European Aquatics has completed the qualification draws for the 2026/27 men’s and women’s Champions League and Euro Cup, setting the first stage of the new European club season.
Some major names will have to negotiate qualifying, particularly in the men’s Champions League, where Novi Beograd, Brescia, Sabadell, Honved, Jadran Split and Panathinaikos are all involved.
Novi Beograd have been placed alongside hosts CSM Oradea, Spandau 04 and Strasbourg in Group A. Brescia and Sabadell headline Group B, hosted by A-Polo Sport Management, while Honved will welcome Jadran Split and Panathinaikos in the three-team Group C.
Six places remain available in the 16-team Champions League Men Group Stage. A significant change for 2026/27 means teams eliminated in qualification will no longer face another qualifying tournament: instead, they move directly into the Euro Cup Group Stage.
The women’s Champions League qualification also contains several established European sides. UVSE and Pallanuoto Trieste travel to a group hosted by Spandau, while Dunaujvaros, Glyfada and Sabadell will host the other tournaments.
Reigning Euro Cup champions EPlus CN Catalunya will also attempt to step up into the Champions League after winning the 2025/26 title against CNAB. They face Ethnikos, hosts Glyfada and Grand Nancy in Group C.
There is plenty of depth in the men’s Euro Cup qualification draw, with five groups. BVSC have been handed a group alongside Primorje, Terrassa and hosts Buducnost, while Jug, Sabac, Savona, Vouliagmeni, Barcelona, Posillipo and Galatasaray are among the other leading names involved.
Clubs that fail to qualify for the men’s Euro Cup Group Stage will continue their European campaigns in Conference Cup Qualification Round II under the new competition structure.
The draws also feature the return of Russian clubs to senior European club competition. Sintez Kazan are in the men’s Euro Cup, while Kinef-Surgutneftegaz and Dinamo-Uralochka feature in the women’s competition. European Aquatics announced earlier this year that Russian and Belarusian athletes and support personnel can compete in senior events subject to approval of Neutral Athlete status.
The new campaign follows a 2025/26 season which saw Barceloneta win the men’s Champions League and Olympiacos take the women’s title.
SEO title: Champions League and Euro Cup qualification draws confirmed for 2026/27
Qualification round draws
Champions League Men
Group A – host: CSM Oradea
Novi Beograd
CSM Oradea
Spandau 04
Team Strasbourg
Group B – host: A-Polo Sport Management
AN Brescia
Astralpool CN Sabadell
A-Polo Sport Management
Budva-Budvanska Rivijera
Group C – host: Honved
Jadran Split
Endo Plus Service Honved
Panathinaikos
Champions League Women
Group A – host: Spandau 04
UVSE
Pallanuoto Trieste
Wasserfreunde Spandau 04
Group B – host: Dunaujvaros
Dunaujvaros
ZV De Zaan
Rapallo Pallanuoto
Group C – host: Glyfada
Ethnikos OFPF
ANC Glyfada
EPlus CN Catalunya
Grand Nancy AC
Group D – host: Sabadell
Astralpool CN Sabadell
CN Terrassa
Lille Universite Club
GZC Donk
Euro Cup Men
Group A – host: Pays d’Aix
Primorac Kotor
Dinamo Tbilisi
Galatasaray
Pays d’Aix Natation
Group B – host: Apollon Smyrnis
Rari Nantes Savona
Apollon Smyrnis
Partizan
ASC Duisburg
Sintez Kazan
Group C – host: Sabac
Jug
Sabac
ENKA
White Sharks Hannover
Group D – host: Posillipo
Vouliagmeni
CN Barcelona
Posillipo
Dinamo Bucharest
Group E – host: Buducnost
BVSC
Primorje
CN Terrassa
Buducnost
Euro Cup Women
Group A – host: Sirens
Goztepe
Sirens ASC
Union Saint Bruno
Kinef-Surgutneftegaz
Group B – host: Vojvodina
Jadran Split
Vojvodina
CN Marseille
Group C – host: Polar Bears
Polar Bears
ZVL-1886
PAOK
Dinamo-Uralochka
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