Water polo players from around the world will have the chance to be part of a new chapter for the sport this summer, with Dubrovnik hosting the inaugural World Aquatics WP4 Open Masters Championships.
Taking place from 31 August to 6 September 2026, the Masters tournament will run alongside the first World Aquatics 4×4 World Championship, where 20 men’s and eight women’s national teams are set to compete for the first senior world titles in the new discipline.
For the Masters event, however, you do not need to be an international player — or even a registered player at all.
The competition is open to former and current players, amateurs and professionals, while teams do not need to represent an existing club. Players from different clubs, and even different countries, can come together, choose a team name and enter.
That makes Dubrovnik 2026 a rare opportunity to put together a group of friends or former teammates and compete at an official World Aquatics event on the Adriatic coast.
How does 4×4 work?
WP4x4 is played on a smaller 15m x 12m field, with three outfield players and a goalkeeper in the water for each team. Squads can contain up to eight players.
Matches use a best-of-three sets format, with each set lasting five minutes. If a set finishes level, a golden goal immediately decides the winner. The format is designed to produce quicker transitions, more continuous action and shorter, more intense games.
Teams can enter one of three categories:
Open — no age restriction
35+ — players born on or before 1 January 1991
45+ — players born on or before 1 January 1981
Water polo on the Adriatic
Masters matches will take place in Mlini, around 10 kilometres from Dubrovnik, providing an open-water setting directly on the Adriatic coast.
It also gives teams the opportunity to combine the tournament with a trip to one of water polo’s most famous cities. Dubrovnik’s relationship with the sport needs little introduction, while the event will sit alongside the elite World 4×4 Championship taking place in the historic Old Port.
The registration fee is €500 per team, with the official platform available at masters.wp4dubrovnik.com. The supplied event information lists 10 August as the deadline for player data, so interested teams should contact the organisers immediately regarding availability.
Official accommodation is also available for Masters teams at Hotel Astarea, with full-board options and organised transport for teams using official accommodation.
For registration and further information, visit masters.wp4dubrovnik.com or contact info@wp4dubrovnik.com.
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