BUDAPEST, Tuesday 3 November
- Groups unveiled for Women’s and Men’s two-division competitions, identifying route to Finals for 49 teams representing 33 nations
- Coimbra set to stage Women’s Division 2 and Division 1 in December, with Istanbul hosting corresponding men’s events in January
- Athens will host the Finals from 24-28 February 2027, offering the first qualification spots for LA28 Olympic Games
The draw for the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup 2027 took place this evening in Budapest, revealing the pathway ahead for competing teams to reach the Finals in Athens, where the first qualification spots for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games are up for grabs.
In a ceremony led by former Water Polo world champion and five-time Olympian, Felipe Perroni and three-time Olympic swimming champion and World Aquatics’ Athlete Engagement Director, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, the draw also unveiled the 49 teams representing 33 nations that are set to compete across both Women’s and Men’s two-division competitions starting in December.
With groups now set and a mouth-watering lineup of opening clashes, anticipation for the Water Polo World Cup 2027 gathers momentum, and the forthcoming edition is set to be another one to remember.
The World Cup culminates with the world’s top teams heading to Athens for the Men’s and Women’s World Cup Finals from 24 to 28 February, where the competition reaches its thrilling climax in one of the sport’s most historic cities, and where gold-medal winning teams will become the first teams to fulfil their Olympic ambitions and earn a place at LA28.
Water Polo World Cup 2027 - Draw results:
Women’s Water Polo World Cup 2027, Division 2 (Coimbra, 7-13 December)
Group A: Portugal, Croatia, France
Group B: People's Republic of China, Germany, South Africa
Group C: Israel, Great Britain, Canada
Group D: Japan, Türkiye, Serbia, New Zealand
Thirteen teams will compete across four groups, with the two highest-ranked teams in each group progressing to the quarter-finals.
From there, knockout stages will determine the competition’s finalists - who will secure a direct qualification spot in Athens. Competition winners also receive the added incentive of securing their place in Division 1 for the 2029 edition.
Women’s Water Polo World Cup 2027, Division 1 (Coimbra, 14-19 December)
Group A: Australia, Hungary, United States, Netherlands
Group B: Spain, Russia, Greece, Italy
The opening day will immediately deliver compelling encounters, with Australia facing the Netherlands and Hungary meeting the United States in Group A. Group B begins with Russia against Greece and Spain against Italy.
The first three competition days will feature round-robin matches within each group, where the top two teams will advance to a second group phase that will determine the final Division 1 standings.
As hosts of the event, Greece automatically qualify for the World Cup Finals. As a result, the top five teams in the second group phase will secure their place in Athens, with the sixth-placed team also qualifying should Greece finish inside the top five.
Men’s Water Polo World Cup 2027, Division 1 (Istanbul, 11-16 January)
Group A: Italy, Serbia, Greece, United States
Group B: Hungary, Croatia, Montenegro, Spain
The opening round of fixtures in the Men’s Division 1 competition features a series of enduring rivalries, with Croatia v Montenegro, Italy v the United States, Serbia v Greece, and Hungary v Spain.
Following the same two-phase format as the Women's Division 1 tournament, the top five teams after the six-day competition will advance to the World Cup Finals, unless Greece finishes in the top five, in which case the sixth team will also qualify for Athens.
Men’s Water Polo World Cup 2027, Division 2 (Istanbul, 18-24 January)
A Seeds: Australia, Germany, France, Netherlands, Georgia
B Seeds: Canada, Ukraine, Japan, Russia, Romania
C Seeds: Brazil, People's Republic of China, Türkiye, Malta, Argentina
D Seeds: Singapore, South Africa, Portugal, Bulgaria, Poland
Unlike the traditional group-stage system, the 20 participating teams have been drawn into four seeding pots, with each team playing three league matches against opponents from different pots.
At the end of the initial phase, all 20 teams will then be ranked in a single league table, with the top eight progressing to the quarterfinals.
The opening day features Canada against Brazil, Ukraine against China, Japan against Türkiye, Russia against Malta, Romania against Argentina, Australia against Singapore, Germany against South Africa, France against Portugal, the Netherlands against Bulgaria, and Georgia against Poland.
The league-phase format creates a varied programme of international matchups, with every result contributing to the overall standings and the race for quarter-final qualification.
As in the Women's competition, the two Division 2 finalists will qualify for the World Cup Finals in Athens, while the winner will secure promotion to Division 1 for 2029.
Water Polo World Cup 2027 Finals (Athens, 24-28 February)
The Finals will bring together the world’s eight best Men's and eight best Women's teams in Athens from 24–28 February 2027, comprising five teams qualifying from Division 1, two from Division 2 and the host allocation for Greece, subject to the host qualification provisions.
The Finals will begin with the Women's quarter-finals on 24 February, followed by the Men's quarter-finals on 25 February. Semi-finals and classification matches will take place over the following two days, before both champions are crowned on 28 February.
World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup 2027 – Competition Calendar
Women:
Division 2 – Coimbra, Portugal – 7-13 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