The European Championship of the clubs will be decided for the 12th time as the 2026 EGCA Champions League season culminates in the Final Stage, which will be played in Berlin, the capital of Germany, from 17–20 September. Ten teams from eight different countries will compete in the highlight of the European club goalball calendar. The main organizer of the event is Füchse Berlin.
In this article, you will find instructions on how to follow the event, an overview of the tournament format, and a preview of the teams heading into the competition.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE TOURNAMENT
Website: The official event website, featuring team rosters, participating referees, schedules, results and statistics, can be found here.
Livestream: Every match of the tournament will be streamed live on the GoalballTV YouTube channel. Here are the links for each day:
Day 1 – Thursday, 17 September 2026
Day 2 – Friday, 18 September 2026
Day 3 – Saturday, 19 September 2026
Final Day – Sunday, 20 September 2026
Social Media: You can find plenty of results and behind-the-scenes atmosphere from the tournament on Füchse Berlin Goalball’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as, of course, on EGCA’s own social media channels.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
Group A: Old Power (FIN), Füchse Berlin (GER), BRUK-BET Termalica Krakow (POL), Fen Tigers (GBR), Cankaya (TUR)
Group B: Aarhus Goalball (DEN), FSBU Gothenburg (SWE), Nilüfer Buges (TUR), RGC Hansa Rostock (GER), CA Cultural (POR)
In the preliminary round, each group will be played in a single round-robin format, after which the top four teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals. The teams finishing fifth in their respective groups will play for 9th–10th place.
In the quarter-finals, the winners of each group will face the fourth-placed team from the opposite group, while the runners-up will face the third-placed team from the opposite group. The quarter-final winners will advance to the semi-finals, while the losing teams will compete for places 5–8.
The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the final, while the losing teams will compete in the bronze medal match.
All quarter-finals, semi-finals, medal matches and classification matches will be played to a decision. If a match is tied at the end of regular playing time, a six-minute golden-goal overtime period will be played, with the first team to score winning the match. If no winner is determined during overtime, the match will be decided by an extra-throw competition.
The tournament will be played under the existing IBSA 2025 rules.
A team earns 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss in a preliminary-round group match. The ranking of teams in a preliminary group is determined according to the following system:
A. Points earned
B. Goal difference
C. Goals conceded
D. If two teams remain tied after criteria A–C, priority will be given to the team that won the head-to-head match between them
E. If two teams remain tied after criteria A–D, an extra-throw competition will be organized between the teams to determine their ranking
GROUP A – WILL OLD POWER’S LONG WAIT FINALLY END, AND HOW WILL THE HOSTS FARE?
Group A features two clubs that have been chasing a Champions League medal for several years, two Final Stage debutants, and the host team, who enter the tournament as challengers.
OLD POWER
The reigning Finnish champions Old Power from Espoo put in a convincing performance at the Qualification Stage in Niš, Serbia, at the end of March, winning all six of their matches. This should not come as a surprise, as the team has reached the Final Stage in every Champions League season. However, it has been nine years since the club won its only Champions League title, and eight years since its most recent medal.
Old Power has a hugely experienced, deep and high-quality roster. In addition to Finnish national team players, Lithuanian goalball legends Mantas Brazauskis and Nerijus Montvydas have joined the squad this season. For the Final Stage, the team will also be able to call upon former German national team star Felix Rogge, who now lives in Finland.
With this kind of roster, Old Power can be expected to have a very strong tournament. But will this star-studded squad be enough to bring the team back onto the Champions League medal podium?
FÜCHSE BERLIN
The hosts Füchse Berlin have surely been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Champions League Final Stage in their home city, and the club will undoubtedly provide excellent facilities for a successful tournament.
On the sporting side, however, the team faces quite a mountain to climb if it is to advance to the quarter-finals.
The undisputed figurehead of the team is Michael Dennis, a familiar name throughout the international goalball community. In recent years, however, Dennis has operated more in a coaching and supporting role on the international stage than as a top-level player.
