2023–24 LEN Women's Challenger Cup

The 2023–24 LEN Women's Challenger Cup is the inaugural edition of the new water polo 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.[1]

For the equivalent men's tournament, see 2023–24 LEN Challenger Cup.
2023–24 LEN Women's Challenger Cup
LeagueLEN Women's Challenger Cup
SportWater polo
Duration19 October 2023 – 25 November 2023
Number of games35
Number of teams14

Introduction

A year after the men's competition started, LEN decided to inaugurate a women's version. Similar to the men's tournament, the LEN Women's Challenger Cup was designed to help developing countries and clubs grow and play more European club games.

Format

15 teams are separated into three groups of five. Each group is held at one club. The top 2 from each group advance to the Final Six. The final six, the six teams club are pooled into two groups of three where the two group winners advance to the final, while the two runners up play for third. Like the previous round, the final six is held at one club.

Rankings

Only teams below the top 6 can enter the competition.

  1. Israel originally entered a club in the competition, but withdrew just before the tournament started

Teams

Only countries below the top 6 in the LEN women's club rankings can enter teams into this competition.[3]

Participating teams
Bulgaria Kvt Lokomotiv-N.Nanov Czech Republic Asten Johnson Fezko Strakonice Croatia ŽAVK Mladost Croatia Jadran Split
Israel Hapoel Emek Hayarden United Kingdom Otter Swimming Club United Kingdom City Of Manchester Water Polo Club Malta Sirens ASC
Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense Serbia VK Vojvodina Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda
Sweden Järfälla Turkey Izmir BBG Turkey ODTU Sport Club

Draw

The draw was on 11 September 2023. H indicates which club is hosting the groups.[4][5][6] Teams in bold advanced to the final six. The seeding was decided by as follows:

  • The new LEN club rankings.[7]
  • LEN country club rankings.[2]
  • LEN women's national team rankings.[8]
Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4 Pot 5

Malta Sirens ASC
Croatia ŽAVK Mladost
Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense
Israel Hapoel Emek Hayarden
Croatia Jadran Split

Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda
Serbia VK Vojvodina (H)
Turkey Izmir BBG

Turkey ODTU Sport Club
Czech Republic Asten Johnson Fezko Strakonice (H)
United Kingdom Otter Swimming Club

United Kingdom City Of Manchester Water Polo Club
Bulgaria Kvt Lokomotiv-N.Nanov (H)
Sweden Järfälla

Qualification round

Group A

Held in Novi Sad, Serbia

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Croatia JAD Croatia MLA Serbia VOJ United Kingdom MAN Turkey ODT
1 Croatia Jadran Split 4 3 0 0 1 67 45 +22 9[lower-alpha 1] Final six — 17–12 — 12–10 26–10
2 Croatia ŽAVK Mladost 4 3 0 0 1 78 37 +41 9[lower-alpha 1] — — — 16–8 —
3 Serbia VK Vojvodina (H) 4 3 0 0 1 56 38 +18 9[lower-alpha 1] 13–12 11–14 — 14–7 18–5
4 United Kingdom City Of Manchester Water Polo Club 4 1 0 0 3 42 47 −5 3 — — — — 17–5
5 Turkey ODTU Sport Club 4 0 0 0 4 21 97 −76 0 — 1–36 — — —
Source: Report
(H) Host
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head goal difference: Jadran Split +4, ŽAVK Mladost −2, VK Vojvodina −2. Head-to-head result: VK Vojvodina 11–14 ŽAVK Mladost.

Group B

Held in Strakonice, Czech Republic

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Turkey IZM Portugal BEN Sweden JÄR Czech Republic STR Israel HAP
1 Turkey Izmir BBG 3 3 0 0 0 64 24 +40 9 Final six — — 21–3 — Canc.
2 Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica 3 2 0 0 1 44 41 +3 6 10–19 — 17–9 — Canc.
3 Sweden Järfälla 3 1 0 0 2 25 50 −25 3 — — — — Canc.
4 Czech Republic Asten Johnson Fezko Strakonice (H) 3 0 0 0 3 36 54 −18 0 11–24 13–17 12–13 — Canc.
5 Israel Hapoel Emek Hayarden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Withdrew Canc. Canc. Canc. Canc. —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Group C

Held in Burgas, Bulgaria

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Serbia CRV Portugal FLU Malta SIR Bulgaria LOK United Kingdom OTT
1 Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda 4 4 0 0 0 62 31 +31 12 Final six — — 19–12 17–3 —
2 Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense 4 3 0 0 1 38 33 +5 9 8–14 — — — 12–7
3 Malta Sirens ASC 4 2 0 0 2 47 47 0 6 — 5–8 — — 14–10
4 Bulgaria Kvt Lokomotiv-N.Nanov (H) 4 1 0 0 3 34 50 −16 3 — 7–10 10–16 — —
5 United Kingdom Otter Swimming Club 4 0 0 0 4 32 52 −20 0 8–12 — — 7–14 —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Final six

There was originally going to be a home and away final to decide the champions.[3] But due to the unexcepted amount of clubs entering the competition, the water polo committee altered the format to introduce a final six tournament.[9]

Draw

The draw took place on 24 October in Barcelona.[9] Pots 1 and 2 consist of the teams that finished first and second in the previous round respectively. The only restriction was that clubs from the same group in the previous round could not be drawn against each other.

Pot 1 Pot 2

Croatia Jadran Split
Turkey Izmir BBG
Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda

Croatia ŽAVK Mladost
Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense

Host

The tournament was held in ...

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Serbia CRV Croatia JAD Portugal BEN
1 Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Final — —
2 Croatia Jadran Split 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Third place match — —
3 Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fifth place match — —
Source:

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Turkey IZM Portugal FLU Croatia MLA
1 Turkey Izmir BBG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Final — —
2 Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Third place match — —
3 Croatia ŽAVK Mladost 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fifth place match — —
Source:

Knockout stage

 
Fifth place match
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Third place match
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Final
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Fifth place match

–
Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

Third place match

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Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

Final

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Score by quarters: –, –, –, –

See also

References

  1. Spencer-Boyce, James (June 2, 2023). "Changes to European competitions reinforced in Belgrade".
  2. "Women Clubs Country Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  3. "Big changes in European water polo club competitions - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. June 2, 2023.
  4. "Draws for Euro Cup and Challenger Cup - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. September 8, 2023.
  5. "LEN Qualifying Round Draws: 2023/2024 Euro Cup Men, Challenger Cup Men and Women - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. September 11, 2023.
  6. Curcic, Ivan (September 11, 2023). "Plenty of national clashes in Euro Cup qualifications; Vasas starts title defense from Budapest".
  7. "Women Club Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  8. "Women Country Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  9. "Water Polo Challenger Cup Men and Women: draw and changes - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. October 23, 2023.
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