World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup
| Current season, competition or edition: 2026 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup | |
| Sport | Water polo |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1979 |
| Continent | All (International) |
| Most recent champion | Spain (2nd title) |
| Most titles | Hungary (4 titles) |
The World Aquatics Men's Water Polo World Cup is an international water polo competition contested by men's national water polo teams that are members of the World Aquatics, the aquatic sports' global governing body.[1] It was established in 1979, initially taking place on odd years. Since 2002 it is held every four years, in the even-year between Olympics.[2]
Format change
From 2023 on, the tournament replacing the FINA Water Polo World League and changed format.[3][4]
Editions
Medal table
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Serbia[a] | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 2 | Hungary | 4 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
| 3 | Russia[b] | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 4 | United States | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 5 | Spain | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 |
| 6 | Italy | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| 7 | Germany[c] | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | Greece | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Australia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Croatia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 11 | Cuba | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (11 entries) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 54 | |
- Source:[2]
Participation details
- Legend
- 1st – Champions
- 2nd – Runners-up
- 3rd – Third place
- 4th – Fourth place
- – Disqualified
- – Hosts
- = – More than one team tied for that rank
- Q – Qualified for forthcoming tournament
- † – Defunct team
| Africa – CANA (1 team) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Men's team[2] | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 8th | 8th | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Americas – ASUA (2 teams) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Men's team[2] | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| Cuba | 3rd | 8th | 7th | 8th | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| United States | 2nd | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 4th | 8th | 1st | 4th | 4th | 1st | 6th | 7th | 4th | 4th | 6th | 3rd | 16 | ||
| Asia – AASF (4 teams) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Men's team[2] | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| China | 7th | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Iran | 8th | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Japan | 7th | 8th | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Kazakhstan | Part of Soviet Union | 6th | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Europe – LEN (15 teams) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Men's team[2] | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| Bulgaria | 8th | 8th | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Croatia | Part of Yugoslavia | 8th | 8th | 8th | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | 4th | 8 | |||||||||
| Germany West Germany† |
5th | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 5th | 8th | 6th | 4th | 8th | 7th | 10 | ||||||||
| Greece | 8th | 8th | 7th | 6th | 2nd | 7th | 5th | 7th | 5th | 2nd | 10 | ||||||||
| Hungary | 1st | 6th | 7th | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 3rd | 15 | |||
| Italy | 6th | 3rd | 5th | 5th | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 5th | 2nd | 4th | 5th | 2nd | 12 | ||||||
| Montenegro | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of SCG / FRY | 7th | 5th | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Netherlands | 6th | 6th | 7th | 6th | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| Men's team | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| Romania | 7th | 6th | 6th | 5th | 6th | 5 | |||||||||||||
| Russia | Part of Soviet Union | 5th | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 1st | 8th | 6 | |||||||||||
| Serbia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of SCG / FRY | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 7th | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Serbia and Montenegro† Yugoslavia† |
Part of Yugoslavia | 7th | 5th | 3rd | 1st | Defunct | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Soviet Union† | 4th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 6th | 5th | Defunct | 6 | |||||||||||
| Spain | 5th | 5th | 3rd | 6th | 4th | 3rd | 5th | 6th | 3rd | 6th | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 14 | ||||
| Yugoslavia† | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | Defunct | 6 | |||||||||||
| Oceania – OSA (1 team) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Men's team[2] | 1979 | 1981 | 1983 | 1985 | 1987 | 1989 | 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018 | 2023 | 2025 | Years |
| Australia | 7th | 7th | 7th | 7th | 3rd | 8th | 6th | 5th | 2nd | 9 | |||||||||
| Total teams | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
See also
- FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup
- List of water polo world medalists
- Major achievements in water polo by nation
Notes
- ^ Yugoslavia/FR Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro medals included in Serbia row.
- ^ Soviet Union medals included in Russia row.
- ^ West Germany medals included in Germany row.
References
- ^ Water Polo World Cup page Archived 31 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine of the FINA website; retrieved 8 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "HistoFINA – Water polo medalists and statistics" (PDF). fina.org. FINA. September 2019. p. 25. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ "FINA Announces Dates for New 2023 Water Polo World Cup". fina.org. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ "New FINA competition: World Cup replaces World League". total-waterpolo.com. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.