2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League

The 2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League is the 36th edition of the water polo competition organised by the Ligue Européenne de Natation (LEN). This is the first season under the new changes made by LEN.[1] The defending champions are Astralpool Sabadell.

2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League
LeagueLEN Women's Champions League
SportWater polo
Duration21 September 2023 – 21 April 2024
Number of games92
Number of teams24 (from 7 countries)

Format

This season, the format has undergone some changes. After one qualification round (instead of two), sixteen teams will qualify for the main round. For the first time ever, the groups in the main round are held in a home and away format. After the main round, the four groups winners will compete in the final four to decide the winners of the LEN Women's Champions League.[2]

Rankings

Starting this season, LEN also started a club rankings. Countries inside the top 6 of the new LEN women's club rankings are eligible to enter teams 5 clubs into the Champions League.[2][3] While countries outside the top 6 can enter their league champion into either the Champions League or Challenger Cup.

Rank[3] Association Points Teams
1 Spain Spain 105,597.5 5
2 Greece Greece 91,125
3 Hungary Hungary 84,842.5
4 Italy Italy 76,410 4
5 France France 24,127.5 3
6 Russia Russia 53.38 0
7 Netherlands Netherlands 49.300 1
8 Slovakia Slovakia 5,145 0
9 Germany Germany 4,620 1
9 Portugal Portugal 4,620 0
11 Malta Malta 3,940
12 Israel Israel 2,500
13 Croatia Croatia 1,012.5

Teams

Alongside the new changes, LEN increased the amount of clubs a country can enter, from 4 to 5. German representative, Spandau 04, was the only club outside the top 6 who decided to enter, starting in the qualifiers. While on the other hand, despite being in the top 6, Russia was banned and Netherlands took the sixth-place spot. All other clubs and countries below the top six entered the 2023–24 LEN Women's Challenger Cup.

Main round
Greece Olympiacos Piraeus (1st) Hungary ZF Eger (1st) Italy Ekipe Orizzonte (1st) Spain Astralpool Sabadell CL (1st)
Qualification round
France Lille UC (1st) France Mulhouse WP (2nd) France Grand Nancy AC (3rd) Germany Spandau 04 (1st)
Greece NO Vouliagmeni (2hd) Greece Ethnikos Piraeus (3rd) Greece ANC Glyfada (4th) Greece Alimos NAC Betsson (5th)
Hungary Dunaújváros (2nd) Hungary FTC Telekom (3rd) Hungary UVSE Budapest (4th) Hungary BVSC-Zugló (5th)
Italy SIS Roma (2nd) Italy Antenore Plebiscito Padova (3rd) Italy Pallanuoto Trieste (4th) Netherlands ZV De Zaan (1st)
Spain Assolim CN Mataró (2nd) Spain CN Sant Andreu (3rd) Spain CE Mediterrani (4th) Spain CN Terrassa (5th)

Round and draw dates

Schedule

PhaseRoundRound date[4][5]
Qualification round21–24 September 2023
Main roundMatchday 17–8 October 2023
Matchday 221 October 2023
Matchday 34 November 2023
Matchday 425 November 2023
Matchday 59 March 2024
Matchday 623 March 2024
Final fourSemifinals20 April 2024
Final21 April 2024

Draw

The draw was on 10 August 2023.[6] The seeding was decided by the new LEN club rankings.[7] H indicates which club is hosting the groups.

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4 Pot 5

Hungary Dunaújváros
Spain Assolim CN Mataró (H)
Hungary UVSE Budapest (H)
Italy Antenore Plebiscito Padova

Greece NO Vouliagmeni
Spain CE Mediterrani
Italy SIS Roma (H)
Hungary FTC Telekom

Greece ANC Glyfada
Greece Ethnikos Piraeus
Spain CN Terrassa
France Lille UC

Hungary BVSC-Zugló
Spain CN Sant Andreu
Germany Spandau 04
France Mulhouse WP (H)

Netherlands ZV De Zaan
France Grand Nancy AC
Greece Alimos NAC Betsson
Italy Pallanuoto Trieste

Qualification round

In the qualification round, teams play in a round robin format. The top 3 in every group makes the main round, while the fourth and fifth placed teams in the groups drop down to the 2023–24 LEN Women's Euro Cup group stage.[8][9]

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Hungary UVSE Greece ALI Hungary FTC Greece GLY Germany SPA
1 Hungary UVSE Budapest (H) 4 4 0 0 0 59 34 +25 12 Main round 12–7 11–9 21–11 15–7
2 Greece Alimos NAC Betsson 4 3 0 0 1 51 43 +8 9
3 Hungary FTC Telekom 4 2 0 0 2 55 40 +15 6 13–14 17–8 16–7
4 Greece ANC Glyfada 4 1 0 0 3 37 63 26 3 Euro Cup 9–19 9–6
5 Germany Spandau 04 4 0 0 0 4 29 51 22 0 9–11
Source: Report
(H) Host

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification France MUL Greece ETH Spain MED Italy TRI Italy PAD
1 France Mulhouse WP (H) 4 4 0 0 0 48 37 +11 12 Main round 13–10 14–12 10–9 11–6
2 Greece Ethnikos Piraeus 4 2 1 0 1 44 42 +2 8 17–15[lower-alpha 1] 12–9 9–7
3 Spain CE Mediterrani 4 1 0 2 1 55 50 +5 5 17–10 15–17[lower-alpha 2]
4 Italy Pallanuoto Trieste 4 1 0 0 3 42 51 9 3 Euro Cup
5 Italy Antenore Plebiscito Padova 4 0 1 0 3 38 47 9 2 12–14
Source: Report
(H) Host
  1. Match ended 13–13, Ethnikos Piraeus won 4–2 on penalties
  2. Match ended 13–13, Antenore Plebiscito Padova won 4–2 on penalties