In addition to Dennis, Füchse Berlin have significant international experience through British player Kali Holder, who has also competed in the Women’s Champions League. Otherwise, the squad consists largely of young players who are only beginning to make their way towards the international elite.
It would be a major surprise to see Füchse Berlin in the quarter-finals of this tournament – but we goalball romantics do love a surprise.
BRUK-BET TERMALICA KRAKOW
The reigning Polish champions came close to winning the first Champions League medal in their history last year, but dramatic overtime defeats at the Final Stage in Matosinhos – against RGC Hansa Rostock in the semi-finals and GC Niksic in the bronze medal match – ended those dreams.
The Polish side secured their place at this year’s Final Stage by finishing second at the Qualification Stage in Barcelona at the end of February.
BRUK-BET Termalica Krakow’s biggest star is Marcin Czerwinski, who won the Champions League scoring title last season and currently sits at the top of the 2026 scoring charts with 45 goals.
The big question is whether Termalica Krakow can tighten up their defence and keep their heads cool in the decisive matches. With Czerwinski’s scoring power, the team should certainly have what it takes to reach the quarter-finals, but in the do-or-die matches they cannot rely entirely on one superstar forward.
Will BRUK-BET Termalica Krakow celebrate their first-ever Champions League medal at the end of the Berlin Final Stage?
FEN TIGERS
The reigning Goalball UK Super League champions had been chasing a place at the Champions League Final Stage for several years, and finally, at the Qualification Stage in Odivelas, Portugal, in February, the team succeeded in reaching the tournament by finishing second and securing their ticket to the Berlin Final Stage.
As Final Stage debutants, the team will surely approach the competition without fear as they take on Europe’s elite clubs.
The undisputed driving force of the team’s attack is Dan Roper, while Josh McEntee also showed at the Odivelas Qualification Stage that he can be a highly effective goalscorer when at his best.
The team has also been strengthened by the addition of Great Britain international Jack Peters.
The biggest question marks surround Fen Tigers’ defensive game, while against the stronger opponents, the team cannot afford attacking mistakes.
A place in the quarter-finals is well within the Tigers’ reach, but can this group, which has such a strong team spirit, go all the way to the medal matches?
CANKAYA
Cankaya, who finished third in the Turkish Goalball League last season, secured their place at the Berlin Final Stage by finishing third at the Qualification Stage in Niš, Serbia.
In the bronze medal match, Cankaya defeated GC Niksic, last season’s Champions League bronze medallists.
Despite this, the highly experienced Turkish side enters the Berlin Final Stage clearly as a challenger, as Old Power and fellow Turkish club Nilüfer Buges were considerably stronger than Cankaya in Serbia.
Ekrem Gündogdu, one of the most experienced players in the tournament and currently third in the 2026 Champions League scoring charts, will play a major role in the team’s attacking game. However, for Cankaya to succeed, they will also need contributions from other attacking players such as Baris Tosun and Abdullah Aydogdu.
The clear backbone of the team’s defence is centre player Sercan Kaya.
The aforementioned players have all represented the Turkish national team, although none of them have done so in the past couple of years.
Nevertheless, Cankaya certainly have enough quality to reach the quarter-finals, although progressing beyond that stage will require a very strong performance.
GROUP B – WILL RGC HANSA ROSTOCK CONQUER EUROPE, OR WILL THE CHALLENGERS SPRING A SURPRISE?
Group B features a host of interesting teams: one is chasing Champions League glory after two consecutive silver medals, another is also targeting a place in the medal matches, while three debutants are ready to surprise everyone.
AARHUS GOALBALL
The reigning Danish champions Aarhus Goalball now form the core of the Danish national team as well. Aarhus Goalball made a strong impression at the Qualification Stage in Barcelona, winning the entire tournament without losing a single match and thus reaching the Champions League Final Stage for the first time. During the tournament, the team defeated the strong Polish side Termalica Krakow twice.
Aarhus Goalball has established itself as one of the best defensive teams in Europe, thanks to the excellent centre Mathias Jensen and left winger Mads Faurholt Laursen. At the Barcelona Qualification Stage, as well as for the Danish national team, the right-wing position was shared between the experienced Caspar Gregersen and teenage star Sigurd Lund.
