Hello European Aquatics family,
This edition of the newsletter covers the results from a busy month of water polo, our preparations for this summer's events, and a whole host of updates from our Aquatics Social Responsibility and European Aquatics Academy workstreams.
We are also recruiting for a number of roles at our new Belgrade office and beyond.
See more below...
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February has been a busy and productive month across the European aquatics calendar, with multiple site visits completed, information bulletins released, and major event updates confirmed. Special Olympics Open Water events In collaboration with our partners at the Special Olympics, two additional Open Water Swimming legs have been confirmed: on 18 April in Protaras, Cyprus, and on 23 July in Sukoró, Hungary. More information will follow soon, further strengthening the inclusive competition calendar for 2026. |
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Site Visits Across Europe Preparations for upcoming championships continue at pace, with several important coordination visits taking place.
A joint site visit for European Aquatics Championships Paris 2026 was conducted from 2–6 February with Technical Committee Chairs from Swimming (SWM), Diving (DIV), Artistic Swimming (AS) and Open Water Swimming (OWS), ensuring alignment across all disciplines as planning progresses.
The European Aquatics Youth Artistic Swimming Championships venue in Luxembourg City hosted a successful site visit on 9–10 February, confirming operational readiness ahead of the event.
From 17–20 February, inspections were carried out for the European Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships in Sukoró and the European Aquatics Junior Diving Championships in Budapest, with strong collaboration from local organisers.
In addition, preparations for the European Aquatics Masters Championships (EAMC) included site visits on 10–11 February to Šamorín and Bratislava, as well as Graz. These visits focused on final venue coordination and operational planning. Information Bulletins Released Information Bulletin #1 has now been distributed for: Bulletins for the European Aquatics Junior Artistic Swimming Championships in Munich and the European Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships are expected to be circulated shortly, along with further documentation for the Junior Diving Championships in Budapest |
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The Masters Open Water Swimming Tour has now been fully announced The opening leg will take place on 19 April in Protaras, Cyprus, featuring a 3 km race held during the first leg of the European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cup. The second stage is scheduled for 24 July in Sukoró, Hungary, alongside the European Aquatics Junior Open Water Swimming Championships. The Tour will conclude on 28 August in Šamorín, Slovakia, where the final race will be organised as part of the European Aquatics Masters Championships.
European Aquatics confirms full details for 2026 Masters Championships and is proud to introduce a Full Inclusion Model for the first time European Aquatics has officially launched the European Aquatics Masters Championships 2026, confirming the full competition framework for what will be one of the most comprehensive Masters events ever staged in Europe. The Championships will take place from 18 to 30 August 2026, bringing together five disciplines across three cities in Slovakia and Austria.
Disciplines and Venues: Swimming: 18–24 August 2026 – Šamorín (X-Bionic® Sphere) Open Water Swimming: 26–28 August 2026 – Šamorín canal (adjacent to X-Bionic® Sphere) Water Polo: 26–30 August 2026 – Šamorín (X-Bionic® Sphere) Artistic Swimming: 19–23 August 2026 – Bratislava (Pasienky Swimming Complex) Diving: 24–29 August 2026 – Graz (Auster Sport- und Wellnessbad)
Registrations for the event will open on 27 February at 16:00 CET.
Full Inclusion Model European Aquatics is also proud to introduce a Full Inclusion Model at the European Aquatics Masters Championships 2026, marking an important milestone in the evolution of Masters aquatics and demonstrating a strong commitment to accessibility, equality, and diversity.
Under this model, athletes with disabilities will be fully integrated into the main competition programme, competing in the same events, appearing in start lists according to their official entry times, and participating within the same competition structure and operational framework as all other athletes, ensuring equal conditions and reinforcing the inclusive spirit of the Championships. |
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February has marked an exceptionally busy and exciting period in water polo’s competition calendar.
Most notably, The Netherlands beat Hungary in a thrilling penalty shootout to retain the women's title at the European Aquatics Women's Water Polo Championships 2026 in Funchal. Greece also put in a spirited performance of their own to take the bronze medal, as they overcame Italy.
