64th edition of elite competition gets underway: All roads lead to Belgrade

The 64th season of the Champions League gets underway on Tuesday. All roads lead to Belgrade this season, as the Final Four will take place in Serbia’s capital in May.

The clubs that participated in the 2026 Final Four in Malta (champion Barceloneta, runner-up Pro Recco, Ferencvaros and Olympiacos) remain in the circle of the strongest contenders for the F4 berths this season, too. Besides them, there are several clubs that have the quality to go very high this season, including Radnicki, Marseille, newcomer Panathinaikos, etc.

Novi Beograd may not be as strong as it was in previous years, but the fact that the Final Four will be held in its pool serves as additional motivation. Similarly, the Croatian champion Mladost appears weaker on paper than last year, but it still has the potential to perform well. Sabadell, can provide strong resistance against the best European teams. Brescia has been a tough opponent to the favorites for years, etc.

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2027 Champions League Preview

Group A

Olympiacos

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: 4th place; 2025: Quarter Final Stage (3rd place in Group A); 2024: the bronze medal; 2023: 5th place; 2022: 5th place in Group A.

Best results: 2x winner (2002 and 2018), 3x runner-up (2001, 2016, 2019). Other European trophies: LEN Super Cup winner (2002).

Head coach: Elvis Fatovic.

Key players: Konstantinos Genidounias, Ioannis Fountoulis, Luka Loncar, Loren Fatovic, Konstantin Kharkov, Alexandros Papanastasiou, Emmanouil Zerdevas, Daniel Angyal…

Jadran Herceg Novi

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: Group Stage (4th place in Group B) and the Euro Cup eighth finalist; 2025: Group Stage (3rd place in Group C) and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2024: Group Stage (4th place in Group A) and the Euro Cup eighth finalist; 2023: Qualification Round 2 and the Euro Cup qualifications; 2022: Qualifications.

Best result: runner-up (2004). Other European trophies: –

Head coach: Vladimir Gojkovic.

Key players: Strahinja Gojkovic, Aleksa Ukropina, Daniil Merkulov, Danilo Stupar, Lucas Durik, Danilo Radovic, Dimitrije Obradovic…

Waspo 98 Hannover

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: Quarterfinal Stage (4th place in Group A); 2025: Group Stage (4th place in Group A) and the Euro Cup eighth-finalist; 2024: Qualifications and the Euro Cup Group Stage; 2023: Group Stage (8th place in Group A); 2022: 6th place.

Best result: 6th place (2022 and 2021). Other European trophies: –

Head coach: Aleksandar Radovic

Key players: Marko Macan, Yannek Chiru, Andrija Basic, Denis Strelezkij, Zoran Bozic, Lukas Kueppers, Niclas Schipper, Jovan Vujovic…

Sabadell

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: Group Stage (4th place in Group D) and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2025: Group Stage (3rd place in Group D) and the Euro Cup semifinalist, 2024: Group Stage (3rd place in Group A) and the bronze medal in the Euro Cup, 2023: Group Stage (5th in Group B); 2022: didn’t play/ the Euro Cup winner.

Best result: Group Stage. Other European trophies: 1 x Euro Cup.

Head coach: Alberto Espanol

Key players: Sergi Cabanas, Francisco Valera, Miguel Del Toro, Edoardo Lorrio, Kanstantin Averka, Rafael Real Vergara, Jack Larsen…

Last season, Olympiacos started its Champions League campaign in a very tough group, but finished ahead of Mladost, Radnicki and Vasas, qualified for the Quarter Final Stage and eventually won 4th place. This season, the Greeks are very strong favorites for the top spot in their group.

The pieces of information about Olympiacos were very intriguing during the transfer market. A couple of center-forwards, Konstantinos Kakaris and Dimitrios Nikolaidis, left the club, along with Hungarian left-handed ace Gergo Zalanki. However, excellent reinforcements arrived – three Croats, Luka Loncar, Loren Fatovic, Konstantin Kharkov, as well as Greece’s rising star, center Semir Spachits.
This group is well-suited to help Olympiacos improve its shape until the second half of the season.

Sabadell also entered the season with strong ambitions, signing two members of the Spanish national team, Fran Valera and Miguel de Toro. Alberto Espanol, who won the World Cup and the Champions League as a player, is the new head coach. Sabadell started the season with a loss to Brescia in the Champions League Qualifications. However, it then demolished two good teams, Budva and A-Polo, to reach the Group Stage. Sabadell has played very well in the Spanish League. It has a chance to advance to the Top 8 stage for the first time in four years.

