When Eight Men's Clubs Gather in Poland, Which Gap Is Being Overlooked

That morning, when the list of eight clubs competing in the 2026 FIVB Men's Club World Championship was announced, the first thing I did was count how many teams came from outside Europe and South America. Only three. Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi from Indonesia, Foolad Sirjan Iranian from Iran, and Al Ahly from Egypt. I underlined all three names in pencil, then read the list a third time, more slowly. That habit was formed during years spent in the corridors of arenas, where I learned that a list sometimes tells more than the match itself. Poland will host the tournament for two consecutive years, 2026 and 2027. The organisers said details about the schedule and ticketing will be announced in due course. But what made me pause longest was not what was stated in the announcement. In the darkness of the press room, I learned to read between the questions. It lay in the position of each name on the list. The eight teams span four continents. Perugia arrives as the reigning club world champion and the reigning CEV Champions League winner — Europe's most prestigious club competition. The Italian side boasts a roster packed with international stars, including Oleh Plotnytskyi and Simone Giannelli. Sada Cruzeiro of Brazil has won this tournament five times, a feat no other club has matched. Behind those two names sits a group of clubs with varying pedigrees. Vôlei Renata, also from Brazil, represents South America alongside Sada Cruzeiro. Foolad Sirjan Iranian brings the speed-and-defence style characteristic of Iranian volleyball. Al Ahly of Egypt represents Africa, a region rarely seen at the final stage of global club competitions. Ziraat of Turkey makes its debut, just like Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi. Notably, Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi became the first Indonesian men's club to win an Asian continental title. This is a landmark for Indonesian volleyball, a country famous for its women's game but whose men's teams have never gone this far. Their appearance in Poland in 2026 opens a new chapter for Southeast Asian volleyball as a whole. Based on my experience following international club matches, the structure of this year's tournament paints a familiar picture with a few new strokes. At the top tier, Perugia is almost certainly the number-one contender. Their squad depth allows rotation across tightly packed fixtures, something less experienced teams cannot manage. Sada Cruzeiro, with five past titles, remains the most dangerous challenger to the Italian side. But the gap between them and Perugia is narrowing in the opposite direction — Perugia is edging closer to a position of dominance. The middle tier includes Vôlei Renata, Foolad Sirjan Iranian, and Al Ahly. This is the group capable of causing upsets in a short tournament, where knockout formats reduce the advantage of stronger teams overall. One good match, one inspired set can change everything. I have seen lower-rated teams eliminate title favourites because of a single well-timed serve. The bottom group comprises two debutants, Ziraat and Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi. For Jakarta, the pressure is considerable. They arrive in Poland as Southeast Asia's sole representative, and each of their matches will be watched by a huge Indonesian audience — people who have never had the chance to cheer for a men's club on the world stage. Ziraat faces a similar challenge, as Turkey is better known for its women's volleyball. One factor rarely mentioned is geography. Teams from South America, Asia, and Africa must travel long distances to Poland, while Perugia needs only a few hours by air. No home advantage belongs to any Polish team since no host representative is in the current list. But physical advantage tilts toward European clubs, and in a short tournament, that difference can be decisive. What I thought about most after reading the list had nothing to do with any men's team. It was the question of the equivalent tournament for women's clubs. Women's volleyball has a massive fan base across Asia, Europe, and South America. Domestic women's leagues in Italy, Turkey, and Brazil draw larger crowds than many corresponding men's leagues. Yet when it comes to the club world stage, the level of media investment and attention given to the two sides is disproportionate. A statement about globalising volleyball would be more complete if it were applied evenly. When an Indonesian men's club wins its first Asian title and earns a world championship berth, that is big news. But similar news in Indonesian women's volleyball appeared long ago, and it did not generate comparable reach. Their silence is not agreement; it is a declaration. Another point that must be faced squarely: Perugia relies heavily on Giannelli and Plotnytskyi. If either is injured before the tournament, their system collapses faster than people think. This is a risk that the reigning champion status obscures. In the history of club competitions, teams have lost key pillars at critical stages and paid with the title. Gender equality in sport is a match with no final whistle. And volleyball, the sport I have followed for thirty-three years, is a clear example of that. Eight clubs, four continents, two consecutive seasons in Poland. Those numbers say one thing: club volleyball is expanding its map slowly but surely. The question is not who will win, but whether this expansion will come with bridging the gap between regions — and between genders. I write for those who have never appeared in the sports pages, and I am still waiting for the answer.