced Armees Police (Cameroon) 🇨🇲
Mwangaza (Congo DR) 🇨🇩
Espoir (Congo DR) 🇨🇩

Meanwhile, referees who will be officiating the matches have completed their training. The referees have been training since Wednesday 27th March, 2019 and finished the training on Saturday 30th March, 2019. Confederation of African Volleyball, CAVB, President Dr Amr Elwani opened the African Refereeing Commission meeting in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Egypt’s Ahly captured their tenth historic Women’s African Club Championship title after they outclassed their arch-rivals Carthage of Tunisia 3-1 (21-25, 25-15, 25-11, 25-19) in the final of the competition at Ahly Hall in Cairo, Egypt on Monday 25th March, 2019.

The bronze medal went to Kenya Pipeline following their victory over Algeria’s GSP 3-0 (25-22, 25-17, 25-18) in the third place match.

2019 Women’s African Club Championship – Final Ranking of teams:

1. Ahly (Egypt)
2. Carthage (Tunisia)
3. Pipeline (Kenya)
4. GSP (Algeria)
5. Shams (Egypt)
6. Customs (Nigeria)
7. FAP (Cameroon)
8. Sporting (Egypt)
9. KCB (Kenya)
10. Revenue (Rwanda)
11. Canon (RD Congo)
12. USFA (Burkina)
13. Shooting (Egypt)
14. DGSP (Congo)
15. ASEC (CIV)
16. Nkumba University (Uganda)
17. Prisons (Kenya) —Withdrawn