A full schedule of matches has taken place across the Champions League, Euro Cup, Conference Cup and Challenger Cup, in both the men’s and women’s competitions, delivering a packed and highly competitive month.
In addition to the matches, several important group draws were held, setting the stage for the next phases of competition and adding to the intensity of this period.
Preparations are also well underway off the field. Site Visit meetings are being organised with Local Organising Committees (LOCs) for upcoming events, including the EWPC U20 Men and Women tournaments in Varna (Bulgaria) and Oeiras (Portugal), as well as in Malta for the Champions League Final Four.
Overall, February has proven to be a dynamic and productive month, both in competition and in planning for the key events ahead. |
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February brings important developments on the education front, with several clinics and courses now open or approaching.
The EA Open Water Swimming Clinic for Officials 2026 – Level 1 was circulated to National Federations on 30 January. Delivered as an online course and available throughout the entire year, it is designed for officials with national-level or limited experience, offering accessible development opportunities across the membership.
Preparations are also in place for the EA Open Water Swimming Clinic for Officials 2026 – Level 3, which will take place on 21–22 March 2026 in Larnaca, Cyprus, providing advanced training for experienced officials.
In addition, the Swimming Clinic 2026 will be held on 28 February – 1 March 2026 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Interest has been strong, with 207 registrations received so far, including 54 participants attending in person, underlining the continued demand for educational initiatives. |
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European Aquatics continues to strengthen its extensive education programme for technical officials, reaffirming our commitment to maintaining the highest standards in water polo officiating across Europe.
Full details of the upcoming EA Water Polo Referees School 2026 (Basic Certification Clinic), to be held in Istanbul, will be announced shortly. This important clinic remains a cornerstone of our development pathway for referees.
Following the success of last year’s edition, where 39 new referees from 19 European Aquatics Member Federations became EA-certified Water Polo Referees, the programme continues to demonstrate its impact. Notably, 18 of the newly certified officials were women, reflecting our ongoing commitment to encouraging greater female participation within the European Aquatics water polo community.
We remain dedicated to expanding opportunities, supporting education, and fostering inclusivity at every level of officiating. |
Aquatics Social Responsibility
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Aqua Safe Kids Project – Kick-Off Meeting The Aqua Safe Kids Project officially launched with a successful Kick-Off Meeting in Malta on 11-12 February, hosted by the Aquatics Association of Malta. The meeting provided an important opportunity to clarify project tasks, responsibilities, timelines, and key decisions moving forward.
Participants included representatives from European Aquatics, national federations from Austria, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, and Bulgaria, as well as SportMalta and the University of Zagreb.
The strong collaborative spirit set a positive tone for the implementation phase of this important initiative focused on water safety and drowning prevention. |
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Strategic planning with Maltese government On 13 February, European Aquatics and ASA Malta met with Clifton Grima, Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research & Innovation, to discuss strategic priorities for 2026. Key topics included: · Drowning prevention initiatives · Inclusive sport development · Learn to Swim (LTS) programmes · Coach education and certification
Three major projects are set to be formalised in April 2026: 1. Inclusive Learn to Swim / People with Disabilities (PD) programme 2. Coach certification and recycling pathway 3. Cooperation framework in Swimming Special Olympics
This meeting reinforced the shared commitment to strengthening aquatic sport development at both grassroots and elite levels. |
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Meeting with Waterpolo Ability Malta (WAM) On 13 February, discussions were had with Waterpolo Ability Malta focused on advancing inclusive participation in aquatic sports. Key themes included: · Embedding Water Polo Inclusion (WPI) within the European Aquatics Long-Term Strategy · Developing and implementing a unified competition model · Strengthening institutional cooperation
Next steps will be to: · Establish a coordination working group · Define athlete eligibility and classification criteria by March 2026 · Continue structured institutional dialogue
These actions represent meaningful progress toward greater inclusivity within aquatic disciplines. |
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European Aquatics support strategic agreement to boost Water Polo Ability in Spain
European Aquatics welcomes the announcement of a strategic agreement to promote Water Polo Ability in Spain, in the presence of the President of the Real Federación Española de Natación Fernando Carpena, the President of the Consejo Superior de Deportes José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, and European Aquatics President António Silva.
