The draw for the 2027 World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup took place in Budapest on Tuesday, revealing the path to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games for 49 teams representing 33 nations.
The women’s competitions will take place in Coimbra, Portugal, in December, followed by the men’s tournaments in Istanbul, Turkiye, in January. Both competitions will conclude in Athens from 24 to 28 February 2027, with the champions securing qualification for LA28.
Hungary face tough Division 1 opposition
The women’s Division 1 draw has placed Hungary alongside defending champions the United States, Australia and the Netherlands in Group A.
Group B features Spain, Russia, Greece and Italy.
Women’s Division 1 (14-19 December)
Group A: Australia, Hungary, United States, Netherlands
Group B: Spain, Russia, Greece, Italy
The opening matches include Hungary against the United States, Australia against the Netherlands, Spain against Italy and Russia against Greece.
The men’s Division 1 competition promises equally competitive encounters, with Hungary drawn against Spain, Croatia and Montenegro.
Men’s Division 1 (11-16 January)
Group A: Italy, Serbia, Greece, United States
Group B: Hungary, Croatia, Montenegro, Spain
The opening round features Hungary against Spain, Serbia against Greece, Croatia against Montenegro and Italy against the United States.
Great Britain drawn with Canada and Israel
Great Britain’s women will face Canada and Israel in Group C of the Division 2 competition in Coimbra.
Women’s Division 2 (7-13 December)
Group A: Portugal, Croatia, France
Group B: China, Germany, South Africa
Group C: Israel, Great Britain, Canada
Group D: Japan, Turkiye, Serbia, New Zealand
The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, with both finalists qualifying for Athens.
Men’s Division 2 adopts different format
Twenty nations will contest Men’s Division 2 in Istanbul from 18 to 24 January, with teams allocated to four seeding pots rather than traditional groups.
Pot A: Australia, Germany, France, Netherlands, Georgia
Pot B: Canada, Ukraine, Japan, Russia, Romania
Pot C: Brazil, China, Turkiye, Malta, Argentina
Pot D: Singapore, South Africa, Portugal, Bulgaria, Poland
Each team will play three matches against opponents from different pots before all 20 nations are ranked in a single league table. The top eight will advance to the quarter-finals.
Both Division 2 finalists will qualify for Athens, while the winners will earn promotion to Division 1 for 2029.
World Cup champions to qualify for LA28
The World Cup Finals will feature eight men’s and eight women’s teams, with five qualifying from Division 1, two from Division 2 and hosts Greece completing each field.
Should Greece finish among the top five in Division 1, the sixth-placed team will also qualify.
The women’s quarter-finals will take place on 24 February, followed by the men’s on 25 February, with both champions crowned on 28 February.
The final World Cup rankings will also determine seeding for the 2027 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest.
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