The draw for the 2026 Men’s European Water Polo Championships was held this evening in Belgrade, confirming an exciting set of group-stage clashes for the tournament that runs from 10–25 January 2026.
The highlight of the opening phase will be the meeting between Spain, the reigning world, European and World Cup champion, and Serbia, the Olympic gold medallist and host nation. The two current holders of all major titles will face off in Group C, setting up one of the most anticipated games of the championship’s early rounds.
Key Group-Stage Matchups
- Group A: Montenegro vs Hungary promises to be one of the toughest fixtures in the first phase.
- Group B: Greece and Croatia, both recent medal contenders, will renew their rivalry.
- Group D: Italy stand out as the clear favourite.
Groups – Belgrade 2026
Group A: Malta, France, Montenegro, Hungary
Group B: Slovenia, Greece, Croatia, Georgia
Group C: Netherlands, Israel, Serbia, Spain
Group D: Turkiye, Romania, Italy, Slovakia
The Draw Ceremony
The event was hosted in Belgrade with officials and representatives from participating federations in attendance. Viktor Jelenić, President of the Serbian Water Polo Federation, and Antonio Silva, President of European Aquatics, formally welcomed guests. Assisting in the draw were Serbia’s Olympic champions Filip Filipović and Milan Aleksić, who helped reveal the groups by drawing balls from the pots.
Competition Format
The new tournament format will debut in Belgrade:
- The top three teams from each group advance to the second stage (Groups E & F).
- Results against opponents from the first stage carry over.
- Only the top two teams from each second-stage group progress to the semifinals.
- The fourth-placed teams in Groups A–D compete in a classification group for 13th–16th place.
This means there will be no quarterfinal stage, with medals decided directly through semifinals and finals.
Preliminary Schedule
- Jan 10–15: First group stage (Groups A–D)
- Jan 16–21: Second group stage (Groups E & F), 13th–16th classification
- Jan 22: Placement matches for 5th–11th place
- Jan 23: Semifinals (E1 vs F2, E2 vs F1)
- Jan 24: Rest day
- Jan 25: Bronze-medal match & Final
Looking Ahead
Belgrade will be hosting the Men’s European Championships for the third time (after 2006 and 2016), once again in the Belgrade Arena – the venue where Serbia famously defeated Montenegro in front of a record 18,473 spectators in the 2016 final.
With Spain and Serbia set to clash early, and several group-stage derbies on the schedule, the 2026 edition already promises high drama from the very first whistle.