LEN Champions League Women
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023–24 LEN Women's Champions League
SportWater polo
Founded1987
PresidentGianni Lonzi
CountryLEN members
ContinentEurope
Most recent
champion(s)
Spain Astralpool Sabadell
(6th title)
Most titlesItaly Orizzonte Catania
(8 titles)
Level on pyramid1st Tier (Europe)
Official websitelen.eu

The LEN Women's Champions League, formerly known as LEN European Cup (from 1987 to 1999), LEN Champions Cup (from 1999 to 2013) and LEN Euroleague Women (2014 to 2022), is the premier competition for women's water polo clubs of Europe and takes place every year. It is organized by the Ligue Européenne de Natation (LEN) and was created in 1987 as LEN European Cup.

History

Created in 1987 as the women's water polo clubs continental competition, contested amongst the national champions of the European countries, it has been played under the following names:[1]

  • LEN European Cup (1987–1999)
  • LEN Champions Cup (1999–2013)
  • LEN Euro League Women (2014–2022)
  • LEN Champions League Women (since 2023)

Format

Over the years, different formats have been used in the competition, either Round-robin or Knockout or both combined (round-robin at early stages and knockout at final stages). Since the 2007–08 season, the competition has been played in four stages (qualification round, preliminary round, quarter final round and final four).

Title holders

Finals

Year Finalists Semi-finalists
Champion Score Runner-up Third place Fourth place
1987–88
Details
Netherlands
Donk Gouda
15–10 France
Dauphins Créteil
Hungary
Szentes
Italy
Volturno
1988–89
Details
Netherlands
Donk Gouda
Round-robin (14–12) Hungary
Vasutas
Italy
Volturno
West Germany
SU Neukölln
1989–90
Details
Netherlands
Nereus
21–6 / 11–6 Hungary
Vasutas
West Germany
SU Neukölln
Italy
Volturno
1990–91
Details
Netherlands
Donk Gouda
8–6 Italy
Volturno
Germany
SU Neukölln
Hungary
Szentes
1991–92
Details
Netherlands
Brandenburg
12–8 Russia
Uralochka Zlatoust
Hungary
Vasutas
France
Dauphins Créteil
1992–93
Details
Hungary
Szentes
6–5 Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Netherlands
Donk Gouda
Russia
Uralochka Zlatoust
1993–94
Details
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
6–3 Netherlands
Nereus
Hungary
Vasutas
Greece
Vouliagmeni
1994–95
Details
Netherlands
Nereus
7–7 (9–8 a.e.t.) Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Hungary
Szentes
France
Nancy
1995–96
Details
Netherlands
Nereus
8–7 (a.e.t.) Russia
SKIF Moscow
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Greece
Olympiacos
1996–97
Details
Russia
SKIF Moscow
7–6 Netherlands
Nereus
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Spain
Mediterrani
1997–98
Details
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
7–6 (a.e.t.) Russia
SKIF Moscow
Netherlands
Nereus
Hungary
Szentes
1998–99
Details
Russia
SKIF Moscow
8–6 Netherlands
Donk Gouda
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Hungary
BEAC
1999–00
Details
Greece
Glyfada
7–5 Russia
SKIF Moscow
Hungary
Szentes
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
2000–01
Details
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Round-robin (12–6) Greece
Glyfada
Russia
Uralochka Zlatoust
Hungary
Szentes
2001–02
Details
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Round-robin (6–6) Russia
Uralochka Zlatoust
Greece
Glyfada
Hungary
Dunaújváros
2002–03
Details
Greece
Glyfada
Round-robin (6–4) Hungary
Dunaújváros
Russia
Uralochka Zlatoust
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
2003–04
Details
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Round-robin (6–4) Greece
Glyfada
Hungary
Dunaújváros
Greece
Vouliagmeni
2004–05
Details
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Round-robin (6–5) Russia
Kinef Kirishi
Hungary
Dunaújváros
Germany
Blau-Weiss Bochum
2005–06
Details
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Round-robin (14–11) Russia
Kinef Kirishi
Hungary
Dunaújváros
Greece
Vouliagmeni
2006–07
Details
Italy
Fiorentina
Round-robin (12–10) Russia
Kinef Kirishi
Greece
Glyfada
Russia
Uralochka Zlatoust
2007–08
Details
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
11–11 (14–13 a.e.t.) Greece
Vouliagmeni
Italy
Fiorentina
Netherlands
ZVL
2008–09
Details
Greece
Vouliagmeni
12–9 Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Russia
Kinef Kirishi
Hungary
Honvéd
2009–10
Details
Greece
Vouliagmeni
10–7 Russia
Kinef Kirishi
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Greece
Olympiacos
2010–11
Details
Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
13–8 Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Greece
Olympiacos
Russia
Kinef Kirishi
2011–12
Details
Italy
Pro Recco
8–7 Greece
Vouliagmeni
Russia
Kinef Kirishi
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
2012–13
Details
Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
13–11 Russia
Kinef Kirishi
Greece
Vouliagmeni
Hungary
Eger
2013–14
Details
Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
19–10 Greece
Vouliagmeni
Italy
Orizzonte Catania
Italy
Imperia
2014–15
Details
Greece
Olympiacos
10–9 Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
Russia
Kinef Kirishi
Hungary
UVSE Budapest
2015–16
Details
Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
11–8 Hungary
UVSE Budapest
Russia
Kinef Kirishi
Greece
Olympiacos
2016–17
Details[2]
Russia
Kinef Kirishi
7–6 Greece
Olympiacos
Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
Spain
Mataró
2017–18
Details[3]
Russia
Kinef Kirishi
8–8
(5–4 p.s.o.)
Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
Italy
Ekipe Orizzonte
Hungary
UVSE Budapest
2018–19
Details
Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
13–11 Greece
Olympiacos
Greece
Vouliagmeni
Italy
Plebiscito Padova
2019–20
Details
Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
2020–21
Details
Greece
Olympiacos
7–6 Hungary
Dunaújváros
Hungary
UVSE Hunguest Hotel
Russia
Uralochka Zlatoust
2021–22
Details
Greece
Olympiacos
11–7 Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
Italy
Plebiscito Padova
Hungary
UVSE Hunguest Hotel
2022–23
Details
Spain
Astralpool Sabadell
9–8 Spain
Assolim Mataró
Italy
Ekipe Orizzonte
Hungary
Dunaújváros

