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The Mediterrani returns to Europe with a tough group in the Conference Cup
Club Esportiu Mediterrani is back in European competition after years away. The draw has placed them in a group with opponents from Hungary, Grecia y Rumanía. The goal: to progress to the next round in the 2026-2027 Conference Cup.
What do a swimming pool in Sants and a Romanian city called Alba Iulia have in common? This November, Club Esportiu Mediterrani will travel there to take on some of the toughest teams in the Conference Cup 2026-2027. After several years without competing in Europe, the Barcelona club returns to the international stage eager to make its mark.
A draw that offers no respite
The draw held in Zagreb placed Mediterrani in group D, alongside three rivals who won’t make things easy: NC Chania de Grecia, Uni-Gyor GYVSE de Hungría, and the hosts CSM Unirea Alba Iulia de Rumanía. The challenge is clear: only the top three teams in the group will advance to the next round.
Rivals with experience and recent titles
CSM Unirea Alba Iulia not only plays at home, but also arrives as reigning Romanian champion and with the experience of having competed in the Final 8 of the Conference Cup last season, where they finished eighth. NC Chania, for its part, also knows what it’s like to go far: last year it finished fifth in the final phase held in Athens.
Uni-Gyor GYVSE is the big unknown for many, but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous. The Hungarian team were crowned champions of the Danube Water Polo League 2025-26, a regional competition featuring clubs from Hungary, Rumanía and Serbia. In the final, Uni-Gyor beat Unirea Alba Iulia 13-7, a detail that adds extra spice to their rematch in the Conference Cup.
Schedule and venue: everything decided in three days
The group stage will take place from 6 to 8 November in Alba Iulia, Rumanía. In just three days, the four teams will battle for a place in the next round. Mediterrani will have to be at their best to finish among the top three and keep their European dream alive.
A return that excites in Sants
After stepping away from European competition in previous seasons, Mediterrani’s return to the Conference Cup is a new boost for the club and for women’s water polo in Barcelona. The group is tough, but experience and hunger for competition could be the best weapons for the santsenques. If they make it through this first stage, Mediterrani will once again put Barcelona on the continental water polo map, showing that ambition and hard work remain hallmarks in Sants.
Practical information
When: 6 to 8 November 2026 Where: Alba Iulia, Rumanía Rivales del Mediterrani: NC Chania (Grecia), Uni-Gyor GYVSE (Hungría), CSM Unirea Alba Iulia (Rumanía, anfitrión)