Real Canoe have announced one of the biggest coaching appointments of the summer, confirming Charis Pavlidis as the new head coach of their women’s Division de Honor team for the 2026/27 season.
The Greek coach, widely known in his homeland as “El Profesor”, arrives in Madrid with one of the strongest CVs in European women’s water polo. A former Olympiacos player and Greek international, Pavlidis has built his reputation as one of the most successful and influential coaches in the women’s game.
For Real Canoe, this is a major statement. The Madrid club are bringing in a coach with experience at the very top of European club water polo and, more recently, at the highest level of the international game with Greece.
Pavlidis’ greatest club success came during his long spell in charge of Olympiacos women, where he helped create one of the dominant teams in European water polo. Under his leadership, the Piraeus club won two LEN Euro League titles, in 2015 and 2021, two LEN Super Cups, one LEN Trophy, ten Greek Championships, nine Greek Cups and one Greek Super Cup.
That period also included one of the most remarkable domestic runs in the sport, with Olympiacos putting together 163 consecutive victories in Greek competitions. It was a dynasty built not only on talent, but on structure, consistency and the winning culture that Pavlidis became known for.
His reputation has only grown since returning to the Greek national-team setup. Appointed head coach of the Greece women’s national team in 2024, Pavlidis has overseen a hugely successful period for the side.
In 2025, Greece won gold at the World Cup in Chengdu before going on to claim gold at the World Championships in Singapore. The scale of that achievement was underlined by the individual awards collected by his players, with Greece also having the tournament’s best goalkeeper and top scorer. Earlier this year, Greece added another major medal, taking bronze at the European Championship in Funchal.
That recent international success makes his move to Real Canoe particularly eye-catching. Pavlidis is not arriving as a coach trading only on past glories, but as one currently operating at the top end of the women’s game.
At this stage, there has been no indication from Real Canoe’s announcement that Pavlidis will leave his position with the Greek women’s national team. The assumption is that he will combine the club role in Madrid with his national-team duties, although that remains subject to official confirmation from Greece.
For Canoe, the appointment gives the club a clear identity heading into next season. Pavlidis is associated with tactical detail, defensive organisation, high standards and a strong collective mentality. Those qualities will be vital in a Spanish league that remains one of the most competitive in Europe, with clubs such as Sabadell, Mataro, Sant Andreu, Mediterrani and Catalunya all setting a high benchmark in recent seasons.
The arrival of Pavlidis also adds further intrigue to the División de Honor. Spain has already become one of the central stages of the women’s club game, and the addition of a coach with multiple European titles and recent world championship success only strengthens that profile.
For a club looking to build, compete and close the gap on Spain’s leading sides, this is a serious statement of intent.
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