Excitement is building in Montenegro as World Aquatics announces the coastal city of Kotor as the host for the Men’s Water Polo World Cup 2025 Final.
The top eight men’s national water polo teams will play for the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup 2025 crown in Kotor, Montenegro, from 11-13 April.
With the host city confirmed, defending champion Spain now knows the waters it must navigate to retain its 2023 global title. However, the battle for the eight coveted spots in Kotor is still underway.
Division 2 Qualifiers Secure Their Places
In December 2024, two teams secured their places in the 2025 Water Polo World Cup Final. The Netherlands and Germany emerged as the top two teams in the Division 2 tournament held in Istanbul, Türkiye.
Division 1 Action in Bucharest
The competition for the final six spots in the Water Polo World Cup Final is currently underway in Bucharest, Romania, at the Men’s Water Polo World Cup 2025 Division 1 tournament. Eleven teams—Croatia, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Spain, and the United States—are each vying for a spot.
The Men’s Division 1 tournament began on 7 January and concludes this Sunday, 12 January, in Bucharest.
Montenegro’s History in International Water Polo
While this event marks Kotor’s first time hosting a World Aquatics event, Montenegro has a strong reputation in international water polo. The nation has recently hosted the 2022 World Aquatics European Men’s Water Polo Preliminaries, the 2016 World Aquatics Men’s U18 Water Polo Championships, and the 2009 edition of the World Aquatics Men’s Water Polo World Cup Final.
A Look Back at Tournament History
Formerly known as the FINA Water Polo World League, this annual international tournament for national teams began in 2002 for men and 2004 for women.
Serbia leads the all-time nations list with 10 titles, the last of which came in 2019 during a home final in Belgrade. Spain is the defending champion, while Montenegro last won the tournament in 2020. No Water Polo World Cup season was played in 2021 due to the global pandemic.
Women’s Tournament Milestones
In the women’s tournament, the United States claimed the event’s first edition in Long Beach (USA) in 2004 and heads into the 2025 season as the four-time defending champion after earning the 2023 crown again in Long Beach. The American women will be pursuing their record-extending 16th Women’s Water Polo World Cup gold this season. Other champions include Greece (2005), Russia (2008), China (2013), and Spain (2022).
The host city for the Women’s Water Polo World Cup 2025 Final will be announced soon.