Hello European Aquatics family,
This edition of the newsletter covers our water polo tournaments in Belgrade and Funchal, our preparations as we build towards the European Aquatics Championships 2026 in Paris, and a number of important corporate and institutional engagements.
Our regular European Aquatics Academy and Aquatics Social Responsibility bulletins are also available to view, as are the results from our European Aquatics Athlete of the Year Awards.
See more below...
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European Aquatics Men's Water Polo Championships Belgrade 2026
Hosts of the European Aquatics Men's Water Polo Championships 2026, Serbia, secured the men’s title with a 10–7 victory over Hungary at the 2026 Championships in the Belgrade Arena on 25 January. After a tightly contested first half, Serbia’s defence dominated the second half, restricting Hungary to just two goals in the last 16 minutes to claim their third consecutive European crown on home soil and their first since 2018.
Dusan Mandić was named MVP of the final.
In the bronze medal match, Greece defeated Italy 12–5 to secure their first ever European Championship podium finish, with Konstantinos Kakaris earning MVP honours. The final standings placed Serbia first, Hungary second, and Greece third.
Belgrade 2026 European Water Polo Championships – Key Facts Serbia did it again. Since returning to international competition in 1996, the hosts have now claimed their eighth European title. Even more impressively, they stayed perfect on home soil, winning gold for the third straight time in Belgrade after their triumphs in 2006 and 2016 — and now again in 2026. Hungary marked a special milestone with silver. Exactly 100 years after winning the very first European title in Budapest in 1926, the Magyars reached another final. It was their third final in the last four editions and, after winning in 2020, they finished runners-up once again following 2022. This silver was their 27th European medal overall (13 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze), extending their lead at the top of the all-time medal table. Greece finally made history. After decades of waiting, they stepped onto the podium at the European Championships for the very first time. Despite recent success on the world stage — including three medals at the last four World Championships and Olympic silver in 2021 — continental glory had always slipped through their fingers. In Belgrade, where they last reached the semi-finals ten years ago but finished fourth, they beat Italy in the bronze medal match to celebrate a long-awaited breakthrough. Italy’s rejuvenated squad once again made the semi-finals, their fourth appearance at this stage in the last five editions. However, the semi-final barrier proved too tough once more, and after similar exits in 2018, 2022 and 2024, they had to settle for fourth place again. Spain’s remarkable run came to an end in Belgrade. The world champions and defending European title-holders had taken home a medal from four straight Championships — including three finals — but this time they failed to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2016. Narrow defeats to Serbia and Hungary, the latter in a shootout, ended their campaign.
Croatia, finalists in both 2022 and 2024, finished sixth this time around. Belgrade continued to be an unlucky venue for them, as they also missed the semi-finals there in 2006 and 2016. The Championships were played under a new format, featuring a second group stage after the preliminaries, with two groups of six teams and only the top two advancing to the semi-finals. The draw resulted in slightly uneven groups, which showed clearly in the classification matches: teams from Group E swept their Group F opponents 6–0.
Beyond the semi-finals — where Hungary beat Greece and Serbia overcame Italy — Spain comfortably defeated Croatia for fifth place, Montenegro edged Romania for seventh, France beat Georgia for ninth, and the Netherlands, who came within milliseconds of upsetting eventual champions Serbia on opening day, powered past Türkiye to finish 11th. In the 13th–16th place games, Malta impressed with three straight wins to record their best-ever finish in a 16-team tournament. Slovakia placed 14th, Slovenia 15th and Israel finished 16th. Notably, every team left Belgrade with at least one point, as several of these matches went right down to shootouts. • For the first time, an MVP Team was named to recognise the standout performers of the tournament. The Best Seven of Belgrade 2026 were:
• Milan Glusac (Serbia) – the young goalkeeper starred in the semi-final against Italy and could easily have taken MVP honours in the final as well, after another top-class display.
• Dušan Mandić (Serbia) – Serbia’s world-class left-hander was central to their title run, finishing with four goals in the final and earning MVP of the gold medal match.
• Strahinja Rašović (Serbia) – the go-to man in the biggest moments, scoring the decisive goals against both Spain and Hungary to push the hosts into the semi-finals.
