The summer calendar for men’s water polo national teams will conclude next week with the European U18 Men’s Championships, which open on August 18. The Elite Division will be staged in Oradea, Romania, while Division 1 takes place simultaneously in Rio Maior, Portugal.
This year marks a significant shift in the youth competition format, with Division 1 now serving as a qualification event for the 2027 U18 Europeans. The two highest-ranked teams in Portugal will earn promotion to the Elite Division at the next edition, replacing the sides that finish 15th and 16th in Oradea.
Return of the U18 format
For the first time in almost two decades, the continental championships will once again be held at U18 level. Between 1983 and 2007, the European Youth Championships were staged for players aged 18 and under. From 2008 to 2023, the competition was limited to U17s, before European Aquatics restored the U18 category in the new Olympic cycle.
The Oradea tournament will therefore be the first major international competition for players born in 2007 or later.
Tournament format
The format follows the model of recent age-group European and World Championships:
- Groups A and B (Sub-division 1) feature the top eight teams, who are guaranteed knockout berths.
- Groups C and D (Sub-division 2) will fight for four additional knockout places via crossovers.
- The winners and runners-up of Groups A and B progress directly to the quarterfinals. Third- and fourth-placed teams from those groups will face the top four sides from C and D in the crossover round.
Elite Division – Oradea (August 18–24)
Sixteen nations that competed at the 2023 U17 Europeans in Manisa, Turkiye will return. Two years ago, Greece took gold, Serbia silver, and Spain bronze. But with this being a new age group, past results provide few clues as to what lies ahead.
Hungary were crowned world U18 champions in Buenos Aires last year, defeating Serbia 12–10 in the final, with Montenegro winning bronze. Even so, only six players from that tournament are on the rosters in Oradea. Preparation has also been limited, with no official warm-up competitions this summer, leaving teams largely unfamiliar with each other.
That uncertainty makes the upcoming week particularly intriguing. While the traditional heavyweights—Greece, Hungary, Serbia, Spain, Croatia, Montenegro, and Italy—remain contenders, the Netherlands continue their rise at junior level and could cause upsets.
Groups – Elite Division (Oradea)
Group A: Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands
Group B: Serbia, Spain, Montenegro, Croatia
Group C: Turkiye, France, Romania, Poland
Group D: Germany, Malta, Georgia, Ukraine
Opening Day Schedule (August 18, CET)
- Group C: France v Poland (08:00)
- Group D: Germany v Georgia (09:30), Malta v Ukraine (11:00)
- Group A: Greece v Italy (12:30), Hungary v Netherlands (15:00)
- Group B: Serbia v Montenegro (16:30), Spain v Croatia (20:30)
- Group C: Turkiye v Romania (18:00)
Division 1 – Rio Maior (August 18–24)
Thirteen teams will compete for two promotion spots to the Elite Division. The field has been divided into four groups—two groups of four, one of three, and one of two following Finland’s late withdrawal.
The group winners will qualify directly for the quarterfinals, while second- and third-placed teams will face crossovers to decide the remaining spots.
Groups – Division 1 (Rio Maior)
Group A: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Moldova
Group B: Bulgaria, Switzerland, Ireland, Denmark
Group C: Israel, Great Britain, Belgium, Austria
Group D: Lithuania, Portugal
What to expect
The return of U18s ensures that many players will be making their first appearances on the European stage. With little form guide to work from, predicting outcomes is difficult—though history suggests the “Big Seven” will remain in contention.
Yet, with teams like the Netherlands, France, and Germany continuing to develop, and a fresh age group entering the spotlight, the 2025 edition in Oradea and Rio Maior promises unpredictability and excitement to close out the summer season.
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