For the first time in World Championship history, the competition is split between four cities — Budapest, Szeged, Debrecen and Sopron. Group A will play in Budapest, Group B in Debrecen, Group C in Sopron and Group D in Szeged. This is the same for men and women who will be playing on alternating days.

Two matches will be played each evening in the four venues for the group stage. The group winners will gain automatic access to the medal quarterfinals — to be staged in Budapest. Teams who finished second and third in their groups will play the crossovers in Budapest.

Fourth-ranked teams will contest cross-overs and classification 13-16 matches in Szeged. Crossover losers will travel to Szeged to contest their 9-12 classification rounds while the winners will play out their championship in Budapest.

Here's how the women’s draw, made with the assistance of leading Hungarian water polo and swimming stars, plus FINA Technical Water Polo Committee Chairman Manuel Ibern, panned out:

GROUP A — BUDAPEST

ITALY

Here’s the team: Missing the Tokyo Olympics was a tough pill to swallow for the Setterosa. This came on top of losing to Russia for fifth place at Gwangju 2019. Italy’s more-recent best was bronze at Kazan 2015. In the World League, silver to the all-conquering USA in 2019 in Budapest, was a promising blip. The rebuilding process and insertion of youth is necessary with a busy international schedule ahead that also includes the European Championships later this year.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: Italy faces Canada on the opening day in the capital city and then has what could be the group decider against host nation Hungary on day of women’s competition. Italy closes the group against Colombia, so it’s biggest hurdle will be the hostile reception on day two.

HUNGARY

Here’s the team: Hungary will be happy to play at home, on Margaret Island, in front of adoring fans. Like their men, the Hungarian women took home bronze from Tokyo 2020 and will be hopeful of repeating a podium finish. Hungary beat Netherlands in the quarterfinals, lost to Spain in the semifinals and beat the Russian Olympic Committee team for the Olympic bronze — 11-9. Hungary lost out to Australia for the bronze in Gwangju 2019 and finished fifth at Budapest 2017.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: Hungarian fans will be willing their team on to a big effort on the first day against debutante Colombia before the harder two matches against Italy and Canada — both worthy opponents. This could be seen as the hardest of the four groups.

CANADA

Here’s the team: Canada has been working hard to come through the Covid period and showed up well in Lima, claiming silver at the Intercontinental Cup, beating USA 6-5 on the way and only losing to Australia by three goals. Canada was a disappointing ninth in Gwangju 2019 after taking fourth place in Budapest two years before. The Maple Leafs also gathered two fourth placings at the World League Super Finals of 2021 and 2018, so is knocking on the door.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: Canada has no time to acclimatise, having to face down Italy in the opening round before playing Colombia and then another major hurdle — Hungary — on the third day. It’s a tough grouping and Canada needs to show all its skills first up.

COLOMBIA

Here’s the team: Colombia comes to Hungary as the inaugural Challengers’ Cup champion, having beaten Thailand in Barranquilla, Colombia late last year. Colombia beat Puerto Rico, drew with Thailand, thrashed Venezuela twice and then pulled away in the final quarter to down Thailand in the final. Watch out for Susana Aitchartua who averaged five goals a match and can be expected to be the spearhead in Hungary.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships:  Colombia has the benefit of finding out what it is like to play in a packed Alfred Hajos complex on Margaret Island. It need not be overwhelmed despite playing the host nation on day one, followed by Canada and Italy.

GROUP B — DEBRECEN

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Here’s the team: The perennial champion with all the trophies on offer and with triple Olympic champion Maggie Steffens steering the team in the water. Who could deny USA a fourth straight crown at this event? Hungary did well to beat USA at Tokyo 2020 in group play and a new-look USA team could only manage third at the recent Intercontinental Cup, but then it only had goalkeeper Amanda Longan from the regular team on the roster. What will canny coach Adam Krikorian have in store for Budapest? Let’s await his line-up before judging further. 

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: The USA’s biggest threat comes from the Netherlands on the second day’s play after an opener against South Africa. Once past the Netherlands, it will take on Argentina and hopefully cruise into the next phase.

NETHERLANDS

Here’s the team: When it comes to dishing out the medals, the Dutch will be hoping that they will take some home. With Simone van de Kraats firing in 28 goals at Tokyo 2020 and Sabrina van der Sloot not far behind, the Netherlands is a form team momentarily, readying for the Euro World League finals in Tenerife. A demoralising 14-7 loss to Australia for fifth place at Tokyo 2020 was not indicative of the team’s potential and with new coach Evangelos Doudesis at the helm, something could happen in Budapest. It was seventh place at Gwangju and ninth at Budapest 2017.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: The Netherlands will warm-up against Argentina before the major confrontation with defending champion USA on day two, followed by South Africa in the last group match. It should be a top-two finish and set it up for the trip to Budapest.

SOUTH AFRICA

Here’s the team: South Africa finds itself in the same plight as New Zealand, but the will is there to compete and chase vital international matches. With 14th place in Gwangju and a debut Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020, the country is buoyed by the fact that it has managed to contest high-level encounters. South Africa made its debut at this level at Rome 2009 and the best finish was the Gwangju appearance.

Prospects at FINA Worlds: There are no easy matches for South Africa with the brick wall that is USA on day one followed by a tantalising clash with Argentina and then the force that is the Netherlands. South Africa will target day two as a possible coup.

ARGENTINA

Here’s the team: Argentina beat Cuba and Colombia at the March FINA Women’s Water Polo World League Intercontinental Cup, so will be hoping for more victories on a stage it has never visited. This is a huge step for a team that has probably never flown away from the continent and eyes will be opened. The stirring come-from-behind 12-11 victory over Cuba on the last day in Lima, Peru showed what it is capable of and bodes well for the morale needed to face the best in the world.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: The FINA World Championships are becoming increasingly difficult with the rise in women’s water polo and Argentina will ponder this as it starts against the Netherlands, fronts South Africa and finishes the group against the USA. Its championship will start in the second week.

