A familiar face awaits us in the first round of the 2026 S. M. el Rey Cup!

BM Caserío Ciudad Real will be our opponents in the first round of the 2026 S. M. el Rey Cup, following today’s draw conducted by the RFEBM.

The one-legged tie will take place next Wednesday 5 November, and we will play it as the home team at the Port de Sagunt Pavilion, with the time still to be confirmed.

In this way, red-and-white fans will be able to enjoy watching their team for at least one round, since last season the only match played in this competition was away from home and ended negatively.

We were eliminated in this same round after losing 35–26 at the Pitiu Rochel to Horneo EÓN Alicante, the team that were directly promoted from the Men’s Silver Honour Division to the Liga Nexus Energía ASOBAL.

BM Caserío Ciudad Real, meanwhile, bowed out one round later at the Quijote Arena against Balonmano Cangas Frigoríficos del Morrazo (36–39).

The Ciudad Real side are a familiar opponent for the Valencians, as they shared the same division last year. In the three head-to-head meetings played in 2024–2025, the two regular-season points were narrowly won by the home teams: first in the Valencian Community (27–26), and then in Castilla-La Mancha (35–34). The third meeting took place in the first semi-final of the promotion play-offs to Liga Nexus Energía ASOBAL, in which Santi Urdiales’s side, as hosts, gave Toni Malla’s team no chance, winning 30–23.

It will be a special clash for two players in particular. Ángel Pérez de Inestrosa will return to what was his home for two seasons (2016–2017 and 2017–2018) in the top tier of Spanish men’s handball. The more recent case is that of the latest Port player to join, Francisco José Ruiz Cabrera, ‘Paquillo’, who will face his recent former team-mates at the club where he spent six years.

The club will shortly announce the confirmed match time and the ticket purchasing process for supporters wishing to attend through its social media channels.

Translation produced using artificial intelligence.