VakıfBank Women’s Volleyball Team is an Istanbul-based professional club and one of the most successful teams in the modern history of women’s volleyball. The club enters the 2026–27 season as the defending Turkish league, Turkish Cup and CEV Champions League champion after completing a major treble in 2025–26. VakıfBank now owns seven CEV Champions League titles, four FIVB Women’s Club World Championship titles and 15 Turkish league championships.
The team is coached by Giovanni Guidetti, who has led VakıfBank since 2008 and is contracted through the 2027–28 season. Captain Zehra Güneş remains one of the central figures of the club, while the 2026–27 roster combines long-serving Turkish players with high-level international additions such as Tijana Boskovic, Marina Markova, Helena Cazaute, Emily Maglio and several new signings. The new season is scheduled to begin in the Sultanlar Ligi on October 3, 2026.
Club Information
| Full Club Name | VakıfBank Spor Kulübü |
| Team | VakıfBank Women’s Volleyball Team |
| Founded | 1986 roots through Güneş Sigorta; current club structure developed through the 2000 merger with VakıfBank Spor Kulübü |
| City | Istanbul |
| Country | Türkiye |
| Team Type | Professional Club |
| Gender | Women |
| Region | Europe (CEV) |
| Current League | Turkish Sultanlar Ligi |
| Current Season | 2026–27 |
| Home Arena | VakıfBank Spor Sarayı, Üsküdar, Istanbul |
| Head Coach | Giovanni Guidetti |
| Captain | Zehra Güneş |
| President | Osman Arslan |
| General Manager | Banu Can Schürmann |
| Official Website | vakifbanksporkulubu.com |
From Güneş Sigorta to Modern VakıfBank
The current VakıfBank club identity has roots in two organizations. Güneş Sigorta Spor Kulübü was founded in Istanbul in 1986, while VakıfBank Spor Kulübü was established in Ankara in 1988. The two organizations merged in 2000 and continued under the VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta name, with Istanbul becoming the operational center of the top-level team.
The team went through several naming phases in the following decade. A naming-rights agreement with Türk Telekom produced the VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta Türk Telekom identity, before Güneş Sigorta withdrew from the structure and the club later simplified the team name to VakıfBank. That modern identity has been associated with the club’s most successful international era.
The major turning point came under Giovanni Guidetti. Since taking charge in 2008, he has overseen a long period of domestic and international success. VakıfBank won its first CEV Champions League under him in 2011, then built a sequence of European and world titles through the 2010s and 2020s. The 2012–13 team became especially notable by completing an undefeated season and later extending its winning run to 73 official matches, a Guinness-recognized record.
By 2026, the club had added a seventh Champions League title and a 15th Turkish league championship. The club also refreshed its visual identity around a seven-star crest after the latest European title, using each star to mark its Champions League record.
Domestic League Career
VakıfBank has won the Turkish women’s top division 15 times. The official club record lists championship seasons ending in 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2025 and 2026.
The recent period has been especially consistent. VakıfBank won eight of the 12 league seasons from 2012–13 through 2024–25, then retained the title in 2025–26. That latest championship was secured by defeating Fenerbahçe Medicana 3–2 in the final series, giving the club its 15th league crown.
Domestic success is not limited to the league. VakıfBank has also won the Turkish Cup 10 times and the Turkish Super Cup five times. The 2025–26 Turkish Cup title was the club’s 10th in the competition and became the first trophy in a season-ending treble.
Europe and the Club World Championship
VakıfBank’s international record is one of the defining parts of the club’s identity. It has won the CEV Champions League seven times: 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2026. The 2026 title moved the club to a record seven European crowns in the competition.
The 2025–26 Champions League campaign ended with an all-Turkish final in Istanbul. VakıfBank defeated Eczacıbaşı Dynavit 3–1, completing an unbeaten European campaign. Tijana Boskovic was named Final Four MVP, while Marina Markova and Zehra Güneş were also selected to the tournament’s dream team.