• Krisztián Manhercz (Hungary) – Hungary’s captain and driving force, he led the all-in win over Spain to reach the top four and then added an MVP performance against Greece in the semi-final with four goals.
• Ákos Nagy (Hungary) – a European Championships debutant and the only left-hander on the Hungarian roster, the 22-year-old delivered standout performances when it mattered most.
• Stylianos Argyropoulos (Greece) – the tournament’s top scorer and a key figure in Greece’s historic medal run.
• Konstantinos Kakaris (Greece) – the other Greek powerhouse and arguably the best centre-forward in today’s game, he was relentless throughout the tournament, playing a major role in Greece’s success.
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European Aquatics Women's Water Polo Championships Funchal 2026
The 2026 European Women’s Water Polo Championships kicked off in Funchal, Portugal on 26 January, with a lively opening day featuring a key result in Group B and a full slate of matches across all groups.
On Day 1, Hungary produced a strong comeback to defeat Olympic champions Spain 9-7 after trailing early, extending their recent superiority over the Spanish side. Hungary scored crucial goals in the second half, with goalkeeper Boglarka Neszmely making numerous important saves. Other opening matches saw Greece thump Slovakia, Italy dominate Croatia, and Serbia edge Türkiye 9-8.
Before the action started, match previews highlighted marquee ties including Greece vs Slovakia, France vs Germany, and the Hungary–Spain showdown, analysing past head-to-head trends and recent form. The schedule also featured Romania vs Portugal, Italy vs Croatia, Serbia vs Türkiye, plus Switzerland v Israel and Netherlands v Great Britain in Group D, underlining the wide competitive field on the opening day. |
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European Aquatics Championships preparations accelerate as Paris St-Denis commemorate 200 day countdown to championships
The countdown to the Paris 2026 European Aquatics Championships officially reached 200 days on January 21, with European Aquatics President Antonio Silva predicting sell-out crowds when the event arrives in the French capital next summer.
Speaking at a press conference at the Centre Aquatique Olympique, Silva highlighted the unique significance of the Championships, which will take place just two years after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and exactly 100 years after the inaugural European Aquatics Championships in 1926. He described Paris 2026 as a symbolic bridge between the sport’s rich history and its future, staged in venues already steeped in Olympic legacy.
The 38th European Aquatics Championships will take place from 31 July to 16 August 2026, and marks the first major international aquatics championships in Paris since the 2024 Games. The Open Water Swimming and High Diving competitions will take place in the River Seine. Organisers also announced a renewed five-year partnership with EDF as official competition partner, underlining strong institutional and commercial backing for the event.
The press conference brought together a wide range of national, regional and sporting leaders, including representatives from the French government, local authorities and the French Swimming Federation. Athlete ambassadors Florent Manaudou and Charlotte Bonnet were also present, emphasising the importance of the Championships as both a sporting highlight and a post-Olympic legacy moment for French aquatics. For France, the event is particularly meaningful, marking a return of the European Aquatics Championships after almost four decades and only the second time Paris has hosted them.
Beyond elite competition, European Aquatics confirmed its commitment to sustainability, social responsibility and long-term legacy initiatives as part of the Championships. The official ticketing page for the European Aquatics Championships Paris 2026, is available here
Site Visits
January and February will see a busy schedule of site visits and meetings as preparations continue for upcoming European Aquatics events.
A site visit for the EA Junior Swimming and Artistic Swimming events took place in Munich from 21–23 January.
The European Aquatics Championships (EAC) site visit will take place in Paris from 2–6 February, followed by visits for the European Aquatics Masters Championships (EAMC) in Samorin and Graz on 10–11 February.
Later in the month, a site visit for EA Junior Diving, High Diving and Open Water Swimming will be held in Hungary from 18–20 February.
In addition to the site visits, the Swimming Technical Committee is scheduled to take place in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 27 February to 1 March and will be held in association with an important clinic for Technical Officials. (For more information on the clinic go to the Education section). |
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European Aquatics Academy |
January has been an active month for education across several disciplines
The Advanced Certification Course for Water Polo Referees and Delegates (WPTO Officials) was successfully delivered via the EA Academy (EAA) platform. The course was very well organised and received positive feedback from participants. In addition, the Advanced Certification Course for WP Referees and Delegates 2025/2026 was officially opened for on-demand viewing on 15 January 2026, allowing officials to access the content at their convenience.
