Last year’s champions, Izmir Buyuksehir SK, are determined to defend their Challenger Cup Women title for a second consecutive season. However, they will face stiff competition this weekend in Istanbul, where they take on domestic rivals Galatasaray Zena, Croatia’s ZAVK Mladost, and Serbia’s Vaterpolo Klub Vojvodina.
Final Four Fixtures
Saturday, February 22, 2025
(Semi-finals – Local Times)
16:00 | Vaterpolo Klub Vojvodina (SRB) vs. Galatasaray Zena (TUR)
18:00 | Izmir Buyuksehir SK (TUR) vs. ZAVK Mladost (CRO)
Sunday, February 23, 2025
(Finals – Local Times)
10:00 | Bronze Medal Game
12:00 | Gold Medal Game
Vojvodina vs. Galatasaray Zena – An Exciting Opening Clash
Saturday’s first semi-final features Galatasaray Zena, the local hosts, against Serbia’s Vaterpolo Klub Vojvodina. Galatasaray, eager to replicate the success of their male counterparts, who won last year’s Challenger Cup Men, have endured a mixed journey so far. Defeats to Sport Lisboa e Benfica and Izmir Buyuksehir SK in previous rounds mean they will need a top performance to advance.
As part of their preparation, Galatasaray competed in the Danube Water Polo League, securing a spot in that tournament’s Final Six this May. Their form has also attracted international talent, with Australian Olympic silver medallist goalkeeper Gabi Palm recently joining the squad.
Vojvodina, meanwhile, narrowly missed the Final Six last year but dominated their group this season, winning all three of their Qualification Round II matches. Since then, they have sharpened their tactics with an intensive five-day training camp in Greece, facing Ethnikos, Panionios, and Glyfada.
“We’ve been sparring against strong opposition, which has been invaluable,” said head coach Slađana Drezgić. “Returning to Novi Sad, we maintained that rhythm before heading to Hungary for a training match against Szeged, which confirmed we are well-prepared for this weekend.”
Izmir Look to Continue Their Winning Streak
Reigning champions Izmir Buyuksehir SK arrive in Istanbul on the back of a 12-game unbeaten run in the competition, including a clean sweep in December’s Qualification Round II. Their 10-12 victory over Galatasaray Zena in that round saw Australian star Danijela Jackovich and Canada international Emma Wright combine for nine goals.
Standing in Izmir’s way of a second straight final is last year’s bronze medallists, ZAVK Mladost, who scraped through after a tense penalty shootout victory over Germany’s SV Blau Weiss Bochum.
Mladost captain Iva Rozic, who netted five goals in regulation and converted in the shootout, is eager for the challenge ahead.
“We’re thrilled to be back at the final stage,” said Rozic. “It’s a fantastic achievement for us. The games will be tough, but we have prepared well. Our focus is to take it one match at a time and perform at our best.”
How to Watch
Catch all the Challenger Cup Women action live on www.euroaquaticstv.com. Stay updated with full fixtures, live results, and real-time updates via the European Aquatics App.
Additionally, Sunday’s finals will be broadcast live on Türkiye’s TRT Sports channel, which has led to schedule adjustments to 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM local time for the bronze and gold medal games, respectively.