At world level, VakıfBank has four FIVB Women’s Club World Championship titles, won in 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2021. The club has also recorded multiple runner-up and third-place finishes. Official club communications around the 2026–27 recruitment cycle state that VakıfBank will again compete at the Club World Championship during the new season.
2026–27 Current Roster
The table below follows VakıfBank’s current first-team roster page for the 2026–27 season. Shirt numbers are shown where the club currently lists them. Five new-season players are present on the current roster without a displayed number, so those entries are left as an em dash rather than assigning an unverified number.
Height is taken primarily from current VakıfBank player profiles. For Emily Maglio, Volleyball World lists 191 cm in the 2026 VNL. For Eylül Akarçeşme Yatgın, CEV lists 170 cm. These values are used instead of guessing or averaging conflicting secondary listings.
| No. | Player | Position | Nationality | Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Zehra Güneş | Middle Blocker | Türkiye | 198 cm |
| 1 | Helena Cazaute | Outside Hitter | France | 184 cm |
| 3 | Cansu Özbay | Setter | Türkiye | 182 cm |
| 6 | Berka Buse Özden | Middle Blocker | Türkiye | 187 cm |
| 10 | Aylin Uysalcan | Opposite Hitter | Türkiye | 196 cm |
| 14 | Aleksandra Jegdić | Libero | Serbia | 167 cm |
| 15 | Deniz Uyanık | Middle Blocker | Türkiye | 195 cm |
| 16 | Aylin Sarıoğlu Acar | Libero | Türkiye | 168 cm |
| 19 | Tijana Boskovic | Opposite | Serbia | 194 cm |
| 23 | Marina Markova | Outside Hitter | Russia | 199 cm |
| 24 | Katarina Dangubic | Outside Hitter | Serbia | 185 cm |
| — | Emily Maglio | Middle Blocker | Canada | 191 cm |
| — | Eylül Akarçeşme Yatgın | Libero | Türkiye | 170 cm |
| — | Naz Aydemir Akyol | Setter | Türkiye | 186 cm |
| — | Monika Brancuska | Opposite | Czechia | 188 cm |
| — | Vanja Ivanovic | Outside Hitter | Serbia | 187 cm |
Foreign Players
Based on the nationalities listed for the current first-team roster, VakıfBank has eight non-Turkish players in the 2026–27 squad. This section describes nationality only; it does not infer Turkish league registration status, foreign-player quotas or naturalization categories.
| Player | Position | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Helena Cazaute | Outside Hitter | France |
| Aleksandra Jegdić | Libero | Serbia |
| Tijana Boskovic | Opposite | Serbia |
| Marina Markova | Outside Hitter | Russia |
| Katarina Dangubic | Outside Hitter | Serbia |
| Emily Maglio | Middle Blocker | Canada |
| Monika Brancuska | Opposite | Czechia |
| Vanja Ivanovic | Outside Hitter | Serbia |
Coaching Staff
VakıfBank publishes a full first-team technical staff rather than only the head coach. Giovanni Guidetti remains in charge and is contracted through the 2027–28 season.
| Role | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | Giovanni Guidetti | Italy |
| Assistant Coach | Fatih Yağcı | Türkiye |
| Assistant Coach | Vladimir Kapris | Serbia |
| Field Coach | Ali Çeribaş | Türkiye |
| Field Coach | Bahadır Bircan | Türkiye |
| Statistics | Uğur Şimşek | Türkiye |
| Personal Trainer | Giovanni Miale | Italy |
| Performance Coach | Doruk Arkış | Türkiye |
| Therapist | Sabri Erdoğan | Türkiye |
| Masseur | Kenan Abanoz | — |
| Physiotherapist | Sergio Perez Soto | Spain |
How the 2026–27 Roster Is Built
Because the 2026–27 season has not yet started, the safest way to describe VakıfBank’s current identity is through roster construction rather than claiming a settled tactical system. The biggest constant is the combination of elite opposite scoring and strong middle-blocker presence. Tijana Boskovic gives Guidetti a proven high-volume right-side scorer, while Monika Brancuska and Aylin Uysalcan add depth at the same position.