The course features expert-led analyses of the 2025/26 season, including a review by Andy I.M. Hoepelman, Chair of the European Aquatics Delegates and Referees Commission.
The course is available free of charge to referees and delegates appointed for the 2026 European Water Polo Championships in Belgrade or Funchal, while additional officials can access it through paid registration, extending the opportunity for professional development to referees at all levels across Europe. |
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Clinics in Belgrade and Funchal share elite-level insights with participants
Water Polo Coach Clinics took place at the European Championships in Belgrade (January 15) and Funchal (January 28).
World-renowned high-performance expert Dr Pero Kuterovac led the hybrid Water Polo Coaches Clinic in Belgrade, bringing elite-level insight to coaches and performance specialists from across Europe.
The session took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on January 15 and was also streamed live on the European Aquatics Academy platform, allowing a wide international audience to take part.
Dr Kuterovac, long-time Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Croatian men’s national team, shared knowledge shaped by extraordinary success at the highest level of sport.
The clinic focused on the evolving physical demands of modern water polo, particularly following the introduction of the 25m pool format. Dr Kuterovac highlighted the shift towards increased vertical play, placing greater emphasis on leg strength, stability, body control and explosive power — key performance factors now defining the men’s game.
A Women’s Water Polo Coaches Clinic led by renowned high-performance coach Michel Verkade (Performance Coach, Team NL) took place during the European Championships at the Hotel VidaMar Congress Centre. The session brought together coaches and performance practitioners for a focused exploration of how physical preparation in women’s water polo must evolve.
The clinic examined the impact of recent rule changes, particularly the shortened attack time, which have shifted the game towards more vertical play, increased physical contact, faster transitions and repeated high-intensity actions. Verkade outlined how gym-based training should respond, placing greater emphasis on leg strength and explosive power, footwork and agility, shoulder strength and resilience, and individualised, position-specific conditioning to meet the demands of the modern women’s game.
Progress continues on the Swimming Coaches Course – Level 1, delivered in cooperation with the Kosovo National Federation. The online component is almost complete, with lecturers currently submitting video lectures and supporting materials. These will soon be available on the EA Academy platform as part of the online programme. 800 Jury Table officials now certified
During the European Championships in Belgrade, European Aquatics proudly reached a special milestone as the 800th Water Polo Jury Table official was certified. This shows the progress being made to develop a long term, strong and diverse officiating base across Europe. Digital Education Platform will be expanded
Planning has started to expand the Digital Education Platform into a global learning ecosystem for aquatics (by linking it to the Innovation Hub), addressing the needs of different stakeholders (e.g., National Federations). Coming Up in February
Looking ahead to February, several educational activities are scheduled. A Swimming Clinic will be held in Sofia from 28 February to 1 March 2026. The clinic will follow a hybrid format, combining in-person and online participation. All certified swimming officials wishing to participate in European Aquatics events during 2026 must attend this important clinic, either in-person or via the online facility, details of which will be announced in due course. Officials who do not participate in this clinic may not be eligible to be appointed to one of the EA swimming championships in 2026. European Aquatics is organising European Aquatics Diving Officials Courses, as part of the Diving Technical Officials Certification Program in 2026. The courses will be organized by highly qualified experts of the European Aquatics Academy and the European Aquatics Technical Diving Committee in two parts: These Courses are open to new candidates, who wants to become International Officials, in this regard their Member Federations, when applying candidates, shall provide proofs of at least two (2) year of applicants’ judging experience at the highest National competitions.
