2026 Women's European Water Polo Championship Qualifiers

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2026 Women's European Water Polo Championship Qualifiers
2026 Women's European Water Polo Championship Qualifiers logo.png
Tournament details
Host country Flag of Portugal (official).svg Setúbal
Flag of Germany.svg Hannover
Flag of Serbia.svg Novi Sad
Flag of Slovakia.svg Nováky
Dates6–8 June
Teams13
Tournament statistics
Matches played15
Goals scored388 (25.87 per match)
Top scorer(s) Flag of Serbia.svg Ana Milićević (15 goals)
2024
2028

The 2026 Women's European Water Polo Championship Qualifiers were organised by European Aquatics and held between 6 and 8 June 2025 in four different centralised locations. [1] The qualifiers determined the eight women's water polo national teams that would join the eight automatically qualified teams at the final tournament.

Contents

Qualified teams

TeamQualification methodDate of qualificationAppFirstLastStreakBest placement in tournamentRank [2]
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece Top eight in 2024 6 January 202419th 1989 2024 19Runners-up (2010, 2012, 2018, 2022)TBD
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Champions (1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2012)TBD
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 21st 1985 21Champions (1985, 1987, 1989, 1993, 2018, 2024)TBD
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 17th 1993 17Champions (2014, 2020, 2022)TBD
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia 8 January 20247th 2010 6Eighth place (2022, 2024)TBD
Flag of France.svg  France 17th 1985 7Third place (1987, 1989)TBD
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 10th2Sixth place (1985)TBD
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 21st21Champions (1991, 2001, 2016)TBD
Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal Top two in Group A 7 June 20254th 1995 2016 1Tenth place (2016)TBD
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 3rd 2022 2024 3Eleventh place (2022)TBD
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel Top two in Group D 5th 2018 5Sixth place (2022)TBD
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 5th 1993 4Eighth place (2020)TBD
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany Top two in Group B 20th 1985 6Third place (1985)TBD
Flag of Turkey.svg  Türkiye 4th 2016 2Twelfth place (2016, 2018)TBD
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia Top two in Group C 7th 2006 6Eighth place (2006)TBD
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 8 June 20253rd 1993 1995 1Tenth place (1993)TBD

Format

The 13 teams were split into four groups of three and four. The tournament played at a single venue with the group winners and the second-ranked teams qualified for the final tournament. [1]

Draw

The draw took place on 3 March 2025 in Zagreb. [1]

Seeding

Pot 1Pot 2Pot 3Pot 4Pot 5

Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia (H)
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany (H)
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia (H)
Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal (H)

Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia

Flag of Turkey.svg  Türkiye
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania

Flag of Malta.svg  Malta
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine

Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden

Draw results

Bold text indicates who qualified.

Group A
Team
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania
Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal
Group B
Team
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Flag of Turkey.svg  Türkiye
Flag of Malta.svg  Malta
Group C
Team
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland
Group D
Team
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden

Referees

Thirteen referees were selected to officiate at the Qualifiers. [3]

Summary

  Group winners and runners-up qualified directly for 2026 Women's European Water Polo Championship
  Other teams were eliminated
Group A Group B Group C Group D
Flag of Portugal (official).svg
Portugal
Flag of Romania.svg
Romania
Flag of Germany.svg
Germany
Flag of Turkey.svg
Türkiye
Flag of Serbia.svg
Serbia
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg
Switzerland
Flag of Israel.svg
Israel
Flag of Slovakia.svg
Slovakia
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg
Czechia
Flag of Malta.svg
Malta
Flag of Ukraine.svg
Ukraine
Flag of Sweden.svg
Sweden
Flag of Finland.svg
Finland

Groups

All times are local.

Group A

PosTeamPldWPSWPSLLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal (H)220003119+126 Final tournament
2Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 21001192453
3Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia 20002233070
Source: European Aquatics
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
(H) Host
6 June 2025
15:00
Report Czechia  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg1218Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal Manteigadas Municipal Swimming Pool, Setúbal
Referees:
Lazar Andjelić (SRB), Massimo Castrilli (SUI)
Score by quarters:6–4, 2–6, 2–4, 2–4
Bušauerová 5Goals Fernandes, Lousa 4

7 June 2025
15:00
Report Czechia  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg1112Flag of Romania.svg  Romania Manteigadas Municipal Swimming Pool, Setúbal
Referees:
Lazar Andjelić (SRB), Ayal Gabel (ISR)
Score by quarters: 2–4, 3–3, 3–2, 3–3
J. Holá 3Goals Nagy, Szeghalmi 3

8 June 2025
10:00
Report Romania  Flag of Romania.svg713Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal Manteigadas Municipal Swimming Pool, Setúbal
Referees:
Massimo Castrilli (SUI), Ayal Gabel (ISR)
Score by quarters: 1–3, 1–4, 0–2, 5–4
Szeghalmi 3Goals Machado, Lousa 3

Group B

PosTeamPldWPSWPSLLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Germany.svg  Germany (H)220002911+186 Final tournament
2Flag of Turkey.svg  Türkiye 210013022+83
3Flag of Malta.svg  Malta 20002935260
Source: European Aquatics
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
(H) Host
6 June 2025
19:00
Report Germany  Flag of Germany.svg142Flag of Malta.svg  Malta Volksbad Limmer, Hanover
Referees:
Alexandros Vlastos (SWE), Jakub Nečas (CZE)
Score by quarters:3–0, 2–0, 5–1, 4–1
G. Deike 5Goals Borg 2

