The 2024 European Water Polo Championships get underway in three venues across two countries from today. The men’s championships will be staged in two Croatian cities — Zagreb and Dubrovnik — while the women’s championships are behind held in Eindhoven, Netherlands on 5-13 January.
The championships were initially slated for Netanya in Israel, but due to the political unrest there, the events were split into two countries at short notice.
Men's Tournament
The men’s event starts on 4 January and concludes with the medal rounds on 16 January.
The two-division format will debut at this edition, so excitement is guaranteed from day one as the top eight teams will play fierce contests in the group stage before the knockout phase begins.
Better ranks in the group would secure extra rest days, which will benefit the teams chasing the single Olympic berth and three World Aquatics Championships spots.
Also, division two sides will fight for the top ranks in groups C and D to have a shot at making the first division in the crossover matches.
While the women’s tourney will be staged at a single venue in Eindhoven, the men’s event will run parallel in Zagreb and in Dubrovnik.
Both Croatian cities will enjoy Division One battles as Group A, featuring Hungary and Greece – the two finalists at the 2023 World Championship – will play in the capital.
Title-holder Croatia, along with 2022 world champion Spain, will entertain the public in Dubrovnik, the pearl of the Adriatic coast.
From the crossover matches, all top-tier matches shall be held in Zagreb, while Dubrovnik will host the encounters played to decide ninth to 16th.
Predictions
All teams are eyeing the 2024 Triple Crown and how elusive that can be with the drain on athletes. Take Hungary men. Head Coach Zsolt Varga has elected to leave six top liners behind and give new players a chance to prove themselves ahead of the Worlds and Olympics.
Other teams have remained relatively unchanged from last year while injured players re-emerge in others.
Women’s Tournament
The women’s tournament will be a nine-day bonanza in Eindhoven, as the group-stage rounds and the crossovers are played on back-to-back days and teams will enjoy rest days in the knockout phase.
Water polo was part of the “big Europeans” from 1926 to 1997 before stand-alone championships were held from 1999, either in the same city or nearby, but usually in different pools.
In 2012, a January edition was introduced at which both tournaments were played in the same pool on alternating days.
That breakthrough event was staged in Eindhoven, in the state-of-the-art Pieter van den Hoogenband Complex, which by then had become a treasured venue for European Aquatics as it hosted the aquatics Europeans in 2008 and the short-course swimming Euros in 2010.
Now the women’s event will head back to this wonderful pool, although it’s not the first time it will be held separately from the men’s meet.
When the women’s Europeans made its debut in 1985, Oslo (NOR) welcomed the pioneers and back then it received a lot less attention than the “normal” championships, held in Sofia (BUL), which traditionally included the men’s water polo meet.
Today, the 2024 edition in Eindhoven will be a huge hit thanks to the evolution of women’s water polo during the past four decades.
Back in 1985, the women contesting the first matches did not even dream of playing at the Olympics, but now they are a constant feature at the Games and in Eindhoven a Paris 2024 berth is at stake as well.
This will also be the first women’s tourney with 16 teams.
Predictions
Once again, the women will mirror the men, eyeing three big events and wanting to manage players by using squad members to get through the gruelling year.
Most of the stars from last year will return and performances rest on what precedence coaches give these tournaments, such is the demand on players physically and mentally.
Who Will Qualify For Paris From Europeans
Men:
The top team from Zagreb who is NOT France, Hungary or Greece (already qualified).
Women:
The top team from Eindhoven who is NOT France, Netherlands or Spain (already qualified).
Who Have Qualified For Paris
Men:
- France as the host nation
- Hungary as world champion
- Greece as world championship silver medallist
- Japan as Asian Games champion
- United States of America as Pan Am champion
- South Africa as African qualifier
- Australia as Oceania qualifier
Women:
- France as the host nation
- Netherlands as world champion
- Spain as world championship silver medallist
- China as Asian Games champion
- United States of America as Pan Am champion
- South Africa as African qualifier
- Australia as Oceania qualifier
Who Qualifies For Doha World Aquatics Championships
Men:
The top three finishers in Zagreb who have NOT yet qualified. This excludes Spain, Greece, France, Serbia, Hungary and Italy.
Women:
The top three finishers in Eindhoven who have NOT yet qualified. This excludes, Netherlands, Spain, Hungary and Italy.
Who Have Qualified For Doha
Men:
- NetherlandsSpain
- Australia
- South Africa
- Greece
- France
- Brazil
- China
- Serbia
- United States of America
- Japan
- Hungary
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
Women:
- Netherlands
- United States of America
- Brazil
- Kazakhstan
- Spain
- China
- Australia
- Hungary
- Singapore
- New Zealand
- Italy
- Canada
- South Africa
Who Should Qualify From Europeans To Doha
Men:
Croatia, Montenegro and Georgia look to have the pre-match honours, although Romania, Germany and Netherlands could upset the apple cart.
Women:
Greece, France and Israel have the inside running.
(With assistance of LEN)