Jadran hasn’t played in the Champions League Top 8 phase for a long time. The Montenegrin champion’s roster has undergone major changes during the transfer window. At first glance, the team looks similar in quality to last season’s. Jadran lost its first big game of the 2027 season (to Radnicki on Wednesday), but the Montenegrins’ performance was quite promising. Beating Olympiacos is a high goal, but Jadran can battle with Sabadell for 2nd place. The Montenegrin champion will play its home CHL matches in Podgorica this season.

Waspo Hannover caused a huge upset last season by advancing to the Quarter Final Stage (the Germans left Sabadell and Marseille behind them). Their chances of finishing among the top 2 teams are slim. Last season’s results will serve as a warning for the remaining three teams: they mustn’t underestimate the German team, which demolished Spandau 04 (21:9) in the German Super Cup last week.

Round 1

Group B

Pro Recco

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: runner-up; 2025: didn’t play (the Euro Cup winner), 2024: 2nd place; 2023: winner, 2022: winner, 2021: winner.

Best results: 11x winner (1965, 1984, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023). Other European trophies: 9x Super Cup, 1x Euro Cup.

Head coach: Sandro Sukno

Key players: Alvaro Granados, Gergo Zalanki, Marko Bijac, Max Irving, Giacomo Cannella, Nicholas Presciutti, Gianmarco Nicosia, Rino Buric, Francesco Condemi…

KVK Radnicki

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: Group Stage (3rd place in Group A) and the Euro Cup semifinalist; 2025: Group Stage (3rd place in Group A) and the Euro Cup finalist; 2024: Qualification Round and the Euro Cup Qualifications; 2023: Group Stage (6th place in Group A), 2022: Group Stage (6th place in Group A).

Best result: runner-up in 2014. Other European trophies: 1x LEN Euro Cup winner (as VK Radnicki).

Head coach: Uros Stevanovic

Key players: Andrija Prlainovic, Nikola Jaksic, Dusko Pijetlovic, Strahinja Rasovic, Angelos Vlachopoulos, Sava Randjelovic, Josip Vrlic…

Brescia

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026:  Quarter Final Stage (3rd place in Group A); 2025: Qualifications and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2024: Quarter Final Stage (4th place in Group B), 2023: 8th place; 2022: 4th place.

Best Champions League results: 3rd place (2021). Other European trophies: 4x Euro Cup winner.

Head coach: Alessandro Bovo.

Key players: Jacopo Alesiani, ,Filippo Ferrero, Vlado Popadic, Tommaso Baggi Necchi,  Oliver Leinweber, Stefano Guerratto, Mario Del Basso…

Oradea

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: Group Stage (3rd place in Group C) and Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2025: Quarter Final Stage (4th place in Group A); 2024: Qualifications and the Euro Cup Qualifications; 2023: Qualification Round 3 and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2022: Qualifications.

Best result: Quarter-final stage (2025). Other European trophies: –

Head coach: Petar Kovacevic.

Key players:  Lazar Dobozanov, Tudor Fulea, Dmitrii Kholod, Ivan Gusarov, David Belenyesi, Tiberiu Negrean, Levante Vancsik, Sebastian Oltean, Petar Velkic…

Two title-contenders, Pro Recco and Radnicki, didn’t meet their goals last season.

Pro Recco played very well throughout the 2026 Champions League, but lost to Barceloneta in the final.

Radnicki had a disappointing European season. It failed to qualify for the Quarter Final Stage from a demanding group, losing to Olympiacos and Mladost. Then, it entered the Euro Cup Quarter Final Stage as a strong favorite, but Marseille stopped the Serbian team in the semifinals.

For the first time after more than a decade, Pro Recco will try to win the Champions League without Francesco Di Fulvio, but two great players returned to the club – Zalanki and Bijac. In addition, a few young Italian players joined the team.

Radnicki has a stronger squad than last season, based on the number of big names on the roster. It’s a very experienced team with athletes with rich medal collections.

Both Pro Recco and Radnicki are aiming to reach the Final Four in Belgrade. Therefore, it would be a big upset if they don’t qualify for the next stage.

Brescia enters the season with a rejuvenated team. Its biggest reinforcement is the 2026 Italian League’s top scorer, Oliver Leinweber. Alessandro Bovo’s team won’t have pressure, which will be an advantage, but a team with several Italian national team members on its roster cannot be considered an underdog.

Two years ago, Oradea reached the Quarter-Final Stage. However, this year, the Romanians were unlucky in the draw, making it seem nearly impossible for them to advance from strong Group B to the next phase of the Champions League.

