The spotlight falls on the Portuguese island of Madeira this week as the draw for the 2026 Women’s European Water Polo Championships takes place in Funchal on Thursday 2 October at 11:30am local time (12:30pm CET).

The ceremony, hosted by European Aquatics and attended by federation dignitaries, team representatives, and local organisers, will decide the group structure for the 21st edition of Europe’s premier women’s water polo tournament. Fans across the continent can tune in live via the European Aquatics YouTube channel to follow the proceedings.

Sixteen contenders

A total of 16 nations have secured their place in Funchal 2026. As per European Aquatics regulations, the teams are split into four groups of four, with each group featuring:

• Two teams from the top eight finishers at Eindhoven 2024
• Two teams that successfully came through the qualification tournaments in June

The teams from Eindhoven 2024’s top eight are:

• Netherlands (champions, and record 6-time winners)
• Spain (silver medalists in 2024, and four-time champions)
• Greece (bronze medalists)
• Italy (4th place, two-time champions)
• Hungary (five-time champions, bronze in 2020)
• France (best-ever finish: 6th in 2024)
• Great Britain (7th in 2024)
• Croatia (8th place, a historic breakthrough last time out)

Joining them from the qualification tournaments are:

• Portugal (hosts, participated in 2016 Europeans at Belgrade plus two more in 1995 and 1997.)
• Germany (missed the EC only once in 2014 and won a bronze medal in 1985)
• Serbia
• Israel (second-ever qualification after 2022)
• Romania (first qualification since 2022)
• Türkiye (qualified for the first time since 2016)
• Switzerland (appeared in ‘93 and ‘95)
• Slovakia

Tournament format

The competition will begin with a round-robin Group Stage (I). The top two teams from each pool will progress to a second Group Stage (II), where results from the first round carry forward. Groups A and C combine to form Group E, while Groups B and D merge into Group F.

From there:

• Top two teams in Groups E and F → Semi-finals (1st–4th place)
• 3rd & 4th in Groups E and F → 5th–8th classification semi-finals
• 3rd & 4th from Group Stage I → New Groups G and H, followed by crossover matches to decide 9th–16th places

This format, introduced in Split 2022, ensures every team plays a full schedule while keeping the competition intense right through to the lower placings.

New MVP Awards

A new innovation for 2026 will be the introduction of Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards after every semi-final, bronze medal match, and final. In addition, a panel of experts will select a “Team of the Tournament” comprising the seven standout players.

This follows a broader European Aquatics initiative to improve visibility and recognition for individual athletes in the sport—mirroring trends in global events like the World Aquatics Championships.

Why Funchal matters

Madeira, often dubbed the “Pearl of the Atlantic”, has become a vibrant aquatic sports hub in recent years. The island hosted major European swimming and diving competitions, but this will be the first time it stages the Women’s European Water Polo Championships.

For Portugal, the tournament is a landmark debut—the first time their women’s national team will appear at a European Championship. Backed by home support, Portugal will look to make a splash against some of Europe’s most established powers.

Historical backdrop

• The Netherlands remain the most successful nation in the competition’s history with 6 titles, followed by Hungary (5) and Italy (2).
• Spain has dominated the last decade, winning three titles (2014, 2020, 2022) and finishing runners-up in 2024.
• The 2024 tournament in Eindhoven saw record attendances for women’s water polo in Europe, with the final between Netherlands and Spain drawing over 5,000 spectators.

The road ahead

The draw in Funchal will set the stage for what promises to be another thrilling edition of the Women’s Euros. With emerging nations like Israel, Portugal, and Switzerland joining the party, alongside traditional heavyweights, the competition reflects the growing depth of women’s water polo across the continent.

Fans can follow Thursday’s draw live from Funchal at 11:30am local time / 12:30pm CET on the European Aquatics YouTube channel.

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