Water polo has been played consistently at the Mediterranean Games since the year 1951. The Italy men's national water polo team is the most successful team among men, while for women it is the Spain women's national water polo team that gain success with the first inaugural Edition in 2018 Mediterranean Games.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Italy | 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| 2 |  Yugoslavia | 5 | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| 3 |  Spain | 3 | 4 | 7 | 14 |
| 4 |  Serbia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 |  Croatia | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 |  Serbia and Montenegro | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 |  Greece | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 8 |  France | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 9 |  Egypt [1] | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Montenegro | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 11 |  Turkey | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (11 entries) | 19 | 19 | 19 | 57 | |
| Year | Host | Gold medal game | Bronze medal game | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Gold medalist | Score |  Silver medalist |  Bronze medalist | Score | Fourth place | ||||
| 2018 Details | Tarragona |  Spain | 9 – 8 |  Italy |  Greece | 15 – 5 |  France | ||
| 2022 |  Oran | No women's tournament | No women's tournament | ||||||
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Italy | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Greece | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (3 entries) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
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Italy competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from the 13th to the 29th of August 2004. The country has competed at every Summer Olympic games in the modern era, except for the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis. The Italian National Olympic Committee sent the nation's largest ever delegation in history to the Games. A total of 364 athletes, 229 men and 135 women, competed in 27 sports.
Croatia competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. This was the nation's fourth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympics since the post-Yugoslav era. The Croatian Olympic Committee sent the nation's smallest delegation to the Games since its debut in 1992. A total of 81 athletes, 66 men and 15 women, competed in 14 sports. Men's water polo, and men's handball were the only team-based sports in which Croatia had its representation in these Olympic Games.
Water polo has been part of the Summer Olympics program since the second games, in 1900. A women's water polo tournament was introduced for the 2000 Summer Olympics. Hungary has been the most successful country in men's tournament, while the United States is the only team to win multiple times at the women's tournament since its introduction. Italy was the first to win both the men's and women's water polo tournaments.
Sport in Serbia includes football, basketball, handball, tennis, volleyball, and water polo. Professional sports in Serbia are organized by sporting federations and leagues. Serbian professional sports includes multi-sport clubs, biggest and most successful of which are Crvena Zvezda, Partizan, Radnički and Beograd in Belgrade, Vojvodina in Novi Sad, Radnički in Kragujevac, Spartak in Subotica. Serbia had successes in basketball, winning the Olympic silver medal and Nikola Jokic winning 3 NBA MVPs, as well as the 2023 NBA Championship and Finals MVP, Novak Djokovic winning a record setting 24th Grand Slam, and in handball, volleyball and water polo as well.
The Croatia men's national water polo team represents Croatia in international water polo competitions and is controlled by the Croatian Water Polo Federation. They have won gold medals in the Olympics, World and European Championships, FINA World League and Mediterranean Games, making them one of the most successful men's water polo teams in the world. Overall Croatia won 33 medals at competitions.
The Serbia men's national water polo team represents Serbia in international men's water polo. It is considered to be one of the most successful men's water polo teams in the world, winning medals in all Olympic tournaments it has entered, including three golds, and being a multiple world and European champion.
The Greece women's national water polo team represents Greece in international women's water polo competitions. Since the mid-1990s, Greece have emerged as one of the leading powers in the world, becoming World Champions after their gold medal win at the 2011 World Championship.
The Serbia and Montenegro men's national water polo team, also widely known as the FR Yugoslavia men's national water polo team, represented Serbia and Montenegro in international water polo games, from 1993 to 2006. It was governed by the Water Polo Association of FR Yugoslavia (1992–2003), then the Water Polo Association of Serbia and Montenegro (2003–2006). The team won medals in the Olympics, World and European Championships, FINA World Cup, FINA World League, Mediterranean Games and Universiade.
The Greece men's national water polo team represents Greece in international men's water polo competitions and it is organized and run by the Hellenic Swimming Federation.
Panagiotis "Takis" Michalos was a Greek water polo player and coach. He was born in Ampelokipoi, Athens.
Anna Espar Llaquet is a Spanish water polo player who won the gold medal at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona. She also won the silver medal at the 2012 and 2020 Summer Olympics.
Beatriz Ortiz Muñoz is a Spanish female water polo player who competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics representing Spain national water polo team.
Water polo in Australia is governed by Water Polo Australia and its state based Water polo associations.
The water polo tournament at the 2018 Mediterranean Games in Tarragona took place between 27 June and 1 July at the Campclar Aquatic Centre. It was the first year women's teams were included in the water polo event.
Turkey participates in the 2018 Mediterranean Games held in Tarragona, Spain from 22 June to 1 July 2018. 349 athletes, including 205 male and 144 female, from Turkey were registered to compete in 31 sports at the Games.
María Elena Sánchez González is a Spanish water polo goalkeeper who won the silver medal with the women's national water polo team at the 2020 Summer Olympics celebrated in Tokyo, Japan.
