2025–26 European Aquatics Challenger Cup

For the equivalent women's tournament, see 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Challenger Cup.
European Aquatics Challenger Cup
2025–26
Tournament information
SportWater polo
DateQualification Round I:
28–30 November 2025
Qualification Round II:
13–15 February 2026
Final classification:
13–15 February 2026
Final Eight:
12–15 March 2026
Tournament
format(s)
Round Robin and Knockout stage
TeamsQualification round I: 14 [a]
Qualification round II: 8+0 to 4
Final classification: TBD
Final Eight: 8
Total: 14+0 to 4 (from 7,8,9 countries)
Website[ Official website]

The 2025–26 European Aquatics Challenger Cup is the 4th edition of the water polo competition organised by European Aquatics.

Starting this season, it acts as the fourth tier, due to the introduction of the European Aquatics Conference Cup.

The winners of the European Aquatics Challenger Cup automatically qualify for next season's Conference Cup (if they choose to enter).

GZC Donk are the defending champions but will not be defending their title after not entering this season.

Rankings

The results were based on the results of the past four seasons.[1]

  • Associations 13 and below can have six teams qualify.

Apart from the distribution based on the rankings, countries could have additional teams participating in the Challenger Cup, as noted below:

  • (CC) – Additional teams dropping down from the Conference Cup

Ranking facts

Teams

Six teams from countries ranked 13 and below are permitted to enter.

Everyone who enters starts in the qualification round I.

Unlike last season, in the event that a club decides not to enter, the next best ranked team is not allowed to take their place.[4]

Qualified teams

The labels in the parentheses show how each team qualified for the place of its starting round:

  • 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc: League positions of the previous season
  • CC: Transferred from the Conference Cup
    • QR: Transferred from the Conference Cup qualification round I
Entry round Teams
Qualification round II N/A Team (CC QR) N/A Team (CC QR) N/A Team (CC QR) N/A Team (CC QR)
Qualification round I Turkey Enka Sport Club (2nd) Turkey Heybeliada ASC (3rd) Portugal Clube Naval Povoense (5th) Switzerland Carouge Natation (2nd)
Slovenia AVK Branik Maribor (1st) Slovenia VK Ljubljana Slovan (2nd) United Kingdom West London Penguin (1st) United Kingdom Welsh Wanderers (3rd)
Belgium Royal Dauphins Mouscronnois (1st) Israel Hapoel Palram Zvulun (1st) Cyprus APOEL Nicosia (1st) Malta San Giljan ASC (1st)
Malta Sliema ASC (2nd) Finland Cetus Espoo (1st)

Name changes

The following teams' names were changed during the season.

Rounds and draw dates

Schedule

Phase Draw date Round date[5]
Qualification round I 11 August 2025 28–30 November 2025
Qualification round II TBD 13–15 February 2026
Final classification
Final Eight 12–15 March 2026

Qualification round I

Main article: 2025–26 European Aquatics Challenger Cup qualification round I

The top two qualify for the next round. The draw was on 11 August 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia.[6][7] The seeding is based off the club rankings.[8]

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification SLI APO HAP GIL
1 Malta Sliema ASC (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification round II — — — –
2 Cyprus APOEL Nicosia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — – –
3 Israel Hapoel Palram Zvulun 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — — —
4 Malta San Giljan ASC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — – — —
Source: [ European Aquatics Challenger Cup]
(H) Host

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MAR CAR SLO NAV
1 Slovenia AVK Branik Maribor (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification round II — — — –
2 Switzerland Carouge Natation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — – –
3 Slovenia VK Ljubljana Slovan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — — —
4 Portugal Club Naval Povoense 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — – — —
Source: [ European Aquatics Challenger Cup]
(H) Host

Group C

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ENKA WEL HEY
1 Turkey Enka Sport Club (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification round II — — –
2 United Kingdom Welsh Wanderers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
3 Turkey Heybeliada ASC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
Source: [ European Aquatics Challenger Cup]
(H) Host

Group D

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MOU CET PEN
1 Belgium Royal Dauphins Mouscronnois (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification round II — — –
2 Finland Cetus Espoo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
3 United Kingdom West London Penguin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
Source: [ European Aquatics Challenger Cup]
(H) Host

Notes

  1. ^ From 10 countries

See also

References

  1. ^ "Water Polo Rankings - European Aquatics®". August 3, 2025.
  2. ^ "Men Clubs Country Ranking - European Aquatics®". August 3, 2025.
  3. ^ "Rankings PDF" (PDF).
  4. ^ https://europeanaquatics.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/UPDATE-WATER-POLO-CLUB-COMPETITIONS-REGULATIONS-25-26.pdf
  5. ^ "European Aquatics Calendar - European Aquatics®". September 28, 2023.
  6. ^ "2025/26 Conference Cup and Challenger Cup water polo qualification groups determined - European Aquatics®". August 11, 2025.
  7. ^ Curcic, Ivan (August 11, 2025). "Conference Cup draw: Two former European champions in same qualification group".
  8. ^ "Women Club Ranking - European Aquatics®". August 3, 2025.
  • [ Official website]
  • [ Official statistics of the tournament]
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