2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Champions League

For the equivalent men's tournament, see 2025–26 European Aquatics Champions League.
European Aquatics Women's Champions League
2025–26
Tournament information
SportWater polo
DateQualification round:
26–28 September 2025
Group stage:
25 October 2025 – 21 March 2026
Quarterfinals:
6–16 May 2026
Final Four:
10–12 June 2026
Tournament
format(s)
Round Robin and Knockout stage
TeamsQualification round: 12 [a]
Main round: 16 [b]
Quarter-finals: 8
Total: 20 (from 7 countries)
Website[ Official website]

The 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Champions League is the 38th edition of European Aquatics's premier competition for women's water polo clubs, and the 4th edition since being rebranded from the Euro League to the Champions League. The season begins on 26 September 2025 and ended on 12 June 2026 with the Final Four.

This will be the third straight season under the new format, however, this season will witness a change in slot allocation, with only the top four teams allowed to play from the major leagues.

The winners of the European Aquatics Champions League automatically qualify for next season's edition (if they choose to enter) and also qualify for the 2026 Super Cup.

The defending champions are CN Sant Andreu.

Format

  • Qualification round

Twelve teams will participate in the qualification round in September 2025. The third and fourth teams from national leagues ranked 1–4, champions and runners up of the national leagues ranked 5–6 and champions from national leagues ranked 7 and below take part (if they choose to enter). The teams are divided into four separate groups, held in centralised venues. After round robin play, the top two teams in each group progress to the group stage.

  • Group stage

Sixteen teams will play in the group stage which is held between October 2025 to March 2026. The participants are distributed into four groups of four. After home and away double round robin play, the top two from each group qualifies for the quarter-finals.

  • Quarter-finals

The eight advancing teams from the previous round are present and are split into four home and away knockout ties. The round is organised in May 2026. The four aggregate winners qualify for the Final Four.

  • Final Four

In June 2026, the four remaining clubs travel to a centralised venue to try and obtain the Champions League trophy. Two semifinals, a third place game and final will take place to decide the champions.[1][2]

Rankings

The results were based on the results of the past four seasons.[3]

  • Associations 1–4 can have four teams ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th qualify.
  • Associations 5–6 each have two teams ranked 1st and 2nd qualify.

Ranking facts

Teams

Starting this season, only the top four teams from national leagues ranked 1–4 and the top two teams from national leagues ranked 5–6 are permitted to enter.

The Champions League and, for the first time, Euro Cup winners are granted a place in the Champions League group stage and qualification round respectively (however, both spots was not used as both clubs in question qualified via winning their domestic league).

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.[6]

Qualified teams

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

  • CL: Champions League title holders
  • EC: Euro Cup title holders
  • 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,: League positions of the previous season
Entry round Teams
Group stage Spain Astralpool CN Sabadell (1st) Spain CN Sant Andreu CL (2nd) Greece Olympiacos SFP (1st) Greece Vouliagmeni NC (2nd)
Hungary FTC Telekom (1st) Hungary UVSE Helia-D (2nd) Italy Ekipe Orizzonte (1st) Italy SIS Roma (2nd)
Qualification round Spain CN Terrassa (3rd) Spain Assolim CN Mataró (4th) Greece Alimos NAC Betsson (3rd) Greece ANC Glyfada (4th)
Hungary ONE Eger (3rd) Hungary DFVE Vizilabda (4th) Italy Rapallo Pallanuoto (3rd) Italy Pallanuoto Trieste (4th)
Netherlands ZV De Zaan EC (2nd) France Lille UC (1st) France Grand Nancy AC (2nd) Germany Spandau 04 (1st)

Name changes

The following teams' names were changed during the season.

Round and draw dates

Schedule

Phase Round Draw date Round date[7]
Qualification round All rounds 28 July 2025 26–28 September 2025
Group stage Matchday 1 25 October 2025
Matchday 2 8 November 2025
Matchday 3 29 November 2025
Matchday 4 13 December 2025
Matchday 5 21 February 2026
Matchday 6 21 March 2026
Quarterfinals First leg TBD 6 May 2026
Second leg 16 May 2026
Final Four Semifinals TBD 10 June 2026
Final 12 June 2026

Qualification round

Main article: 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Champions League qualification round

The group winners and runners-up qualify for the group stage, while everyone else drops down to the Euro Cup group stage. The draw was on 28 July 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia.[8][9] The seeding is based off the club rankings.[10]

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TER GLY EGER
1 Spain CN Terrassa 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Group stage — — –
2 Greece ANC Glyfada (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
3 Hungary ONE Eger 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
Source: European Aquatics Women's Champions League
(H) Host

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ALI LIL SPA
1 Greece Alimos NAC Betsson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Group stage — — –
2 France Lille UC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — –
3 Germany Spandau 04 (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — —
Source: European Aquatics Women's Champions League
(H) Host

Group C

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification DFVE ZAAN NAN
1 Hungary DFVE Vizilabda (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Group stage — — –
2 Netherlands ZV De Zaan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
3 France Grand Nancy AC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
Source: European Aquatics Women's Champions League
(H) Host

Group D

  • 26–28 September 2025, TBD.

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MAT TRI RAP
1 Spain Assolim CN Mataró 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Group stage — — –
2 Italy Pallanuoto Trieste (H) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
3 Italy Rapallo Pallanuoto 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – — —
Source: European Aquatics Women's Champions League
(H) Host

Group stage

Location of teams of the 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Champions League group stage.
Red: Group A; Blue: Group B; Yellow: Group C; Green: Group D.

The draw took place on 28 July 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia.[11] The top two advance to the Quarterfinals.

Teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 2 points for a penalty shootout win, 1 point for a penalty shootout loss, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings:

  • Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  • Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  • Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  • Goal difference in all group matches;
  • Goals scored in all group matches.


Location of Catalonia teams of the 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Champions League group stage.
Red: Group A; Blue: Group B;
Yellow: Group C; Green: Group D.


Notes

  1. ^ From 7 countries
  2. ^ From TBD countries

See also

References

  1. ^ Competition regulations
  2. ^ "European Aquatics unveils plans for 2025/26 water polo season - European Aquatics®". June 1, 2025.
  3. ^ "Water Polo Rankings - European Aquatics®". August 3, 2025.
  4. ^ "Women Clubs Country Ranking - European Aquatics®". www.len.eu. August 3, 2025.
  5. ^ "Rankings PDF" (PDF).
  6. ^ https://europeanaquatics.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/UPDATE-WATER-POLO-CLUB-COMPETITIONS-REGULATIONS-25-26.pdf
  7. ^ "European Aquatics Calendar - European Aquatics®". 28 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Champions League and Euro Cup water polo draws set for Monday - European Aquatics®". July 26, 2025.
  9. ^ "Dramatic clashes await after Champions League and Euro Cup draws - European Aquatics®". July 28, 2025.
  10. ^ "Women Club Ranking - European Aquatics®". August 3, 2025.
  11. ^ "Dramatic clashes await after Champions League and Euro Cup draws - European Aquatics®". 28 July 2025.
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