At setter, VakıfBank has unusually experienced options. Cansu Özbay remains one of the club’s long-serving leaders, while Naz Aydemir Akyol returns after previously spending six seasons with the club. That pairing gives Guidetti flexibility in tempo and match management without forcing one setter to carry the entire season.
The outside-hitter group is built around size and scoring range. Marina Markova is 199 cm, Helena Cazaute offers a more balanced receiving profile, and Katarina Dangubic and Vanja Ivanovic expand the rotation. In the middle, captain Zehra Güneş is joined by Deniz Uyanık, Berka Buse Özden and Canadian international Emily Maglio. The team therefore enters the season with enough depth to vary lineups across the domestic league, Champions League and Club World Championship schedule.
Major Honors
| Competition | Best / Major Results |
|---|---|
| CEV Champions League | 7 titles — 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2026 |
| FIVB Women’s Club World Championship | 4 titles — 2013, 2017, 2018, 2021 |
| Turkish League / Sultanlar Ligi | 15 titles — latest in 2026 |
| Turkish Cup / Kupa Voley | 10 titles — latest in 2026 |
| Turkish Super Cup / Şampiyonlar Kupası | 5 titles — 2013, 2014, 2017, 2021, 2023 |
| CEV Challenge Cup | 1 title — 2008 |
| CEV Top Teams Cup | 1 title — 2004 |
Players Who Shaped VakıfBank
| Player | Position | Era / Years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gözde Kırdar | Outside Hitter | 2000s–2018 | Long-time captain and one of the defining homegrown figures of the club’s rise; her jersey is displayed in the arena as a club legend. |
| Ayşe Melis Gürkaynak | Middle Blocker | 2000s–2018 | Long-serving VakıfBank player whose jersey is also honored in the club’s arena. |
| Naz Aydemir Akyol | Setter | 2012–2018; 2026–present | Multiple-time Champions League and Turkish league winner who returned to VakıfBank ahead of 2026–27. |
| Zhu Ting | Outside Hitter | 2016–2019 | Key international star during a period that included Champions League and Club World Championship titles. |
| Isabelle Haak | Opposite | 2019–2022 | Major scoring figure in the team that won the 2021 Club World Championship and 2022 Champions League. |
| Gabi Guimarães | Outside Hitter | 2019–2024 | Five-season VakıfBank player, later captain, and winner of 10 trophies with the club. |
| Zehra Güneş | Middle Blocker | 2017–present | Academy-developed middle blocker and current captain, central to multiple European and world titles. |
| Cansu Özbay | Setter | 2016–present | Long-serving setter with multiple Champions League, league and cup titles for VakıfBank. |
This section uses the hybrid notable-player format. Historic figures remain valuable even without a standalone VolleyBond Player Profile; if a published Player Profile is created later, the name can be linked and the visual card can upgrade automatically.
VakıfBank Spor Sarayı and the Home-Court Identity
VakıfBank plays its regular home matches at VakıfBank Spor Sarayı in Üsküdar, Istanbul. The club uses the venue not only as a match hall but as a training, youth-development and institutional center. The club’s museum and visual presentation inside the building emphasize championship history and the yellow-and-black identity.
Supporters have been especially visible during major domestic derbies and Champions League home matches. The club also operates accessibility and community projects at the arena, including initiatives that have allowed visually impaired supporters to experience matches with descriptive commentary and guided access to the playing environment.
Management and Club Structure
VakıfBank Spor Kulübü is the institutional structure behind the team. The current board lists Osman Arslan as president. The club’s administrative staff lists Banu Can Schürmann as general manager and Hasan Levent Özvarnalı as administrative manager.
The club’s history is closely tied to VakıfBank and to the merger between the Istanbul-based Güneş Sigorta structure and the Ankara-based VakıfBank club. That historical relationship should not be confused with short-term sponsorship: the VakıfBank name is part of the club’s long-standing institutional identity rather than a temporary competition naming agreement.
