Champions League and Euro Cup water polo draws set for Monday

Water polo fans are eagerly-awaiting the first draws of the 2025/26 European club competitions, which will take place on Monday, 28 July. The draws will be streamed live on the European Aquatics YouTube channel, with the men’s draw starting at 10:30am CET, and the women’s draw at 12:30pm CET.

Participants for 2025/26

Champions League Men

Group Stage: FTC-Telekom (HUN), Pro Recco (ITA), Zodiac CNAB (ESP), Olympiacos SFP (GRE), CN Marseille (FRA), VK Jadran Split (CRO), SPD Radnicki (SRB), CSM Oradea (ROU), Waspo Hannover 98 (GER), Jadran m:tel Herceg Novi (MNE)

Qualification Round: VK Novi Beograd (SRB), AN Brescia (ITA), KEIO CN Sabadell (ESP), Vasas SC (HUN), Vouliagmeni NC (GRE), Steaua Bucharest (ROU), Spandau 04 (GER), HAVK Mladost (CRO), Primorac Kotor (MNE), Pays d’Aix Natation (FRA)

Euro Cup Men

Group Stage: RN Savona (ITA), Jug AO Dubrovnik (CRO), CN Barcelona (ESP), BVSC-Manna ABC (HUN), Sabac Elixir (SRB), Panathinaikos AC (GRE), Duisburg (GER), Dinamo Bucuresti (ROU), Buducnost Podgorica (MNE)

Qualification Round: Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO), Crvena Zvezda (SRB), Szolnoki Dozsa-Praktiker (HUN), Apollon Smyrnis (GRE), Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA), VK Solaris (CRO), ZV De Zaan (NED), CN Terrassa (ESP), Montpellier Water Polo (FRA), OSC Potsdam (GER), Rapid Bucuresti (ROU), A-Polo Sport Management (GEO)

Champions League Women

Group Stage: Astralpool Sabadell (ESP), Olympiacos SFP (GRE), CN Sant Andreu (ESP), Vouliagmeni NC (GRE), Ekipe Orrizonte (ITA), FTC-Telekom (HUN), UVSE (HUN), SIS Roma (ITA)

Qualification Round: CN Mataro (ESP), CN Terrassa (ESP), Alimos NAC Betsson (GRE), Dunaujvaros (HUN), ANC Glyfada (GRE), ZV De Zaan (NED), Pallanuoto Trieste (ITA), Lille UC (FRA), ONE-Eger (HUN), Spandau 04 (GER), Grand Nancy AC (FRA), Rapallo Pallanuoto (ITA)

Euro Cup Women

Group Stage: Ethnikos (GRE), Antenore Plebiscito Padova (ITA), BVSC-Manna ABC (HUN), EPlus CN Catalunya (ESP)

Qualification Round: Polar Bears (NED), Panionios GSS (GRE), III. Keruleti TVE (HUN), ZAVK Mladost (CRO), VK Vojvodina (SRB), Galatasaray (TUR), Hapoel Yokneam (ISR), Zodiac CNAB (ESP), ASD Bogliasco (ITA)

Click here for a link to the live draws

The national water polo teams have already landed at home after the conclusion of the thrilling World Championships in Singapore.

While the players and coaches look for some well-deserved rest, European Aquatics is gearing up to stage the first draws for the upcoming club water polo season in the four top competitions – the Champions League and the Euro Cup, for both men and women.

For the upcoming season, the entry system has been reshaped. In the men’s Champions League, the respective champions of the top 10 nations have been offered a place in the Group Stage, and 10 more teams are eligible to play in the Qualification tournament.

While nations are only eligible to enter two clubs from this season, the number of qualifying spots for the Group Stage has been increased from four to six.

In the Qualification tournament, there will be one round with two groups of three and one group of four.

The top two ranked sides from each group will advance to the Group Stage, while the remaining four will join the Euro Cup qualifications.

The Euro Cup Men also has a new entry system. The third-ranked clubs from the top nations will have guaranteed berths in the Group Stage (nine teams), while the other 12 eligible teams will play in the Qualification tournament alongside the four teams that drop from the Champions League qualifiers.

As for the Champions League Women, the best two teams of the top four nations – Spain, Greece, Hungary and Italy – shall start their respective campaigns in the Group Stage.

Eight more sides will join them from the Qualification tournament where four groups of three shall battle for a place in the main event.

The four teams not making the cut will directly qualify for the Euro Cup Group Stage.

In this competition, clubs from the top four nations will also have a guaranteed spot, and four more berths are available as the Group Stage will run in four groups of three.

For the Euro Cup Women Qualification tournament, three groups of three will be drawn and the respective winners and the best runners-up will progress.

Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics

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