The draw for Division 1 of the new FINA competition – the Water Polo World Cup, has been held in Budapest today.
The World Cup is a replacement for the World League. The competition formula is completely different compared to the former World Cup (held 16 times between 1979 and 2018), and it is similar to the system of the first several editions of the World League (organized between 2002 and 2022). Still, there are significant changes.
The best 12 men’s teams and the quarterfinalists of the women’s tournament at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest will participate in Division 1 of the 1st Water Polo World Cup. All other teams can enter the competition of Division 2.
The teams in Division 1 are split into two groups (6 teams per group in the male and four teams per group in the female competition). The round-robin tournaments will be held in each group. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Final.
The teams were sorted in the pots for the draw according to the standings at the World Championships. The finalists were in the first line (Italy and Spain men; USA and Hungary women), the teams that participated in the bronze medal matches in the 2nd line, etc. So the groups are quite balanced. There will be excellent clashes in both groups.
2023 World Cup Men, Division 1
Three reigning champions – world champion Spain, European champion Croatia and Olympic champion Serbia were drawn into the same group of the Men’s Division 1. Italy, the winner of the last edition of the World League, is in Group A, where its biggest rivals are Hungary and Greece
GROUP A
Italy
Greece
USA
Hungary
Japan
France
GROUP B
Spain
Croatia
Serbia
Montenegro
Australia
Georgia
CALENDAR
(FINA is yet to announce the hosts of the tournaments)
8 – 10 March 2023: Qualification Tournament 1
14 – 15 March 2023: Qualification Tournament 2
30 June – 2 July 2023: Super Final
2023 World Cup Women, Division 1
Two title-holders are in the same group of the women’s tournament. Team USA, the Olympic and the world champion, will play in Group B against Spain, that won the gold medal at this year’s European Championships and in the World League.
GROUP A
Hungary
Netherlands
Australia
Greece
GROUP B
USA
Italy
Spain
China
CALENDAR
(FINA is yet to announce the hosts of the tournaments)
14-16 April 2023: Qualification Tournament
23-25 June 2023: Super Final
Division 2
Four continental tournaments will be held in Division 2 (Americas, Asia +Oceania, Europe, Africa). Any national federation can take part in the continental tournament. The two teams per continent can play at the Intercontinental tournament. The best two teams from the Intercontinental tournament will qualify for the Super Final.