Kit, Sponsors and Club Shop
VakıfBank operates an official merchandise program through its VB Store and retail partner Sportive, with fan apparel and match jerseys among the products offered. The club website also lists a broad sponsor group, including Nike among its current commercial partners.
Commercial partnerships are treated separately from the club’s sporting identity in this profile. Sponsor listings can change from season to season, so current partner names should be rechecked during future updates rather than preserved indefinitely.
VakıfBank in 2026–27
VakıfBank enters the 2026–27 season as the defending champion of the Sultanlar Ligi, Kupa Voley and CEV Champions League. The official club site lists its first league match for October 3 against Beşiktaş, followed by an early-season meeting with Eczacıbaşı on October 6.
The summer roster changes were significant. VakıfBank added Naz Aydemir Akyol, Emily Maglio, Eylül Akarçeşme Yatgın, Monika Brancuska and Vanja Ivanovic, while retaining a core led by Zehra Güneş, Cansu Özbay, Tijana Boskovic and Marina Markova. The club also parted with several members of the treble-winning team, including Chiaka Ogbogu, Derya Cebecioğlu, Ayça Aykaç Altıntaş, Sıla Çalışkan and Adhu Malual.
Guidetti remains under contract through 2027–28, so the 2026–27 campaign is a continuation of the same coaching era rather than a reset on the bench. The main question is how quickly the revised roster can convert its depth into the same level of results across a schedule that includes domestic competition, the CEV Champions League and the Club World Championship.
Recent Performance Snapshot
| Season / Competition | Result | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 Sultanlar Ligi | Champion | 14th Turkish league title. |
| 2025–26 Kupa Voley | Champion | 10th Turkish Cup title; beat Eczacıbaşı Dynavit 3–1 in the final. |
| 2025–26 Sultanlar Ligi | Champion | 15th league title; defeated Fenerbahçe Medicana 3–2 in the final series. |
| 2025–26 CEV Champions League | Champion | Seventh European title; defeated Eczacıbaşı Dynavit 3–1 in the final. |
| 2025–26 Overall major trophies | Treble | Turkish Cup + Sultanlar Ligi + CEV Champions League. |
| 2026–27 Sultanlar Ligi | Not started | League opener scheduled for October 3, 2026 against Beşiktaş. |
FAQ
What league does VakıfBank play in?
VakıfBank plays in Türkiye’s top women’s division, the Sultanlar Ligi.
Who is VakıfBank’s head coach?
Giovanni Guidetti is the head coach. He has led VakıfBank since 2008 and is contracted through the 2027–28 season.
Who is VakıfBank’s captain?
Zehra Güneş is the captain. She developed through VakıfBank’s youth system and has played for the senior team since the 2017–18 season.
How many CEV Champions League titles has VakıfBank won?
Seven: 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2026.
How many Club World Championships has VakıfBank won?
Four, in 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2021.
Who are VakıfBank’s foreign players in 2026–27?
The current roster lists Helena Cazaute, Aleksandra Jegdić, Tijana Boskovic, Marina Markova, Katarina Dangubic, Emily Maglio, Monika Brancuska and Vanja Ivanovic as players with nationalities outside Türkiye.
Where does VakıfBank play home matches?
The team’s regular home venue is VakıfBank Spor Sarayı in Üsküdar, Istanbul.
References
- VakıfBank Sports Club — Current Team Roster
- VakıfBank Sports Club — Coaching Staff
- VakıfBank Sports Club — History
- VakıfBank Sports Club — About Us and Club Achievements
- VakıfBank Sports Club — Honors
- VakıfBank Sports Club — Board of Directors
- VakıfBank Sports Club — Administrative Staff
- VakıfBank — Giovanni Guidetti Contract Extension
- VakıfBank — Five New Signings for 2026–27
- VakıfBank — Five Player Departures
- VakıfBank — 2026 CEV Champions League Title
- CEV — VakıfBank Wins Historic Seventh European Crown
- VakıfBank — 15th Sultanlar Ligi Title
- Volleyball World — Emily Maglio Player Profile
- CEV — Eylül Akarçeşme Yatgın Player Profile