7 June 2025
19:00
Report Malta  Flag of Malta.svg721Flag of Turkey.svg  Türkiye Volksbad Limmer, Hanover
Referees:
Alexandru-Andrei Mustata (ROU), Jakub Nečas (CZE)
Score by quarters: 3–5, 2–9, 1–3, 1–4
Borg 2Goals Buralı 4

8 June 2025
13:00
Report Germany  Flag of Germany.svg159Flag of Turkey.svg  Türkiye Volksbad Limmer, Hanover
Referees:
Alexandros Vlastos (SWE), Alexandru-Andrei Mustata (ROU)
Score by quarters:8–4, 2–1, 3–3, 2–1
G. Deike 5Goals Dabbağ 3

Group C

PosTeamPldWPSWPSLLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia (H)330007216+569 Final tournament
2Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 32001384026
3Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 31002293563
4Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 300032371480
Source: European Aquatics
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
(H) Host


6 June 2025
18:00
Report Serbia  Flag of Serbia.svg182Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine Slana Bara, Novi Sad
Referees:
Martina Kuníková (SVK), Stefan Licari (MLT)
Score by quarters:3–0, 4–0, 5–1, 6–1
Ilić, Milićević 4Goals Lytvyniuk, Tymoshenko 1
6 June 2025
19:45
Report Switzerland  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg219Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Slana Bara, Novi Sad
Referees:
İlkin Çakmakoğlu (TUR)
Score by quarters:7–2, 6–1, 4–2, 4–4
Verhagen 6Goals Alava, Kaipainen 3

7 June 2025
18:00
Report Serbia  Flag of Serbia.svg247Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Slana Bara, Novi Sad
Referees:
Martina Kuníková (SVK), Richard Noach (GER)
Score by quarters:4–3, 7–2, 7–1, 6–1
Diaz Mesa, Milićević 5Goals Verhagen 2
7 June 2025
19:45
Report Ukraine  Flag of Ukraine.svg207Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Slana Bara, Novi Sad
Referees:
İlkin Çakmakoğlu (TUR), Stefan Licari (MLT)
Score by quarters:3–2, 6–3, 6–1, 5–1
Belinska 5Goals Suvanto 2

8 June 2025
11:00
Report Ukraine  Flag of Ukraine.svg710Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Slana Bara, Novi Sad
Referees:
Martina Kuníková (SVK), İlkin Çakmakoğlu (TUR)
Score by quarters: 0–1, 2–4, 2–4, 3–1
Zelenko 3Goals Kohli 4
8 June 2025
12:45
Report Serbia  Flag of Serbia.svg307Flag of Finland.svg  Finland Slana Bara, Novi Sad
Referees:
Richard Noach (GER), Stefan Licari (MLT)
Score by quarters:5–1, 11–1, 8–3, 6–2
Milićević 6Goals Kaipainen 3

Group D

PosTeamPldWPSWPSLLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 220004319+246 Final tournament
2Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia (H)21001272813
3Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 200021538230
Source: European Aquatics
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head points; 3) head-to-head goal difference; 4) head-to-head number of goals scored; 5) Goal difference.
(H) Host


6 June 2025
18:00
Report Israel  Flag of Israel.svg228Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden National Water Polo Centre, Nováky
Referees:
Anna Goncharenko (UKR), Jarkko Virtanen (FIN)
Score by quarters:8–1, 5–3, 6–2, 3–2
Bogachenko 4Goals Hassler, Hazell 2

7 June 2025
18:00
Report Slovakia  Flag of Slovakia.svg167Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden National Water Polo Centre, Nováky
Referees:
Jarkko Virtanen (FIN), Luis Santos (POR)
Score by quarters:3–2, 4–1, 4–2, 5–2
Kolářová 4Goals Lindman Long 3

8 June 2025
11:00
Report Slovakia  Flag of Slovakia.svg1121Flag of Israel.svg  Israel National Water Polo Centre, Nováky
Referees:
Luis Santos (POR), Anna Goncharenko (UKR)
Score by quarters: 1–5, 2–4, 5–5, 3–7
Sedláková 3Goals Markovsky, Rahoum 4

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Pathway to 2026 European Water Polo Championships decided". europeanaquatics.org. Retrieved 3 March 2025.
  2. "Women Country Ranking - European Aquatics®". February 20, 2023.
  3. "Qualification Tournaments for the Women's European Water Polo Championships 2026 – WWR – World Waterpolo Referee Association".
  4. "Seleção Feminina de Polo Aquático Intensifica Preparação para a Qualificação Europeia". www.fpnatacao.pt.
  5. "Heimspiel in Hannover: Deutschlands Wasserballerinnen wollen zur EM". Deutscher Schwimm-Verband e.V.
  6. "Vaterpolo Srbija - Serbia Water Polo: Miloš Bradić saopštio spisak igračica za kvalifikacioni turnir u Novom Sadu". w5.waterpoloserbia.org.
  7. "Trénerka našich vodných pólistiek Cinzia Ragusa pred kvalifikáciou v Novákoch: ,, Dať súperkám jasne najavo, kto je tu doma!"". swimmsvk.sk.
  8. "Slovenské vodnopólové reprezentantky v príprave na kvalifikáciu o postup na ME v Novákoch". swimmsvk.sk.