2025/26 Conference Cup and Challenger Cup water polo qualification groups determined

The draw for the men’s and women’s 2025/26 Conference Cup took place on Monday in Zagreb, Croatia. As well as deciding the qualification groups for the inaugural continental water polo competition, the Challenger Cup qualification groups and hosts were also announced.

2025/26 Conference Cup Men Qualification Round 1
(7-9 November)

With the line-up for the debut season of the 2025/26 Conference Cup including three former European Cup champions – VK Partizan (seven-times winners), CN Posillipo (three-times winners) and Endo Plus SH (winners once) – the anticipation levels were high as the Qualification Round 1 draw took place in Croatia’s capital.

The excitement only grew as two of those teams were drawn in the same group, Group A, which will be hosted by Dutch side UZSC.

Last season’s runners-up in the Challenger Cup, EVK Zaibas from Lithuania, were drawn in Group D, while 2024 Challenger Cup victors Galatasaray SK from Türkiye were placed in Group E alongside CN Mataro and 2024 Euro Cup silver medallists VK Primorje EB.

The top two teams from each group will progress to Qualification Round 2. Hosts are indicated with an *.

Group A
Endo Plus SH (HUN)
UZSC (NED)*
AC PAOK (GRE)
CN Posillipo (ITA)

Group B
Panionios GSS (GRE)*
Tenerife Echeyde (ESP)
PVK Budva BR (MNE)
White Sharks (GER)

Group C
Vitoria SC (POR)
VK Banja Luka (BIH)
Sete Natation (FRA)
VK Mornar Split (CRO)*

Group D
EVK Zaibas (LTU)
VK Partizan (SRB)*
De Akker Team (ITA)
SG Neukolln Berlin (GER)

Group E
VK Primorje EB (CRO)*
Galatasaray SK (TUR)
CN Mataro (ESP)

2025/26 Challenger Cup Men Qualification Round 1
(28-30 November)

The participating clubs in the 2025/26 Challenger Cup qualification stage were assigned to groups based on their geographical locations and their rankings within the European Aquatics system. There was no draw for this phase of the competition.

The organising clubs for this stage are Sliema ASC (Malta), AVK Branik Maribor (Slovenia), Enka Sport Club (Türkiye), and Royal Dauphins Mouscronnois (Belgium).

The top two teams from each group will progress to the second round. Hosts are indicated with an *.

Group A
Sliema ASC (MLT)*
Apoel Nicosia (CYP)
Hapoel Palram Zvulun (ISR)
San Giljan ASC (MLT)

Group B
AVK Branik Maribor (SLO)*
Carouge Natation (BEL)
VK Ljubljana Slovan (SLO)
Clube Naval Povoense (POR)

Group C
Enka Sport Club (TUR)*
Welsh Wanderers (GBR)
Heybeliada ASC (TUR)

Group D
Royal Dauphins Mouscronnois (BEL)*
Cetus Espoo (FIN)
West London Penguin (GBR)

2025/26 Conference Cup Women Qualification Round 1
(14-16 November)

In the women’s Conference Cup Qualification Round 1, there will be four groups of four teams with two tournaments staged in Malta, one in Romania and the other in Italy.

The teams finishing in the top two places will progress to Round 2. Hosts are indicated with an *.

Group A
Goztepe SK (TUR)
SV Blau-Weiss (GER)
CN Sant Feliu (ESP)
San Giljan ASC (MLT)*

Group B
VK Jadran Split (CRO)
ZVK Crvena Zvezda (SRB)
CSM Unirea Alba Iulia (ROU)*
Cosenza Pallanuoto (ITA)

Group C
Tenerife Echeyde (ESP)
Dalton Koleji SK (TUR)
Clube Fluvial (POR)
Brizz Nuoto (ITA)*

Group D
Sirens ASC (MLT)*
ZVL-1886 (NED)
AC PAOK (GRE)
NC Chania (GRE)

2025/26 Challenger Cup Women Qualification Round 1
(5-7 December)

In the Challenger Cup Women Qualification Round, two groups of four will compete for a place in the next stage. Hosts are indicated with an *.

Group A
AJ Fezko Strakonice (CZE)*
SSV Esslingen (GER)
Nevsehir Belediye SK (TUR)
Slavia UK Bratislava WP (SVK)

Group B
ZVU Partizan (SRB)*
London Otter (GBR)
Hapoel Emek Hayarden (ISR)
ODTU SC (TUR)

Andy Rollé for European Aquatics

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