The world's brightest young water polo stars will compete for global trophies in 2026, with World Aquatics confirming the hosts for its biennial Men's and Women's U18 and U16 Water Polo World Championships.
Rio Maior, Portugal will host the Men's U18 Water Polo World Championships, while the Women's U18 tournament heads to Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain. Zagreb, Croatia will stage both the Men's and Women's U16 World Championships at its renowned Mladost aquatics venue.
The announcements complete World Aquatics’ calendar for the 2026 water polo season, which also includes the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup Division 1 and Division 2 Tournaments for men and women, and the Water Polo World Cup Finals in Sydney, Australia.
These three exceptional hosts will provide the stage for the next generation of water polo talents to announce themselves on the world stage
“These championships represent crucial development opportunities for talented young players, and Rio Maior, Puerto de la Cruz and Zagreb will provide the perfect setting for them to compete at the highest level," World Aquatics Water Polo Manager Gabor Karpati added.
“We are looking forward to working with the hosts of all of our youth and senior competitions to deliver outstanding events and continue the global growth of water polo in the year ahead.”
U18 Water Polo Championships | Rio Maior, Portugal and Puerto de la Cruz, Spain
The Men’s U18 Water Polo World Championships will take place from 27 June to 4 July in Rio Maior, with Hungary looking to defend their title.
“We firmly believe that Portugal, and Rio Maior in particular, offer all the necessary conditions to deliver a competition of excellence, worthy of the prestige of this event,” Portuguese Swimming Federation President Miguel Arrobas said.
“It is also a great honour to welcome the world’s best male water polo players in this age category – young talents who represent the future of the sport and who, in the near future, will shape the international water polo landscape. Hosting them means actively contributing to the history and development of the sport.”
The Women’s U18 Championships will be held from 16–23 August at the newly-inaugurated Tenerife Aquatic Sports Centre (CDAT) in Puerto de la Cruz, with host nation Spain looking to defend their crown defending champion. The city previously hosted the 2022 World Aquatics Women’s Water Polo Finals, a tournament also won by Spain.
“Owned by the Cabildo of Tenerife, the new facility features state-of-the-art infrastructure, including an Olympic-size pool, a 25-metre pool and a total area of 6,000 square metres,” said Fernando Carpena, President of the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation (RFEN).
Thanks to the joint efforts of the Government of the Canary Islands, the Cabildo of Tenerife, and the Puerto de la Cruz City Council, the centre is positioned as a strategic hub for the promotion and development of aquatic sports both in Tenerife and across Spain
“With the support of the Royal Spanish Swimming Federation, the CDAT is set to become a magnet for athletes, federations and international competitions, contributing to the growth of sport and reinforcing the Canary Islands as a premier sports destination.”
U16 Water Polo Championships | Zagreb, Croatia
The Mladost venue in Zagreb will host both the Men’s and Women’s U16 Water Polo World Championships in 2026.
It most recently held the 2025 Men’s U20 Water Polo Championships, where Croatia defeated Hungary 13–8 in the bronze medal match and Spain defeated the United States 14–11 for gold.
“The Croatian Water Polo Federation is honoured to welcome the world’s finest young athletes to Zagreb for the 2026 World Aquatics U16 Championships. Drawing on our experience in hosting international water polo events, we are committed to providing a world-class stage that meets the highest competitive standards,” Croatian Water Polo Federation Secretary General Ivan Milaković said.
Beyond the pool, our vision is to create a true festival-like atmosphere where these young women and men can celebrate their first global stage, fostering a lasting spirit of togetherness and sportsmanship
“We look forward to sharing our passion for the sport and our renowned Croatian hospitality with the global aquatics community.”
Spain enter the 2026 U16 Championships as the reigning champion in both the men’s and women’s competitions.