The 2018 men’s volleyball national championship will kick-off on January, 13, according to the Rwanda Volleyball Federation’s Executive Secretary, Christian Hatumimana.

The championship will feature eight clubs, but these dates will have to be approved by the general assembly, which will converge this month.

"The league will kick-off on January 13 and it will be played in two phases of home and away while the top four will meet in the Playoffs, which will determine the national champions for both men and women but the second division will not have playoffs,” Hatuminana said on Friday.

Hatumimana also confirmed that the women’s league will start at the start of the February same as second division.

"We need to have strong league and we are trying to look for sponsors so that our teams and players can benefit from that. It is going to be good next year, we hope,” he added.

The eight men’s clubs include; Gisagara VC (holders), Kirehe VC, Tourism Technology and Business Studies (UTB), Kigali Volleyball Club (KVC), IPRC-South VC, Rwanda Energy Group (REG) and University of Kibungo (UNIK) and APR VC.

In the women’s league, the battle for the national title will be between Rwanda Revenue Authority (champions), Ruhango High School, St Joseph, APR, IPRC-Kigali and St Aloys de Rwamagana.

Defending champions Gisagara and Rwanda Revenue Authority will represent Rwanda at the next year CAVB Africa Club Championships.

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