GROUP C —SOPRON 

BRAZIL

Here’s the team: Brazil beat Argentina, Colombia and Cuba — by a goal — at the recent Intercontinental Cup, but could not match the might of Australia, Canada and the USA. However, those matches will mean much when the team fronts for the 19th FINA World Championships Budapest 2022. Brazil was last at the Worlds in Budapest 2017, finishing 13th. In Kazan 2015, Melbourne 2007, Fukuoka 2001 and Perth 1998 it was 10th, but the country’s highest finish was eighth at Perth 1991.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: Brazil has more recent experience than first-day opponent New Zealand and the same can be said of Kazakhstan on day two. The group decider could come down to the third day against Australia with the Aussie Stingers the definite favourite, having won their Intercontinental Cup clash 17-2.

KAZAKHSTAN 

Here’s the team: Kazakhstan finished 10th at Gwangju, its highest placing since 2001 when it captured the eighth classification. With no trip to the Intercontinental Cup this year and non-qualification for Tokyo 2020, we have to look back to the World League Super Final last year when the Kazakhs finished eighth, losing out to Japan in the last-place encounter. At the OGQT tournament in Trieste, Kazakhstan beat Slovakia 11-10 in the 5-8 semifinal and lost to France 12-10 in the 5-8 classification.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: It could be said this group is the weakest of the three on current form, so Kazakhstan has a chance to make good, getting Australia out of the way on day one before fronting Brazil and New Zealand.

NEW ZEALAND 

Here’s the team: The Kiwis have many of their players competing in the United States of America college system, so the Covid pandemic might not have hurt the team as much as thought. Since finishing seventh at Perth 1991, the Kiwis have finished 12th on no fewer than eight occasions in nine consecutive appearances. The high cost of travelling so far to competition — the bane of many teams — sees the team focusing on the FINA World Championships as the main vehicle to promote the game in the Shaky Isles. That lack of international competition will be a major hurdle.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: New Zealand’s path to the next stage will mean having to play top water polo on day one against Brazil, then face trans-Tasman rival Australia before closing against Kazakhstan. This is one of the more exciting scenarios in the group stage.

AUSTRALIA

Here’s the team: One of the better-placed teams, having won the Intercontinental Cup in Peru in March. Like most teams, it fronts with a handful of new players and withstood all challengers, including the even-newer-look USA 11-4 in the final match of their round-robin tournament. The Aussie Stingers were underdone in Tokyo, finishing fifth after being knocked out by Russia in the quarterfinals 9-8. The Stingers return to the World Championships as the sitting bronze medallist.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: The Stingers have the luxury of not meeting one of the probable medal contenders in the groups and its form suggests an easier transition to Budapest than most. Kazakhstan comes up first, followed by New Zealand and Brazil. The prospect of not having a tough encounter early on could also hamper further progress.

GROUP D — SZEGED

THAILAND

Here’s the team: Thailand is another newcomer to the fold, having broken into the FINA sphere via the Challengers’ Cup in Colombia last year. The climax came in the gold-medal final when it had the match levelled eight times before losing 14-11 to Colombia after a second-day draw. It turned the tables on an earlier loss to Puerto Rico to win their semifinal 11-10. It’s a gutsy team with plenty of drive and should gain plenty of admirers.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: Every match will be tough and the experience gained in the first week will help in the second. Greece, France and Spain is the order that Thailand will have to accept as it gains vital championships knowledge.

FRANCE

Here’s the team: France is the host nation at Paris 2024 and will want to soak up as much experience as possible at Budapest 2022. France first played this level for 11th place at Rome 1994, was 15th at Barcelona 2003, 14th at Kazan 2015 and 11th when last staged in Budapest in 2017. With three World Championships before Paris 2024, France has the opportunity to arrive at the Olympics with that crucial experience.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: France might be expected to finish third, but that could easily change at this level. Neighbour Spain first up is a tough ask, while Thailand on day two will offer some respite before tackling Greece on day three.

GREECE

Here’s the team: With the Plevritou sisters all firing, Greece can look forward to an excellent championship. Like Italy, it failed to qualify for Tokyo 2020 and is still smarting from that ignominy. A recent 13-7 loss to Netherlands in the European qualifiers for the World League, was not typical as several key players were missing due to Covid and late injury. Oddly enough, the Dutch beat Greece for seventh place at Gwangju 2019. It was in Shanghai 2011 that Greece beat China for the gold medal.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: Greece will relish Thailand on day one to shake out any cobwebs before the monumental task of beating Spain on day two and then closing the group with France, to make sure of a trip to Budapest, whether that be as the group winner, earning a day off, or as second-ranked, having to play the crossovers.

SPAIN

Here’s the team: Silver at Tokyo 2020 says it all for the team that claimed gold at Barcelona 2013 over Australia. With Miki Oca coaching an evergreen side of high achievers, Spain can again be expected to chase the medals and possibly emulate the 2013 team. The Olympic final was a repeat of Gwangju 2019 AND Budapest 2017, so the pedigree is there. Anyone playing against Spain will be wishing she hadn’t.

Prospects at the FINA World Championships: The silver medal puts a target on Spain’s back, something Greece wants to hit the bullseye with. By playing France on day one before the day-two encounter with Greece, Spain is happily placed and then should finish with a win against Thailand.

 

*Event previews are entirely subjective and all comments are purely those of the author.