The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the formula of the qualifications for the water polo tournament at the Paris Olympic Games and announced the timeline of the qualifying competitions.
The qualification system was finalized by FINA in July. Twelve teams will play at the men’s and ten at the women’s Olympic tournament. As we already reported, the teams will have chances to obtain quotas at the two World Championships and at the continental tournaments. France men and women are directly qualified as the hosts.
Qualifications, Men
-20th FINA World Championships, Fukuoka (July 2023): The two (2) highest placed national teams will qualify for Paris
-Continental Qualification (Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia)– 5 teams – The highest placing team in each of the five (5) Continental Championships will each obtain one (1) quota place. If any of these NOCs have already obtained a quota place at the 20th World Championships in Fukuoka, then the next highest-placed national team will secure its Olympic visa.
Should any of the Continental Championships not take place, the next highest placing NOC from that respective continent at the 21st FINA World Championships Doha 2024 will obtain a quota place.
-21st FINA World Championships, Doha (February 2024): The four (4) highest placed teams of the non-qualified teams at the 21st FINA World Championships Doha 2024 will earn the Olympic berths.
Qualifications, Women
The qualification system for the women’s tournament is almost the same. The only difference is that only two teams will qualify for Paris from the World Championships in Doha.
Timeline
According to IOC’s announcement, the exact dates of the European qualifiers have to be confirmed. But, after the LEN Congress in Antalya, LEN published its calendar. The European Championships in Israel will be held between October 7 and 21.
Timeline announced by IOC
- July 14 – 30, 2023: 20th FINA World Championships – Fukuoka (Japan)
- Date to be confirmed: European Championships in Tel Aviv (Israel) – European continental qualifier (Ed – according to LEN’s calendar, the European Championships will be held between October 7 and 21, 2023)
- October 20 – November 5, 2023: Pan American Games Santiago 2023 (Chile) – Americas continental qualifier
- Date to be confirmed: Asian Championships – Asian continental qualifier
- February 2 – 18, 2024: 21st FINA World Championships – Doha (Qatar)
- February 2024 (to be confirmed): continental qualifiers for Africa
- February 2024 (to be confirmed): continental qualifiers for Oceania
Post-qualification procedure
- February 2024 (to be confirmed): continental associations inform FINA (International Swimming Federation) about the quota places of their continents and the countries that won them
- March 1, 2024: FINA to inform NOCs of their allocated quota places
- March 22, 2024: NOCs to confirm their use of the quota places
- March 31, 2024: FINA to reallocate all unused quota places
- July 2024: Paris 2024 sports entries deadline
- July 26 – August 11: Olympic Games Paris 2024
12 + 1 teams
A team will be made up of 12 athletes. It is possible to have a 13th entry, provided that the conditions laid down by the late entry policy of the International Olympic Committee/Paris 2024 are met, the IOC announced
