The groups for the 8th edition of the World Aquatics U18 Men's Water Polo Championships have been decided following today's official draw. Twenty nations from across the globe now know their path to the global U18 Men's crown. The competition gets underway in Rio Maior, Portugal, from 27 June to 4 July 2026.
Defending champions headline a fearsome Group A
The draw produced what promises to be one of the most fiercely contested group stages in the tournament's history. Defending champions Hungary were placed in Group A alongside fellow top-eight nations Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia — a group that reads like a who's who of European water polo. Hungary claimed gold at the last edition in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2024, with Serbia taking silver and Montenegro bronze. All three podium finishers from 2024 find themselves in the same group, guaranteeing blockbuster encounters from the very opening day of competition.
Group B brings together the remaining four Division 1 nations: China, Spain, the United States of America and Italy — four sides with the ambition and quality to challenge for a medal come the final weekend.
Portugal, Argentina and Canada set for Group F showdown
For the host nation, the draw placed Portugal in Group F alongside Argentina and Canada. It marks a historic occasion: this is the first time Portugal has hosted the U18 Men's Championship, and the partisan crowd at the Rio Maior Sports Centre will be hoping to spur their side through the group stage and into the knockout rounds.
Groups C, D and E complete the picture for the Division 2 nations. Colombia, Singapore and New Zealand will contest Group C, while Türkiye, Hong Kong China and Brazil face off in Group D. South Africa, Greece and Australia meet in Group E.
20 Nations, 6 Groups
A total of 20 nations qualified for this year's championship, divided into two divisions. The eight highest-ranked nations in the World Aquatics Men's U18 Water Polo Rankings — Spain, Hungary, China, Montenegro, United States of America, Croatia, Italy and Serbia — were placed in Division 1, filling Groups A and B with four teams apiece. The remaining 12 qualified nations make up Division 2, distributed across Groups C through F, with three teams in each group.
Rio Maior is Ready to Welcome the World
The championships will be held at the Rio Maior Sports Centre, home of the Portuguese High Performance Swimming Centre, and a venue with a long-standing reputation for excellence in aquatic sports. The venue has two indoor pools — a 25m and a 50m – and has been recognised with the IOC/IAKS Award, ranking among the world's top sports complexes.
With group-stage competition beginning on 27 June and the tournament culminating on 4 July, Rio Maior is set to host 10 days of world-class junior water polo.
The full competition schedule and further information will be announced on the World Aquatics website in due course.