Group C

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain MAT Greece VOU Spain TER Hungary BVSC Netherlands ZAAN
1 Spain Assolim CN Mataró (H) 4 4 0 0 0 68 36 +32 12 Main round 15–9 20–7 18–9 15–11
2 Greece NO Vouliagmeni 4 3 0 0 1 46 37 +9 9 11–6 12–8 14–8
3 Spain CN Terrassa 4 2 0 0 2 42 57 15 6 16–15
4 Hungary BVSC-Zugló 4 0 1 0 3 39 54 15 2 Euro Cup 11–13 16–14[lower-alpha 1]
5 Netherlands ZV De Zaan 4 0 0 1 3 45 56 11 1
Source: Report
(H) Host
  1. Match ended 11–11, BVSC-Zugló won 5–3 on penalties

Group D

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain SAN Italy ROM Hungary DUN France LIL France NAN
1 Spain CN Sant Andreu 4 4 0 0 0 62 32 +30 12 Main round 22–3
2 Italy SIS Roma (H) 4 3 0 0 1 48 36 +12 9 9–15 9–8 9–8 21–5
3 Hungary Dunaújváros 4 1 1 0 2 51 36 +15 5 9–11 24–6
4 France Lille UC 4 1 0 1 2 50 42 +8 4 Euro Cup 11–14 10–13[lower-alpha 1]
5 France Grand Nancy AC 4 0 0 0 4 23 88 65 0 9–21
Source: Report
(H) Host
  1. Match ended 10–10, Dunaújváros won 3–0 on penalties

Main round

2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League is located in Europe
Catalonia
Catalonia
Budapest
Budapest
Mulhouse WP
Mulhouse WP
Athens
Athens
Athens teams Alimos NAC Betsson Ethnikos Piraeus Vouliagmeni Olympiacos PiraeusBudapest teams FTC Telekom  UVSE Budapest
Athens teams
Alimos NAC Betsson
Ethnikos Piraeus

Vouliagmeni
Olympiacos Piraeus
Budapest teams
FTC Telekom
UVSE Budapest
Location of teams of the 2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League group stage.
Red: Group A; Blue: Group B; Yellow: Group C; Green: Group D.

The draw took place on 26 September 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.[10] The four group winners advance to the final four.

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.


This is the first time that this round is being held in a home and away format. Five countries are being represented, with Spain boasting the most clubs with five.

Location of Catalonia teams of the 2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League Main Round.
Red: Group A; Blue: Group B;
Yellow: Group C; Green: Group D.





Seeding

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4

Spain Astralpool Sabadell
Greece Olympiacos Piraeus
Italy Ekipe Orizzonte
Hungary ZF Eger

Hungary UVSE Budapest
France Mulhouse WP
Spain Assolim CN Mataró
Spain CN Sant Andreu

Greece Alimos NAC Betsson
Greece Ethnikos Piraeus
Greece NO Vouliagmeni
Italy SIS Roma

Hungary FTC Telekom
Spain CE Mediterrani
Spain CN Terrassa
Hungary Dunaújváros

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain SAN Italy ORI Spain TER Italy ROM
1 Spain CN Sant Andreu 2 2 0 0 0 26 19 +7 6 Final four 15–9
2 Italy Ekipe Orizzonte 2 1 0 0 1 26 22 +4 3 10–11 16–11
3 Spain CN Terrassa 2 1 0 0 1 21 23 2 3
4 Italy SIS Roma 2 0 0 0 2 19 28 9 0 8–12
Updated to match(es) played on 21 October 2023. Source: Report
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain SAB Greece ALI France MUL Hungary DUN
1 Spain Astralpool Sabadell 2 2 0 0 0 32 17 +15 6 Final four 14–7 18–10
2 Greece Alimos NAC Betsson 2 1 0 0 1 21 24 3 3 14–10
3 France Mulhouse WP 2 0 1 0 1 25 33 8 2 18–16[lower-alpha 1]
4 Hungary Dunaújváros 2 0 0 1 1 25 29 4 1
Updated to match(es) played on 21 October 2023. Source: Report
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
  1. Match ended 15–15, Mulhouse WP won 3–1 on penalties

Group C

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Spain MAT Greece ETH Hungary EGER Hungary FTC
1 Spain Assolim CN Mataró 2 2 0 0 0 31 10 +21 6 Final four 13–5
2 Greece Ethnikos Piraeus 2 1 0 1 0 26 24 +2 4 15–13
3 Hungary ZF Eger 2 0 1 0 1 16 29 13 2 5–18 16–15[lower-alpha 1]
4 Hungary FTC Telekom 2 0 0 0 2 18 28 10 0
Updated to match(es) played on 21 October 2023. Source: Report
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
  1. Match ended 11–11, ZF Eger won 5–4 on penalties

Group D

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Greece OLY Greece VOU Hungary UVSE Spain MED
1 Greece Olympiacos Piraeus 2 2 0 0 0 27 15 +12 6 Final four 12–7 15–8
2 Greece NO Vouliagmeni 2 1 0 0 1 21 21 0 3 14–9
3 Hungary UVSE Budapest 2 1 0 0 1 18 22 4 3 10–7
4 Spain CE Mediterrani 2 0 0 0 2 16 24 8 0
Updated to match(es) played on 22 October 2023. Source: Report
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Final four

Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
20 April
 
 
 
 
21 April
 
 
 
 
 
20 April
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Third place
 
 
21 April
 
 
 
 
 
 

See also

References

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