The Men’s Water Polo Championship in Belgrade, Serbia, will take place from January 10 to 25 this year. European Aquatics organizes this event, which brings together national teams from all over the continent. It is held every two years, and teams must survive through group stages and knockout rounds if they want to win medals.
The format
Group Stage 1 features four pools, each with four teams. In every pool, two teams qualify by finishing among the top eight in 2024, while the other two earn their spots through a qualifying tournament.
Group State 2 consists of the top three teams from each pool. The twelve teams will merge into two groups of six. Groups A and C will merge into Group E, and Groups B and D will merge into Group F. Each side will contest three more games against new opponents.
The top two teams in each pool secure a place in the semi-finals 1 to 4.
Sports bettors in the U.S. love watching water polo, and they can now bet on it legally at sportsbooks in 38 states using a sports betting app.
Teams to watch
Serbia
Serbia is the reigning Olympic champion and is seen as one of the strongest water polo-playing nations. The teams show great teamwork and have discipline and patience. Rather than rushing shots, teams make controlled attacks and have strong defenses.
Croatia
Croatia is another dominant nation when it comes to water polo. The Croatians are physically strong players who follow expert health tips. They will use the center forward to create scoring opportunities. Croatia is currently in the top position in the men’s ranking because it won the World Championships.
Hungary
Hungary has a long history of playing the sport and has won many Olympic medals. Players are famous for quick passes and long-range shots. They are difficult to predict as opponents as they use so many different tactics.
Italy
Italian teams have great defensive structures and smart positioning. They know how to take advantage of their opponents’ errors while limiting their own mistakes.
Spain
Spain ranks second globally and is the current European champion.
Player roles
There are seven players in a team, and teams will rotate positions during play, but roles are the foundation of most tactics. The goalkeeper plays a major role in defense by guarding the goal. The opposing team’s center forward plays directly in front of the goal, and other players will pass to him. They are positioned around the perimeter and must pass, shoot, and drive towards the goal.
Defenders match up against the attackers and must try to steal the ball and block shots. One of the water polo rules is that goalies can use two hands, while field players must use one hand.
Key offensive tactics
Teams must try to get the ball to the center forward while their opponents try to prevent this. If a defender commits a foul, the attacking team earns a power play. A major foul results in exclusion from the game for 20 seconds. This gives the other team a numerical advantage.
Ball movement is important, and players will try not to hold on to the ball but pass it quickly around the perimeter. This stretches the defense and creates lanes for shooting. When passing is fast, and defenders must move continuously, they are more likely to make mistakes.
Outside shooting is when players can score from a distance. This prevents defenders from collapsing too tightly around the center.
Key defensive tactics
In water polo, offense may sell tickets, but defense wins games. Defenders attempt to stay between offensive players and the net. When defenders have this optimal position, it is called having inside water.
A press defense is when defenders closely guard each attacker to limit passing. This defense requires players to have stamina and great swimming skills to succeed.
A zone defense is when players don’t mark one opponent but protect a specific area. This defense is often used when a center forward is particularly strong.
In a drop defense/Hole-D, the center defender must guard the opponent’s center and focus on preventing entry passes.