Round 1

Group C

Barceloneta

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026; 2025: the bronze medal; 2024: Quarter Final Stage (3rd place in Group B); 2023: the bronze medal; 2022: 5th place; 2021: 4th place.

Best results: 2x winner (2014 and 2026), 3rd place (2013, 2015, 2018, 2023). Other European trophies: 1 x Super Cup.

Head coach: Fran Fernandez

Key players: Unai Aguirre, Francesco Di Fulvio, Alberto Munariz, Bernat Sanahuja, Roger Tahull, Vince Vigvari, Alessandro Velloto, Gonzalo Echenique, Unai Biel…

Mladost

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: Quarter Final Stage (3rd place in Group A); 2025: Qualifications and the Euro Cup semifinalist; 2024: didn’t play and the Euro Cup qualifications; 2023: Qualifications and the Euro Cup qualifications; 2022: Qualifications and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist.

Best results: 7x winner (1968, 1969, 1970, 1972,1990, 1991, 1996). Other European trophies: 3x Super Cup, 2x Cup Winners’ Cup, 1 x Euro Cup (LEN Trophy).

Head coach: Hrvoje Hrestak

Key players:  Luka Bukic Ante Vukicevic, Luke Pavillard, Ivan Nagaev, Franko Lazic, Marko Radulovic, Mauro Ivan Cubranic…

Novi Beograd

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: Quarter Final Stage (4th place in Group B); 2025: runner-up, 2024: 4th place, 2023: 2nd place, 2022: 2nd place.

Best result: 3x runner-up (2022, 2023, and 2025). Other European trophies: -.

Head coach: Luka Bajic.

Key players: Milos Cuk, Vasilije Martinovic, Nikola Lukic, Miroslav Perkovic, Milan Glusac, Nika Shushiashvili, Nikola Kojic, Vladimir Misovic…

Jadran Split

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: Group Stage (4th place in Group B) and the Euro Cup finalist; 2025:Quarter Final Stage (4th place in Group A); 2024: Quarter Final Stage (4th place in Group A); 2023: Group Stage (5th place in Group A); 2022: Group Stage (7th place in Group A).

Best results: 2x winner (1992 and 1993). Other European trophies: -.

Head coach: Jure Marelja.

Key players: Dusan Matkovic, Zvonimit Butic, Toni Popadic, Duje Pejkovic, Lukas Seman, Ivan Domagoj Zovic…

Barceloneta has begun the new season with almost the same roster that won the Champions League in June. The only significant change is the arrival of Italian superstar Francesco Di Fulvio.

Although it was drawn into a strong group, the reigning champion is a clear favorite for the top spot in Group C. However, it will have three demanding away games in Belgrade, Split and Zagreb.
Last season, Novi Beograd was the only team to trouble Barceloneta twice in the Quarter Final Stage, but the Spaniards emerged victorious both times.

Unlike Barceloneta, the remaining three teams in the group have significantly reshaped and rejuvenated their rosters.

After winning the title of Croatian champion, Mladost said goodbye to several players, including experienced center-forwards Josip Vrlic and Luka Loncar, as well as Konstantin Kharkov and Andrija Basic. The biggest reinforcement is left-handed Australian Luke Pavillard, who has applied for Croatian citizenship.

Novi Beograd has a new head coach, Zoran Bajic, who guided Mladost until the winter, and ten new players, among them are a few returnees. The Belgrade-based team doesn’t have as many big champions on its roster as it did a few years ago, but the team is led by double Olympic champion Milos Cuk, goal-getter Vasilije Martinovic; and Milan Glusac (the best goalkeeper of the 2026 Europeans), etc. Since the start of the season, Novi Beograd has played eight official games in 15 days (more than the remaining 15 CHL clubs), winning all eight and performing quite well. But the Champions League games are different from those first eight matches.

Jadran Split lost several key players during the transfer window. Among them are power engines of the Croatian national team, Marko Bijac and Loren Fatovic, as well as former captain Jerko Marinic Kragic. The team is young, but it displayed good performances in the Champions League Qualifications, offering strong resistance to Panathinaikos and beating Honved.

On paper, the Split-based side is a step behind Novi Beograd and Mladost (which convincingly beat Jadran in the Croatian Super Cup on Friday). But if Jadran shows its best, a battle for 2nd place can turn into a three-horse race. Away wins and possible surprises in the games against Barceloneta can make the difference.