The agreement between the RFEN and the Federación Española de Deportes de Personas con Discapacidad Física will strengthen the promotion, organisation and regulation of Water Polo Ability nationwide, while European Aquatics has offered to integrate the discipline into future European Aquatics Masters Championships, reinforcing its commitment to inclusion and the continued growth of water polo across Europe. |
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Swim Safe Europe Certification 2026 – Clarification Meeting On 17 February, a clarification meeting was held with National Federations regarding the 2026 Swim Safe Europe (SSE) certification process. The session provided an overview of the certification framework and application timeline, outlining the three certification levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold – aligned with the progressive stages of the Learn to Swim framework.
The assessment criteria, covering Promotion, Education, Training and Evaluation, were presented, along with practical guidance on completing the SSE documents. Federations were also informed about the available support mechanisms, including tailored recommendations for improvement, as well as the flexibility to adapt the programme to different national contexts.
Clear next steps and timelines were established to ensure successful certification ahead of the SSE Conference in Paris in August 2026.
Save the Dates Mark your calendars for the upcoming key events: · Child Protection in Sport Conference in Dublin - 8 May · Swim Safe Europe Conference in Paris – 7-8 August Further details will follow soon. |
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European Aquatics expands team and opens new vacancies at new Belgrade office European Aquatics is expanding its operations and establishing a new Service Team, based in Belgrade, Serbia, to support its growing activities across Europe.
Following a framework agreement with the Government of Serbia, European Aquatics is relocating its headquarters to Belgrade, where a new office will open shortly. This office will become the operational base of the Service Team, which will gradually expand over the next two years.
We are currently recruiting professionals with backgrounds in sports administration, education, finance, IT, and organizational support to join this new and dynamic team.
About the Service Team: The new Service Team will support all departments of European Aquatics, namely: Sports Development (Education, Aquatics Social Responsibility) Commercial (Marketing, Media & Communications) Corporate Affairs (Governance, Finance, IT, HR)
The team will: Provide operational and administrative support for events and projects as well as directly to member federations. Coordinate communications with different stakeholders. Manage documentation, procedures, and governance records. Support financial processes, budgeting, and reporting. Act as “super-users” of EA’s event management and education systems. Assist in organizing meetings, congresses, and official events. Establish and manage the new Belgrade office.
The Service Team will operate on a “One Team” principle, working flexibly to support the strategic objectives of European Aquatics (as set out in the 2024–2030 Strategic Plan). The members, reporting to a Team Manager, will be focused on one of two main areas:
Who We Are Looking For: We are seeking candidates who: Hold a university degree (Sports, Education, Business, Management, Marketing, Economics or similar) or equivalent experience. Have experience in administrative, coordination, or project support roles. Are fluent in English (additional languages are an asset). Are tech-savvy and comfortable with digital systems. Have strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Demonstrate integrity, teamwork, and a proactive, service-oriented mindset.
Experience in sports, event management, or education projects is an advantage.
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Water Polo Assistant Vacancy
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European Aquatics has announced an exciting new career opportunity for a Water Polo Sport Assistant, and is looking for a passionate professional to help shape the future of one of the world’s most dynamic Olympic sports.
Applications are now open for the Belgrade-based position, offering a unique chance to work at the heart of European water polo development. For full details on the exciting role and to apply, click here.
The role will initially cover maternity leave on a fixed-term contract, with strong potential to become permanent as the organisation continues to expand.
Working closely with the European Aquatics Water Polo team, the successful candidate will support event logistics, accreditation, scheduling, reporting, and communication with clubs, national federations and international partners.
Responsibilities will also include assisting with European Aquatics club competitions, managing registrations and transfers, supporting referee initiatives, and contributing to development programmes such as the EA Academy and Water Polo Masters events.
Candidates with a relevant degree, strong organisational skills, knowledge of water polo and fluency in English are encouraged to apply. Applications are now open. |
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