Caption: EGCA Champions League Logo
The EGCA Competition Committee has selected the hosts and dates for the 2026 EGCA Champions League season. The season will include three Qualification Stages, following the format of the recently concluded season, and a Final Stage. The top three teams from each Qualification Stage, along with the host team of the Final Stage, will qualify automatically. The Women’s Champions League will be held as a separate tournament as it will happen this year in Berlin.
The EGCA Competition Committee has made also a significant decision for the upcoming year: all EGCA events will be held exclusively during the last two weekends of each month. This change aims to provide more opportunities for national club events to be organized during the first half of each month.
EGCA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2026 CALENDAR
19th – 22nd February – Odivelas Qualification Stage, Odivelas, Portugal
Organized by Clube Atlético e Cultural
26th February – 1st March – Barcelona Qualification Stage, Barcelona, Spain
Organized by ONCE Catalunya
26th – 30th March – Niš Qualification Stage, Niš, Serbia
Organized by GC NAIS
24th – 28th September – Berlin Final Stage, Berlin, Germany
Organized by Füchse Berlin
20th – 24th August – Rostock Women’s Champions League 2026, Rostock, Germany
Organized by RGC Hansa
Qualification Stages in New Locations
Each Qualification Stage will accommodate a maximum of eight teams. Registration for the Qualification Stages will open in September 2025.
Odivelas, a familiar venue in European club goalball, has hosted the Champions League Final Stage in 2019 and 2021, the inaugural Clubs World Cup in 2021 and recent Grand Prix tournaments. The upcoming Qualification Stage will be managed by Clube Atlético e Cultural.
“Odivelas offers excellent facilities for hosting a Champions League Qualification Stage. With close collaboration and careful planning, we are confident in organizing a successful event,” commented Erkki Miinala, Chair of the EGCA Competition Committee.
Barcelona will host a Qualification Stage for the first time, marking EGCA’s debut in Spain—one of Europe’s traditional goalball nations. ONCE Catalunya has previously organized the international Ciutat de Barcelona tournament four times.
“We were impressed by the accessibility of Barcelona from various parts of Europe. Additionally, ONCE Catalunya’s facilities are highly functional, with all amenities from the hall to accommodation in the same area, minimizing long walks or transfers,” Miinala noted.
Niš, Serbia, will host the third Qualification Stage. Having organized Grand Prix tournaments in 2023 and 2024, GC NAIS is a natural choice.
“We wanted a Qualification Stage in Eastern Europe to better reach clubs from financially less advantaged countries and attract new nations to the Champions League,” explained Miinala.
Champions League Final Stage and Women’s Champions League in Germany
The Champions League Final Stage has been moved to early autumn due to the Goalball World Championships in June 2026. Füchse Berlin, which organized a Qualification Stage in 2024 and will host the Women’s Champions League later this year, will host the Final Stage of the season 2026.
“We wanted an experienced organizer for the Final Stage, and Füchse Berlin has been very active in hosting EGCA events as well as the international Nations Cup. Berlin is easily accessible from across Europe, so we are confident next season’s Final Stage will be a success,” Miinala enthused.
RGC Hansa, with almost a decade of experience organizing EGCA competitions in Rostock, will host the 2026 Women’s Champions League. This year, Rostock hosted a Champions League’s Qualification Stage, and three years ago the Final Stage took place on the Baltic coast.
“Whatever RGC Hansa undertakes, they do it with style, passion and pride. Next year, we will have a fantastic Women’s Champions League tournament with an electric atmosphere throughout the weekend,” assured Miinala, who also serves as EGCA President.
YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS 2026
In autumn, the EGCA Competition Committee will launch the application process to host the 2026 Youth (U23) Championships. The host will be announced in November during this year’s Youth Championships in Utrecht, Netherlands.
Long live goalball!