Round 1

Group D

Ferencvaros

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: 3rd place 2025: winner, 2024: winner, 2023: 6th place, 2022: 3rd place; 2021: runner-up.

Best results: winner (2019, 2024, 2025). Other European trophies: 4x winner of the Cup Winners’ Cup, 2x Euro Cup winner, 6 x Super Cup winner.

Head coach: Baalzs Nyeki.

Key players: Dusan Mandic, Soma Vogel, Krisztian Manhercz, Stylianos Argyropoulos, Konstantinos Kakaris, Marton Vamos, Szilard Jansik, Edoardo Di Somma…

Marseille

Last five Champions League seasons – 2026: Group Stage (3rd place in Group D) and the Euro Cup winner 2025: 4th place; 2024: Quarter Final Stage (3rd place in Group A); 2023: Group Stage (7th place in a group); 2022: 7th place; 2021: 8th place.

Best result: 4th place (2025). Other European trophies: 2x Euro Cup (LEN Trophy)

Head coach: Milos Scepanovic.

Key players: Ugo Crousillat,Thomas Vernoux, Petar Tesanovic, Adam Nagy, Radomir Drasovic, Vasilije Radovic, Marc Larumbe,Alexandre Bouet…

Steaua Bucharest

Last five seasons – 2026: Qualifications and the Euro Cup Group Stage; 2025: Group Stage (3rd place in Group A) and the Euro Cup eighth-finalist; 2024: Group Stage (4th place in Group A) and the Euro Cup quarterfinalist; 2023: Qualification Round 2 and the Euro Cup eighth-finalist; 2022: 8th place in Group B.

Best result: 2x quarterfinalist (1992 and 1995). Other European trophies: -.

Head coach: Djordje Filipovic

Key players: Marius Tic, Jerko Marinic Kragic, Djordje Vucinic, Silvian Colodrovschi, Nicolae Oanta, Francesco Iudean…

Panathinaikos

Last five seasons: didn’t play (the club participated in the Euro Cup in the past three seasons – 2026: EC quarterfinals; 2024: EC Group Stage, 2024: EC Qualifications)

Best Champions League result: 2nd round of the qualifications (2012). Other European trophies: -.

Head coach: Dimitrios Mazis.

Key players: Dimitrios Skoumpakis, Dimitrios Nikolaidis, Efstathios Kaloeropoulos, Vincenzo Dolce, Nikolaos Kopelaidis, Nikolaos Papanikolaou, Adrian Weinberg, Aristedes Chalyvopoulos…

The only debutant in the Champions League was drawn into Group D. That debutant makes predictions about who will qualify for the QF stage more difficult, while also promising some exciting battles.

Panathinaikos will be one of the contenders for a high finish in its Champions League campaign. The Athens club began building a team capable of achieving big things last year. Head coach Dimitrios Mazis can count on a large number of Grece national team players, as well as Italian international Lorenzo Dolce and USA goalkeeper Alex Weinberg. Panathinaikos has every reason to hope that it can challenge Ferencvaros and Marseille for one of the top two spots.

Ferencvaros has dominated Hungarian water polo for years, making winning trophies on the domestic scene almost routine. The club faces serious competition mainly in international competitions, where Ferencvaros has the same objective as at home – to win trophies. Last season, Barceloneta prevented the Hungarians from winning a fourth consecutive Champions League title. The Budapest club has not made major changes to its squad during recent transfer windows, but it continues to bring in outstanding players. This summer, that player was one of the best centers in the world, Konstantinos Kakaris.

Although both Panathinaikos and Marseille have strong squads, Ferencvaros is the most serious candidates to finish first in the group. However, the Hungarians will have to work hard to secure the top spot.

Marseille plays the same role in French water polo as Ferencvaros does in Hungary – it is too strong for its domestic rivals. Step by step, Marseille has also established itself as a favorite on the European stage in recent years. The French disappointed in the 2026 Champions League, but shone in the LEN Euro Cup. They have not significantly changed their squad – Bodegas retired and Spaic moved to Vouliagmeni – and they have every reason to hope for another strong European campaign this season. Marseille’s performance in the second half of the Super Cup against Barceloneta last Wednesday encouraged the team’s fans.

The players and management of Steaua, as well as those of the other Romanian club, Oradea, were certainly not pleased with the outcome of the draw. The Romanian champions were placed in Pot 3, only to be drawn against clubs with rich trophy cabinets, as well as the strongest opponent from Pot 4. The Bucharest side will reach the Top 8 stage only if it manages to pull off several surprises.

Round 1

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