European Aquatics Women's Challenger Cup
| Current season, competition or edition: 2024–25 European Aquatics Women's Challenger Cup | |
| Sport | Water polo |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2023 |
| President | Patrice Coste |
| Country | European Aquatics members |
| Continent | Europe |
| Most recent champion(s) | Izmir BBG (2nd title) |
| Most titles | Izmir BBG (2 titles) |
| Level on pyramid | 3rd Tier 4th Tier from 2025 |
| Official website | [1] |
The European Aquatics Women's Challenger Cup, formerly the LEN Women's Challenger Cup is a water polo club competition organised by the Ligue Européenne de Natation (LEN). It acts as the third tier, below the LEN Women's Champions League and the LEN Women's Euro Cup. Its first season will commence in 2023–24.[1][2]
From 2024, after LEN was renamed to European Aquatics, the new name is the 'European Aquatics Women's Challenger Cup.
History
The Women's Challenger Cup was first mentioned on the 7 February by Stavroula Kozompoli.[3] The LEN Women's Challenger Cup was officially created by LEN in on the 2 June 2023. In a similar fashion to the men's Tournament, the competition was inaugurated with the goal of creating more chances for smaller Water Polo nations to improve.
A year before the women's counterpart started, LEN formally announced they would create a Men's LEN Challenger Cup, starting in the 2022–23 season.
From 2025, after the introduction of the Conference Cup, the Challenger Cup will become the fourth tier tournament in European club water polo.[4][5][6]
Winners
Challenger Cup
| Year | Final | Semi-finalists | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Score | Second place | Third place | Score | Fourth place | |||
| 2023–24 Details |
Izmir BB GSK |
10–9 | VK Crvena Zvezda |
ŽAVK Mladost |
14–13 | Benfica | ||
| 2024–25 Details |
Izmir BB GSK |
9–8 | Galatasaray |
ŽAVK Mladost |
15–9 | VK Vojvodina | ||
Editions
See also
Men
- European Aquatics Champions League
- European Aquatics Euro Cup
- European Aquatics Conference Cup
- European Aquatics Challenger Cup
- European Aquatics Super Cup
Women
- European Aquatics Women's Champions League
- European Aquatics Women's Euro Cup
- European Aquatics Women's Conference Cup
- European Aquatics Women's Super Cup
References
- ^ "Big changes in European water polo club competitions - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. June 2, 2023.
- ^ Spencer-Boyce, James (June 2, 2023). "Changes to European competitions reinforced in Belgrade".
- ^ "Women's water polo enjoying "record" growth in Europe". www.len.eu. February 7, 2023.
- ^ "New European water polo competition set to boost quality and club development - European Aquatics®". April 2, 2025.
- ^ Curcic, Ivan (April 2, 2025). "EA launches Conference Cup and reduces number of teams in Champions League and Euro Cup qualifications".
- ^ https://europeanaquatics.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/WATER-POLO-CLUB-COMPETITIONS-REGULATIONS-SEASON-2025-2026.pdf