The key question for the Danish side is whether it can maintain its exceptionally solid defensive performance at the Final Stage in Berlin. If it can, anything is possible for Aarhus Goalball.
FSBU GOTHENBURG
The reigning Swedish champions reached the Champions League Final Stage for the first time by winning the Odivelas Qualification Stage in February. The victory certainly did not come easily: the team lost its first two matches of the tournament, but after that the very young Swedish side regrouped and eventually celebrated tournament victory.
The team has a clearly defined top three, and much of its hopes of success rest on their performances. Exceptionally talented centre Alexander Smedberg is one of the key figures in the defence, but he is also capable of scoring goals. Felix Rosvall and Olof Ryberg are highly well-rounded wingers who score with remarkable consistency.
This time, FSBU Gothenburg cannot afford to start the tournament quite as poorly as it did in Portugal in February, as the opposition in Berlin will be even stronger. At their best, this young Swedish side can surprise anyone, but are they yet ready enough, both in terms of their playing ability and, above all, mentally, to challenge for success?
NILÜFER BUGES
The reigning Turkish champions already showed during their debut season last year that they belong among the best club teams in Europe, finishing sixth at the Final Stage in Matosinhos. This time, expectations are even higher.
The team performed excellently at the Qualification Stage in Serbia in March, despite the fact that their star player Ebubekir Siddik Kara was only able to throw in the semi-final. Ultimately, this gave Old Power enough of an advantage in the final, with Nilüfer Buges finishing the tournament as runners-up.
If Siddik Kara is fit now, he and Bilal Tekin, who impressed in Serbia, will form a highly dangerous attacking duo. The team is also capable of playing very balanced defence, so a decisive factor will be how a side that plays with such high attacking intensity manages to avoid penalties. Those mistakes could prove crucial in the decisive matches.
Can Nilüfer Buges claim Türkiye’s first-ever men’s Champions League medal?
RGC HANSA ROSTOCK
The reigning German champions have reached the Champions League final for two consecutive seasons, but on both occasions they have had to settle for silver. Their objective for the trip to Berlin is therefore crystal clear: to win the first European title in the club’s history.
The team’s excellent technical and tactical abilities, combined with strong experience and a united team spirit, make them unquestionably one of the biggest favourites at the Final Stage in Berlin.
The team’s most important individual player is the superstar John Turloff, whose attacking prowess will certainly be a major factor for the Rostock side. Equally important, however, will be the performance of German international Fabian Diehm in the centre position.
Just in his early twenties, Kilian Kollrep has established himself in RGC Hansa’s starting lineup. However, the player known for his excellent throws will also need to perform well defensively if the team wants to lift the championship trophy in Berlin.
It will also be fascinating to see how much playing time RGC Hansa Rostock’s club legend Reno Tiede receives during the tournament. The teams face a gruelling schedule of seven matches in three days, meaning they will inevitably have to find opportunities to rest their key players along the way.
Can RGC Hansa’s young stars withstand the pressure of being among the championship favourites in Berlin?
CA CULTURAL
CA Cultural’s dreams came true when the club made its Champions League debut by hosting a spectacular Qualification Stage in Odivelas last February. To top it all off, the team finished third in the tournament and secured a place at the Final Stage in Berlin.
The team has now prepared carefully for this elite tournament, with the clear objective of advancing from the group stage.
The starting trio is made up of Spanish players Javier Serrato and Daniel Sanchez, alongside CA Cultural academy product Joao Mota, who has previously celebrated Champions League success wearing the Sporting CP jersey.
The trio is highly balanced both defensively and offensively, so if the team can remain patient during matches and avoid making unnecessary mistakes, it could certainly cause problems for group opponents who may be considered slightly stronger on paper.
On the other hand, the team will have to perform at the very top of its ability to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
We are eagerly waiting to see how this fairytale debut season in the Champions League continues at the Final Stage in Berlin.