The 2025–26 European Aquatics Conference Cup is the 1st edition of European Aquatics's new tertiary club competition (replacing the Challenger Cup) for men's water polo clubs. The season begins on 7 November 2025 and ended on 3 May 2026 with the Final Four.
The winners of the European Aquatics Conference Cup automatically qualify for next season's Euro Cup, (if they choose to enter).
De Akker Team won their first title after beating Endo Plus SH 17–14 in the final in Athens.
Rankings The results were based on the results of the past four seasons.
Associations 1–10 can have two teams ranked 5th and 6th qualify. Associations 11–12 can have two teams ranked 3rd, 4th and 5th 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 Italy99,917.522 Hungary80,46513 Serbia71,5104 Spain69,187.525 Greece59,917.56 Croatia59,642.57 France41,19518 Germany24,812.529 Romania23,817.5010 Montenegro18,647.5111 Georgia10,292.5012 Netherlands5,790113 Turkey5,722.514 Portugal5,292.515 Switzerland4,2450
RankAssociationPointsTeamsNotes16 Slovenia3,800017 Lithuania3,677.5118 Slovakia3,555019 Great Britain2,28020 Belgium2,17021 Israel1,85022 Cyprus1,49023 Malta1,47224 Finland1,42025 Bosnia and Herzegovina1,190126 Russia1,087.5027 Bulgaria37028 Poland317.529 Denmark280
Ranking facts Biggest riseTeam1 Cyprus2822 +62 Portugal1714 +3 Israel2421 Biggest fallTeam1 Russia1326 –132 Bosnia and Herzegovina2025 –53 Denmark2529 –4 New entriesNone Leaving entriesNone
Teams The teams finishing in fifth and sixth from national leagues ranked 1–10, placing in third through fifth from national leagues ranked 11–12 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 GS Apollon Smyrnis (EC QR) A-Polo Sport Management (EC QR) VK Crvena zvezda (EC QR) CS Rapid București (EC QR) ZV De Zaan (EC QR) Montpellier Water Polo (EC QR) WPC Dinamo Tbilisi (EC QR) OSC Potsdam (EC QR) Qualification round I CN Posillipo (5th) De Akker Team (6th) Endo Plus SH (5th) VK Partizan (5th) CN Mataró (5th) Tenerife Echeyde (6th) Panionios GSS (5th) AC PAOK (6th) VK Primorje EB (5th) VK Mornar Split (6th) Sète Natation (4th) White Sharks (5th) SG Neukölln Berlin (6th) PVK Budva BR (5th) UZSC (3rd) Galatasaray SK (1st) Vitória SC (1st) EVK Zaibas (1st) VK Banja Luka (1st)
Name changes The following teams' names were changed during the season. Original nameNew name CN Mataró Solartradex CN Mataró Qualification round I
Rounds and draw dates
Schedule
Phase Draw date Round date Qualification round I 11 August 2025 7–9 November 2025 Qualification round II 19 November 2025 19–22 February 2026 Quarterfinals 2 March 2026 20–22 March 2026 Final Four TBD 2–3 May 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 thirteen 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 7–9 November 2025, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Group B 7–9 November 2025, Athens, Greece.
Group C 7–9 November 2025, Split, Croatia.
Group D 7–9 November 2025, Belgrade, Serbia.
Group E 7–9 November 2025, Rijeka, Croatia.
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 20–22 February 2026, Potsdam, Germany.
Group B 20–22 February 2026, Split, Croatia.
Group C 19–22 February 2026, Montpellier, France.
Group D 19–22 February 2026, Naples, Italy.
Quarterfinals
The top two teams in each group qualify will advance to the next round. The draw was on 2 March 2026 in Zagreb, Croatia.
Group A
Group B
Final Four
The Final Four was held on 2–3 May 2026. The venue was held at the Restio Swimming Pool in Athens.
Third place game
Final
2025–26 European Aquatics Conference Cup Champions De Akker TeamFirst title
Notes
See also 2025–26 European Aquatics Champions League 2025–26 European Aquatics Euro 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 Conference Cup 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Challenger Cup 2025 European Aquatics Women's Super Cup
References
External links
Official statistics of the tournament