👉 Clinic link: The Open Water Swimming Coaches Course – Level 1 will be offered online only, with full on-demand access. Videos, learning materials and evaluations will be available on the EA Academy platform. The official bulletin for this course is currently being prepared. European Aquatics Academy invites 2026 grant applications in key areas of sport technology and research The European Aquatics Academy is now inviting 2026 grant applications in two areas: Sports Technology (Products and Processes) and Aquatics Research. The Sports Technology call aims to support innovative solutions and technologies with the potential to create a strong impact across European Aquatics communities. More details here. |
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Aquatics Social Responsibility
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Swim Safe Europe Action Plan for 2026 underway
On January 6, the ASR Sub-Commission for the Swim Safe Europe initiative met to discuss the 2026 action plan linked to this important initiative, marking an important step in aligning priorities and objectives for 2026. New sustainability charter information shared
European Aquatics has officially launched and begun disseminating the 2026 Sustainability Charter to National Federations and Local Organising Committees (LOCs). This includes some adjustments to the Charter, as well as the start of the 2026 events certification process, which is now underway. Co-operation with Sport and Nature ongoing
European Aquatics has also taken part in the testing phase of the “Sport and Nature: Fundamentals for Action” course. EA was pleased to contribute to this pilot group, ahead of the course’s official launch on February 4. European Aquatics Calls on National Federations to Join 2026 Community Projects European Aquatics invited all affiliated national federations to participate in two exciting 2026 initiatives under the European Cooperation Partnership programme: Mixed Ability Water Polo, addressing accessibility for people with disabilities and marginalized groups, and SwimSense, exploring the use of smart wearables to monitor and motivate swimmers of all ages.
Participation offers federations the chance to collaborate across Europe, gain visibility, access funding, and contribute to innovative aquatics programs. Following the success of last year’s AquaSafe Kids project (€400,000), European Aquatics is confident these partnerships will create meaningful impact for the aquatics community. Coming up in February
On February 11-12, the first Kick-Off Meeting (KOM) of the Aqua Safe Kids project will take place in Malta. The meeting will bring together the project consortium to discuss coordination and begin implementing the initial stages of the project. |
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2025 Athletes of the Year
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The below athletes were all voted European Aquatics Athlete of the Year 2025 in their respective disciplines. A month-long voting process throughout December saw federations and fans pick their favourites following an action-packed year of aquatics. The winners are listed below:
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European Aquatics President Antonio Silva joined the first European Olympic Committees (EOC) Coordination Commission (CoCom) visit to Istanbul, the host city for the 4th European Games in 2027. The visit, held on January 14–15, included a formal meeting where CoCom members reviewed the overall status of preparations for the continent’s largest multi-sport event.
Discussions during the meeting covered the budget, European Games masterplan, Istanbul’s sports infrastructure, and the sports programme, which will allow athletes to qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and is expected to be confirmed in 2026. The visit concluded with a tour of key sports venues and the Athletes’ Villages. The CoCom, chaired by Mihai Covaliu and comprising 23 members and experts, met with senior officials including EOC President Spyros Capralos, Türkiye’s Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, and the Istanbul 2027 Organising Committee President Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan Cakir. |
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European Aquatics Headquarters Relocation & Official Recognition in Serbia
European Aquatics President Antonio Silva has signed a formal agreement with Serbian government representatives to relocate the federation’s headquarters from Nyon, Switzerland, to Belgrade, Serbia. The move follows a decision approved at the European Aquatics 2025 Congress and marks a major institutional shift for the sport’s continental governing body.
In related engagements, the European Aquatics leadership, including Silva and Vice President Vania Udovičić, was officially received at the Serbian Presidential Palace by President Aleksandar Vučić and Minister of Sports Zoran Gajić. During the visit, European Aquatics expressed gratitude for Serbia’s support, not only in hosting major events like the 2026 European Water Polo Championships and the 2024 European Aquatics Championships, but also for broader collaboration aimed at developing aquatic sports across Europe.
New partnership with Wiz-Team to become Event Management and Accreditation Platform provider European Aquatics is also pleased to announce the start of a new partnership with Wiz-Team, an event management software provider, which will support the organisation of EA Events this year and beyond. This collaboration aims to enhance event operations and improve the overall experience for National Federations, Local Organising Committees and other participants. More details will be shared in the coming weeks. |
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Apostolos Tsagkarakis appointed as new Sport Director of European Aquatics
European Aquatics is pleased to announce that Apostolos Tsagkarakis has been appointed as Sport Director, a new position, starting with immediate effect.
The role of Sport Director, which will oversee all the aquatics’ disciplines including water polo, underlines the importance of sport event organisation as the core business of European Aquatics and the need to create a structure that is suitable for an organisation that continues to grow significantly in terms of human resources. |
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