Source: LEN (from 1987 to 2016).[4]

Titles by club

Rank Club Titles Runner-up Champion Years
1. Italy Orizzonte Catania 8 4 1993–94, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08
2. Spain Sabadell 6 3 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2022–23
3. Greece Olympiacos 3 2 2014–15, 2020–21, 2021–22
Netherlands Nereus 3 2 1989–90, 1994–95, 1995–96
5. Netherlands Donk Gouda 3 1 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91
6. Russia Kinef Kirishi 2 5 2016–17, 2017–18
7. Russia SKIF Moscow 2 3 1996–97, 1998–99
Greece Vouliagmeni 2 3 2008–09, 2009–10
9. Greece Glyfada 2 2 1999–00, 2002–03
10. Netherlands Brandenburg 1 1991–92
Hungary Szentes 1 1992–93
Italy Fiorentina 1 2006–07
Italy Pro Recco 1 2011–12
14. Russia Uralochka Zlatoust 2
Hungary Dunaújváros 2
Hungary Vasutas 2
17. France Dauphins Créteil 1
Hungary UVSE 1
Spain Assolim Mataró 1
Italy Volturno 1

Titles by nation

Rank Country Titles Runners-up
1.  Italy 10 5
2.  Greece 7 7
3.  Netherlands 7 3
4.  Spain 6 4
5.  Russia 4 10
6.  Hungary 1 5
7.  France 1

See also

References

  1. "Euro League Women - Book of Champions 2017" (PDF). LEN. p. 47 (section 3.1 'Competition names'). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-12-30. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  2. "Euro League, Kirishi clinches the trophy on its 11th try". LEN. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  3. "Kirishi retains title after shootout". LEN. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  4. "Euro League Women - Book of Champions 2017" (PDF). LEN. pp. 3-48 ('Summary of LEN European Cup Results'). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
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