2025–26 European Aquatics Challenger Cup qualification round I

For the equivalent women's tournament, see 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Challenger Cup qualification round I.

2025–26 European Aquatics Challenger Cup qualification round I

2025–26
Tournament information
Sport	Water polo
Date	28–30 November 2025
Host(s)	Valletta Maribor Istanbul Mouscron
Teams	14 (from 10 countries)
Website	[ Official website]
Tournament statistics
Matches played	18

The 2025–26 European Aquatics Challenger Cup qualification round I is played between 28 and 30 November 2025 to determine the 8 teams advancing to the qualification round II of the 2025–26 European Aquatics Challenger Cup.

Format

The 14 teams were place into four groups in total, two with four teams and two teams with three. In each group, teams will play against each other once in a round-robin format. The top two in each group advance to the next round.

Teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 2 points for a penalty shootout win, 1 point for a penalty shootout loss, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings:

• Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
• Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
• Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
• Goal difference in all group matches;
• Goals scored in all group matches.

Group composition

External videos
Draw

There was no draw, rather the groups were pre-selected for geographical reasons on 11 August 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia. (H) indicates which clubs is hosting a group.

Key to colours
Teams advancing to qualification round II

Group A

Team	Rank	Points
Sliema ASC (H)	98	126
APOEL Nicosia	66	940
Hapoel Palram Zvulun	68	860
San Giljan ASC	N/A

Group B

Team	Rank	Points
AVK Branik Maribor (H)	N/A
Carouge Natation	44	2,625
VK Ljubljana Slovan	61	1,310
Club Naval Povoense	N/A

Group C

Team	Rank	Points
Enka Sport Club (H)	45	2,507.5
Welsh Wanderers	85	560
Heybeliada ASC	N/A

Group D

Team	Rank	Points
Royal Dauphins Mouscronnois (H)	48	2,170
Cetus Espoo	58	1,420
West London Penguin	N/A

Groups

Group A

7–9 November 2025, Valletta, Malta.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	PSW	PSL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		SLI	APO	HAP	GIL
1	Sliema ASC (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification round II		—	—	—	–
2	APOEL Nicosia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			–	—	–	–
3	Hapoel Palram Zvulun	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			–	—	—	—
4	San Giljan ASC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			—	–	—	—

Source: [ European Aquatics Challenger Cup]
(H) Host

	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
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Group B

7–9 November 2025, Maribor, Slovenia.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	PSW	PSL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		MAR	CAR	SLO	NAV
1	AVK Branik Maribor (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification round II		—	—	—	–
2	Carouge Natation	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			–	—	–	–
3	VK Ljubljana Slovan	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			–	—	—	—
4	Club Naval Povoense	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			—	–	—	—

Source: [ European Aquatics Challenger Cup]
(H) Host

	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

Group C

7–9 November 2025, Istanbul, Turkey.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	PSW	PSL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		ENKA	WEL	HEY
1	Enka Sport Club (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification round II		—	—	–
2	Welsh Wanderers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			–	—	—
3	Heybeliada ASC	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			–	—	—

Source: [ European Aquatics Challenger Cup]
(H) Host

	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

Group D

7–9 November 2025, Mouscron, Belgium.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	PSW	PSL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		MOU	CET	PEN
1	Royal Dauphins Mouscronnois (H)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Qualification round II		—	—	–
2	Cetus Espoo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			–	—	—
3	West London Penguin	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0			–	—	—

Source: [ European Aquatics Challenger Cup]
(H) Host

	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

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	[ Report]	Team	–	Team
		Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

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 Conference Cup
• 2025–26 European Aquatics Women's Challenger Cup
• 2025 European Aquatics Women's Super Cup

References

Matchday reports

Reference
[ Matchday 1]
[ Matchday 2]
[ Matchday 3]