The 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Conference Cup is the 1st edition of European Aquatics's new tertiary club competition (replacing the Challenger Cup) for women's water polo clubs. The season begins on 14 November 2025 and ended on 29 March 2026 with the Final Eight.
The winners of the European Aquatics Conference Cup automatically qualify for next season's Euro Cup, (if they choose to enter).
Smile Cosenza Pallanuoto their first title after beating CN Sant Feliu 14–13 in the final in Athens.https://europeanaquatics.org/conference-cup-women-cosenza-crowned-champions-after-holding-off-sant-felius-late-surge-in-thrilling-final/
Rankings The results were based on the results of the past four seasons.
Associations 1–4 can have two teams ranked 7th and 8th qualify. Associations 5–6 can have two teams ranked 5th and 6th qualify. Associations 7–12 can have one team ranked 2nd and 3rd qualify. Associations 13 and below can have one team ranked 1st qualify. Apart from the distribution based on the rankings, countries could have additional teams participating in the Conference Cup, as noted below: – Additional teams dropping down from the Euro Cup
RankAssociationPointsTeamsNotes1 Spain146,06522 Greece127,3603 Hungary91,557.504 Italy80,282.525 Netherlands30,96516 France29,76007 Germany12,87018 Turkey11,29529 Croatia8,430110 Portugal6,940
RankAssociationPointsTeamsNotes11 Serbia6,280112 Malta5,700213 Israel5,215014 Great Britain4,93015 Czech Republic1,83016 Slovakia1,71517 Romania1,610118 Sweden1,060019 Bulgaria770
Ranking facts Biggest riseTeam1 Turkey138 +52 Czech Republic1915 +43 Israel1613 +3 Biggest fallTeam1 Malta1012 –2 Slovakia14162 France67 –1 Portugal910 Sweden1718 Bulgaria1819 New entries Romania Leaving entries Russia
Teams The teams finishing in seventh and eighth from national leagues ranked 1–4, placing in fifth and sixth from national leagues ranked 5–6, the teams finishing in second through third from countries ranked 7–12 and champions 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. However, this rule wasn't implemented all the time. 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 EC: Transferred from the Euro Cup QR: Transferred from the Euro Cup qualification round
Entry roundTeamsQualification round II Panionios GSS (EC QR) ŽAVK Mladost (EC QR) ASD Bogliasco 1951 (EC QR) Galatasaray Zena (EC QR) VK Vojvodina (EC QR)Qualification round I CN Sant Feliu (8th) Tenerife Echeyde (9th) AC PAOK (7th) NC Chania (8th) Smile Cosenza Pallanuoto (7th) Brizz Nuoto (8th) ZVL 1886 (6th) SV Blau-Weiss (2nd) Goztepe SK (2nd) Dalton Koleji SK (3rd) Jadran Split (2nd) Clube Fluvial (2nd) ZVK Crvena Zvezda (2nd) Sirens ASC (1st) San Giljan ASC (3rd) CSM Unirea Alba Iulia (1st)
Name changes The following teams' names were changed during the season. Original nameNew name Cosenza Pallanuoto Qualification round I
Rounds and draw dates
Schedule
Phase Draw date Round date Qualification round I 11 August 2025 14–16 November 2025 Qualification round II 19 November 2025 27 February – 1 March 2026 Final Eight 2 March 2026 26–29 March 2026
Qualification round I
The top two qualify for the next round, while every team that comes from a country that is ranked below the top seven drop down to the Challenger Cup. The draw was on 11 August 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia. The seeding is based on the club rankings.
Group A 14–16 November 2025, San Giljan, Malta.
Group B 14–16 November 2025, Alba Iulia, Romania.
Group C 14–16 November 2025, Acireale, Italy.
Group D 14–16 November 2025, Valletta, Malta.
Qualification round II
The top two teams in each group qualify will advance to the next round. The draw was on 19 November 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia.
Group A 27 February – 1 March 2026, Alba Iulia, Romania.
Group B 27 February – 1 March 2026, Nea Smyrni, Greece.
Group C 27 February – 1 March 2026, Novi Sad, Serbia.
Group D 27 February – 1 March 2026, Istanbul, Turkey.
Final Eight
The draw was on 2 March 2026 in Zagreb, Croatia.https://europeanaquatics.org/conference-cup-and-euro-cup-water-polo-draws-produce-series-of-eagerly-awaited-clashes/ The Final Eight was held in Athens by Panionios GSS from 26–29 March 2026.
Group A
Group B
Knockout stage 5–8 placement bracket
Bracket
Third place game
Final
2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Conference Cup Champions Smile Cosenza PallanuotoFirst title
Notes
See also 2025–26 European Aquatics Champions League 2025–26 European Aquatics Euro Cup 2025–26 European Aquatics Conference Cup 2025–26 European Aquatics Challenger Cup 2025 European Aquatics Super Cup 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Champions League 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Euro Cup 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Challenger Cup 2025 European Aquatics Women's Super Cup
References
External links
Official statistics of the tournament