World Aquatics has named Coimbra, Istanbul and Athens as hosts for the Water Polo World Cup 2027, kicking off with the women's divisions in Portugal this December, moving to Türkiye for the men's competitions in January, and culminating in Athens next February – where gold-medal winners will each earn the first tickets to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
- Coimbra, Portugal set to stage Women’s Division 2 and Division 1 competitions back-to-back between 6-13 December and 14-19 December 2026
- Istanbul, Türkiye to host the men’s equivalent stops; Division 1 scheduled for 11-16 January immediately followed by Division 2 from 18-24 January 2027
- Eight best men’s and women’s teams then head to the World Cup Final in Athens, Greece, where the first qualification spots for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games are up for grabs from 24 to 28 February 2027
World Aquatics has today announced the three cities selected to host the Water Polo World Cup 2027, with Coimbra (Portugal), Istanbul (Türkiye) and Athens (Greece) set to welcome the world’s leading water polo athletes for competitions that will ultimately determine the first qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Coimbra will provide the opening backdrop to the Water Polo World Cup 2027, hosting Women’s Division 2 tournament between 6 and 13 December 2026 before Division 1 action takes centre stage from 14 to 19 December.
Attention then turns to Istanbul, where the leading men’s teams are set to begin their campaigns for World Cup glory with the Division 1 competition held between 11 and 16 January, followed by Division 2 between 18 and 24 January.
Full competition schedules for Women’s and Men’s Divisions 2 and 1 will be confirmed following the registration deadline for Division 2 on 12 October 2026.
Echoing the Men’s and Women’s 2026 Finals, held for the first time together in one city, the world’s top teams will then converge on Athens for the Men’s and Women’s World Cup Finals from 24 to 28 February, bringing the competition to a spectacular high-stakes conclusion in one of the sport’s most historic cities, where only the gold-medal winning teams will secure their place at LA28.
Anticipation is high for the 2027 edition, following a record-breaking 2026 in which 58 teams representing 34 nations competed across men’s and women’s World Cup stops, highlighting water polo’s growing popularity and expanding global footprint.
World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam said:
“We are delighted to announce Coimbra, Istanbul and Athens as our three host cities for the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup 2027"
“The Water Polo World Cup always provides great drama and entertainment, and with three outstanding host cities in place and the added significance of a spot at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games at stake, we are confident that the 2027 edition will be one to remember.
“Our ambition is to continue generating extraordinary momentum for water polo around the world. Following a landmark year in 2026 which heralded record-breaking participation and demonstrated the incredible global appeal of our sport, we are excited to see how this upcoming edition will spark even greater growth in the years to come.”
The announcement sets the tone for an exciting competition calendar in 2027, which includes the World Aquatics Championships – Budapest 2027 from 26 June to 18 July, the World Aquatics U20 Men’s Water Polo Championships from 24-30 May, and the World Aquatics U20 Women’s Water Polo Championships from 15-22 August.
Route set for LA28
Division 2 in the Water Polo World Cup represents the first step in qualification for most nations and is open to all eligible World Aquatics Member Federations who register before 12 October 2026. The top two teams from Division 2 will secure a direct qualification spot in Athens.
Division 1 features eight teams, and comprises the top seven national teams based on the World Aquatics Rankings as of 30 August 2026, together with the previous edition’s Division 2 winner.
The eight teams competing in Women’s Division 1 are Australia, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia and reigning champions the United States.
Participating nations at this year’s Men’s Division 1 are 2026 World Cup winners Greece, alongside Croatia, Spain, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia and the United States.
Five teams from each of the Division 1 competitions will join the two advancing teams from Division 2 and hosts Greece to form the eight-team lineup that will compete at the World Cup Final in Athens in February, where teams will vie for LA28 place on offer for winning the tournament. Moreover, the final ranking of the World Cup 2027 will determine the seeding for the World Aquatics Championships 2027.
Familiar waters and brand new arenas chart the course to the Finals
The Portuguese city of Coimbra has a well-established reputation of having successfully hosted some of the biggest water polo events in recent times, including the World Aquatics Women’s U20 Water Polo Championships in 2023.
The venue for that competition, the Complexo Olímpico de Piscinas de Coimbra, is once again set to unveil some of the most exciting female talent on the world stage in their quest for World Cup glory.
Reflecting on the announcement, Miguel Arrobas, President of the Portuguese Swimming Federation, said:
"We are very proud to bring the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup to Coimbra, a city that has already demonstrated its passion and ability to host international water polo"
“Following the successful hosting of the World Aquatics Women’s U20 Championships in 2023, welcoming the world’s leading women’s national teams is another important moment for Coimbra and for Portuguese water polo.
“We look forward to creating a unique atmosphere at the Olympic Swimming Pool and giving athletes, teams and fans a memorable start to this journey towards LA28.”
Elsewhere, the Men’s Division 2 and Division 1 competitions will be among the first major international events to be staged at the new Ataköy Olympic Swimming Pool in Istanbul, scheduled to open in November 2026.
Mete Erol, President of the Turkish Water Polo Federation, expressed his delight at the announcement: “Hosting the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup in Istanbul will be a very special occasion for Turkish aquatics. The competition gives us the opportunity to showcase a new world-class venue in one of the world’s great sporting cities.
"We are excited to welcome the men’s teams to Istanbul as the journey towards the World Cup Final and LA28 gathers momentum"
History to be made in Athens
The final stage in the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup 2027 then moves to Athens, and the OAKA Olympic Aquatic Centre, a venue steeped in Olympic and water polo history.
The iconic complex hosted swimming and water polo events at the 2004 Olympic Games, providing a fitting location for water polo’s best to secure their Olympic dreams more than two decades later.
Kyriakos Giannopoulos, President of the Hellenic Swimming Federation and World Aquatics Bureau Member, said:
"Greece has a deep connection with water polo, and we are very proud that Athens will host the decisive stage of the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup 2027"
“Bringing the world’s best women’s and men’s teams together at the OAKA Olympic Aquatic Centre will be a special occasion, made even more significant by the opportunity to secure qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
“More than two decades after Athens 2004, we look forward to welcoming the global water polo community back to this Olympic venue for another important moment in the history of our sport.”
World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup 2027 Schedule:
Women:
Division 2 – Coimbra, Portugal – 6-13 December 2026*
Division 1 – Coimbra, Portugal – 14-19 December 2026*
World Cup Final – Athens, Greece – 24-28 February 2027
Men:
Division 1 – Istanbul, Türkiye – 11-16 January 2027*
Division 2 – Istanbul, Türkiye – 18-24 January 2027*
World Cup Final – Athens, Greece – 24-28 February 2027
* Exact competition dates and the number of competition days within the indicated periods will be confirmed following the registration deadline for Division 2 on 12 October 2026.