This past weekend, Oradea played host to the group stage of the historic first-ever edition of the Nordic League for women.
Ten teams from across Europe gathered in Romania, divided into two groups of five based on their competitive level: the League Path and the Champions Path.
League Path: Rapid and Cheltenham Secure Final Eight Berths
The League Path featured Romanian clubs CSU Oradea and Rapid Bucharest, alongside Cheltenham from the UK, KAZSC Antwerp from Belgium, and Cetus Espoo from Finland.
Rapid Bucharest dominated the group, winning all four matches and securing their place in the Final Eight with a perfect record. Joining them will be Cheltenham, who finished second with just one loss—to Rapid.
NWPL game – Photo by Jan Lah
Champions Path: Intense Battles for Seeding
In the Champions Path, all five teams—ZV De Ham (Netherlands), City of Manchester (UK), Sori Pool Beach (Italy), Järfälla (Sweden), and ETV Hamburg (Germany)—had already secured their spots in the Final Eight. However, they competed fiercely for better seeding in the knockout draw.
The most thrilling game of the weekend saw ZV De Ham edge out City of Manchester in a penalty shootout, winning 18-17 to claim the top spot in the group. Sori Pool Beach finished third with two victories, followed by Järfälla in fourth. ETV Hamburg struggled throughout the weekend, finishing without a win.
ASC Sirens to Join as Hosts
With seven teams already qualified, the lineup for the Final Eight is completed by host team ASC Sirens, who will welcome the competitors to Malta from May 2-4. Eight team will play in two group. Best teams from each group will play for the historical title!
Group C
ZV De Ham (1)
Järfälla (4)
ASC Sirens (6)
Cheltenham (8)
Group D
City of Manchester (2)
Sori Pool Beach(3)
ETV Hamburg (5)
Rapid Bucharest (7)
Looking Ahead
While the focus this weekend was on the women’s competition, the Nordic League and Nordic Trophy for men are set to begin at the end of February, as teams across Europe prepare for their own group-stage battles.
Results and Standings
Check out the full results and standings.
Stay tuned as the excitement of the Nordic League continues to grow, setting a new standard for women’s water polo in Europe.
