The road to the 2026 Men’s European Water Polo Championships will heat up this summer with four qualification tournaments scheduled across the continent. Hosted between the 8th and 11th of June 2025, these mini-tournaments will determine which teams secure the final places at Europe’s premier international competition.

European Aquatics has officially announced the groups, hosts, and referee appointments, setting the stage for an exciting showdown among 19 nations.

Group A – Kranj, Slovenia

Dates: 8–11 June 2025

A tough group awaits in Kranj, with the Netherlands and hosts Slovenia headlining the field. Great Britain, who narrowly missed qualification in recent editions, will look to make a statement, while Poland and Czechia round out the group with hopes of springing an upset.

Teams:

• Netherlands
• Slovenia
• Poland
• Great Britain
• Czechia

Officials:

• Delegate: Mr. Radu Matache (ROU)
• Referees:
  • Mr. Frederick Armins (SWE)
  • Mr. Levan Berishvili (GEO)
  • Mr. Ruben Garcia (SUI)
  • Mr. Tal Shildan (ISR)
  • Mr. Risto Damchevski (BUL)

Group B – Istanbul, Türkiye

Dates: 8–11 June 2025

Istanbul will welcome another competitive field, including recent qualifiers Germany and hosts Türkiye. Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden will all be aiming to disrupt the expected order in what promises to be a balanced group.

Teams:

• Germany
• Slovakia
• Türkiye
• Finland
• Sweden

Officials:

• Delegate: Mr. Andy IM Hoepelman (NED)
• Referees:
  • Mr. Karel Dvoracek (CZE)
  • Mr. Gregory Courbin (FRA)
  • Mr. Massimo Angileri (MLT)
  • Mr. Georgi Makharadze (UKR)
  • Mr. Eurico Silva (POR)

Group C – Tbilisi, Georgia

Dates: 9–11 June 2025

Georgia will be favourites on home soil, with Israel, Switzerland, and Bulgaria making up a tightly-matched quartet. All four nations will view this as an opportunity to claim a coveted qualification spot.

Teams:

• Georgia
• Israel
• Switzerland
• Bulgaria

Officials:

• Delegate: Mr. Radoslaw Koryzna (POL)
• Referees:
  • Mr. Henning Schurmann (GER)
  • Mr. Peter Radic (SVK)
  • Mr. Akif Uz (TUR)
  • Mr. Jarkko Virtanen (FIN)

Group D – Gzira, Malta

Dates: 9–11 June 2025

A fascinating battle is expected in Malta, where the hosts will face France, Ukraine, and Portugal. France will start as favourites, but Ukraine’s resurgence and Malta’s home advantage could shake things up.

Teams:

• France
• Malta
• Ukraine
• Portugal

Officials:

• Delegate: Mr. Filippo Gomez (ITA)
• Referees:
  • Mr. Rik Evers (NED)
  • Mr. Tomi Kavcic (SLO)
  • Mr. Lukasz Krol (POL)
  • Mr. Michiel Jukes (GBR)

Read more about Refereeing and officiating

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