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The race for a place in the CEV Champions League Volley 2027 group stage continued with four first-leg encounters in the second qualifying round, played between November 3 and 5.
Across Azerbaijan, Croatia, the Netherlands and Hungary, several national champions took important steps towards the next stage, although the return fixtures promise plenty of uncertainty.
Sporting CP, HAOK Mladost and ACH Volley Ljubljana all secured victories away from home, while Fino Kaposvár made the most of home advantage with a straight-set win over Austrian champions TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg.
Sporting CP had to work particularly hard to leave Baku with a victory, overcoming Khilasedichi 2-3 (23:25, 25:19, 25:23, 23:25, 10:15) in a match that marked a historic European debut for the Azerbaijani club. Playing in front of approximately 1,500 spectators at the Ministry of Emergency Situations Gym, the hosts made an impressive impression, taking a 2–1 lead after winning the second and third sets. Sporting, however, refused to surrender. The Portuguese champions fought back with a 25–23 fourth set before taking control of the tie-break, which they won 15–10 to complete a valuable 3–2 away victory. Luis Enrique Reyes Rodríguez was Khilasedichi’s leading scorer with 23 points, while Jorge Luis Alayo Moliner contributed 19 for Sporting. The Portuguese side now have the advantage ahead of the return leg at Pavilhão João Rocha on November 11, but the narrow margin means the tie remains very much alive.
In Zagreb, Croatian champions HAOK Mladost secured a 3-1 (25:15, 25:19, 17:25, 25:23) victory over Bulgaria’s Levski Sofia, moving a step closer to a long-awaited return to the Champions League group stage. The hosts started exceptionally well, dominating the opening two sets 25–15 and 25–19, with their serving and blocking creating considerable problems for the Bulgarian visitors. Levski responded in the third set, taking it 25–17 and showing why they remain one of the strongest sides in their domestic competition. Mladost, however, regained control in the fourth. After building a 21–14 advantage, the Croatian team had to withstand a late Levski comeback before eventually closing out the set 25–23. Sven Jakopec was named MVP after scoring 16 points, including seven blocks, while Leo Andrić added 15. Kristian Titriyski was the outstanding performer for Levski, finishing as the match’s top scorer with 25 points. Mladost also dominated the blocking statistics, winning that department 14–8. The result is particularly significant for the Zagreb club, whose ambition is to bring Champions League group-stage volleyball back to Dom odbojke after 27 years. The return match will take place in Sofia on November 11, where Levski will need a much stronger performance to keep its hopes alive.
ACH Volley Ljubljana also made an important statement, defeating Orion Stars Doetinchem 0-3 (23:25, 26:28, 14:25) in the Netherlands. The Slovenian champions had to work harder than the final score might suggest, particularly during the opening two sets. Ljubljana initially established an 8–2 lead in the first, but Orion fought back and eventually levelled at 18–18. The visitors nevertheless held their nerve to take the set 25–23. The second was even closer, with the Dutch side creating two set points, both of which Ljubljana managed to save before eventually prevailing 28–26. Having missed those opportunities, Orion struggled to maintain the same intensity in the third set. Ljubljana quickly established a commanding advantage and completed the sweep with a 25–14 win. Rok Bračko led the winners with 15 points, followed by Tonček Štern with 14 and Marko Ivović with 11. Youri Ebbelaar was Orion’s leading scorer with 14. There is an interesting recent history between these teams: they also met in the previous season’s Champions League qualifiers, when Ljubljana eliminated the Dutch side to reach the group stage. The Slovenian champions will now have the opportunity to finish the job at home, with the return fixture scheduled for November 12 at Ljubljana’s Tivoli Hall.
The fourth encounter saw Fino Kaposvár take a significant step against TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg, defeating the Austrian champions 3–0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:19) at the Kaposvár Arena. The Hungarian side continued their positive European campaign after eliminating Bosnia and Herzegovina’s OK Napredak Odžak in the previous qualifying round with two victories. Kaposvár had already been unbeaten in their domestic championship and in their Champions League matches before this encounter, while Hartberg arrived as the reigning Austrian champions, having claimed the first league title in their history last season. The visitors now face a difficult task in the return match, scheduled for November 10 in Hartberg. The Hungarian side, meanwhile, will look to complete the job and move one step closer to the group stage.
The second qualifying round is far from over. Sporting will defend their advantage in Lisbon, Mladost will travel to Sofia, Ljubljana will welcome Orion in Ljubljana, and Hartberg will attempt to overturn the deficit in front of their home supporters. The winners of these ties will progress to the third and final qualifying round, where a place in the 2026/27 CEV Champions League group stage will be at stake. With several teams still capable of turning their ties around, the coming week promises another important chapter in the European club season.
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🏆| 2026/27 CEV Champions League | Second Round
👉🏼FIRST LEG
Tuesday November 3, 2026
📍Ministry of Emergency Situations Gym Baku
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Khilasedichi Baku (AZE) – Sporting CP Lisboa (POR) 2-3 (23:25, 25:19, 25:23, 23:25, 10:15)
Wednesday November 4, 2026
📍Dom Odbojke Bojan Stranic Zagreb
• 19.00 (Local Time) | Mladost Zagreb (CRO) – Levski Sofia (BUL) 3-1 (25:15, 25:19, 17:25, 25:23)
📍SaZa Topsporthal Doetinchem
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Orion Stars Doetinchem (NED) – ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) 0-3 (23:25, 26:28, 14:25)
Thursday November 5, 2026
📍Kaposvár Arena
• 18.00 (Local Time) | Fino Kaposvár (HUN) – TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg (AUT) 3-0 (25:22, 25:18, 25:19)
SECOND LEG
Tuesday November 10, 2026
📍Stadtwerke Halle Hartberg
• 18.00 (Local Time) | TSV Raiffeisen Hartberg (AUT) – Fino Kaposvár (HUN)
Wednesday November 11, 2026
📍Pavilhão João Rocha SCP Lisboa
• 19.30 (Local Time) | Sporting CP Lisboa (POR) – Khilasedichi Baku (AZE)
📍Levski Sofia Sport Hall
• 20.00 (Local Time) | Levski Sofia (BUL) – Mladost Zagreb (CRO)
Thursday November 12, 2026
📍Sportna Dvorana Tivoli Ljubljana
• 20.00 (Local Time) | ACH Volley Ljubljana (SLO) – Orion Stars Doetinchem (NED)
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