A few days after the qualifications for the 2026 European Championships ended, a series of this summer’s international water polo championships will continue in Zagreb.
The capital of Croatia will host the 23rd World U20 Men’s Championships between June 14 and 21.
The competition format will be the same as it was at the previous tournament held in Otopeni, Romania, two years ago. The top eight teams from the 2023 Championships will compete in Division 1 during the group stage, while the remaining twelve nations will participate in Division 2 in the initial phase of the competition.
Hungary arrives in Zagreb as the title-holder, having defeated Serbia in the final in Otopeni in 2023. The USA secured the bronze medal, which was the first-ever medal for the male water polo teams of the USA at world championships across all levels, including U16, U18, U20, and senior categories.
Besides the medal winners at the 2023 Championships, Greece, Spain, Italy, Montenegro and host Croatia are in Division 1. As usual, each of the top eight teams has high ambitions and can reach the highest step of the podium. All of them have won medals at the World U20 Championships. Only the USA and Montenegro have never been the World junior champions.
The record-holders are Serbia, Hungary, Italy, and Greece, each with three gold medals. The Serbian water polo players have won a total of six gold medals since the first U20 Worlds, held in Milan in 1981, including the medals they won representing Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. In addition, Serbia as an independent nation won a medal at each of the previous eight World Championships (2009 – 2023).
Croatia, which finished in 8th place in Otopeni and hasn’t won a medal at the World Championships since 2017, is considered one of the biggest favorites, not just because of the home advantage. The Croatian team is the reigning champion from the 2024 European U19 Championships, and almost all the players who won the European gold in Burgas last year will compete in Zagreb.
The results and standings from last year’s European U19 Championships may provide a better basis for predictions than the standings from the 2023 World U20 Championships. Many players who represented their countries in Otopeni are no longer juniors; some have become regular members of their senior national teams and key players in their clubs.
Let’s examine the standings from Burgas, which differ significantly from the achievements of European nations at the 2023 World U20 Championships.
2024 European U19 Championships: 1. Croatia, 2. Montenegro, 3. Spain, 4. Hungary, 5. Germany, 6. Italy, 7. Serbia, 8. Greece…
2023 World U20 Championships: 1. Hungary, 2. Serbia, 3. USA, 4. Greece, 5. Spain, 6. Italy, 7. Montenegro, 8. Croatia…
2025 World U20 Championships, Zagreb, groups
DIVISION 1
Group A: United States, Hungary, Croatia, Montenegro.
Group B: Greece, Serbia, Italy, Spain.
DIVISION 2
Group C: Brazil, Germany, South Africa
Group D: Kazakhstan, Iran, New Zealand
Group E: Colombia, Argentina, Australia
Group F: Canada, China, Singapore
Competition formula
The top two teams from each group in Division 1 will advance directly to the quarterfinals.
The 3rd —and 4th-placed teams in groups A and B and the winners of groups C, D, E, and F will compete in the crossover round to reach the quarterfinals.
The winners of Division 2 groups will face off in the playoffs. The winners of the two playoff matches will play against 4th-placed teams in groups A and B, while the losers will face the teams that finish 3rd in Division 1 groups.
The remaining team will battle in the 13th-20th place classification
Day 1 schedule
Division 1 – Group A: Hungary – Montenegro (17.30), USA – Croatia (19.00), Group B: Greece – Italy (16.00), Serbia – Spain (20.30)
Division 2 – Group C: Brazil – South Africa (9.00), Group D: Kazakhstan – New Zealand (10.30), Group E: Colombia – Australia (12.00), Group F: Canada – Singapore (13.30)
More articles about the World Men’s Junior and Youth Championships
