Sydney to Host Water Polo World Cup Finals in 2026
World Aquatics announced on Thursday that Sydney, Australia, will host the 2026 Water Polo World Cup Finals for both men and women.
The event will be held July 20-26, a tournament between eight men’s and eight women’s national teams in the capital of New South Wales.
It’s the first time that the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, host of the 2000 Olympics, will host this particular event, and the first time a World Aquatics event has come to Sydney since 2011. Sydney was the location of the first participation of women’s water polo on the Olympic stage, with the home country Australians defeating the United States for gold.
The top three teams at the 2026 Water Polo World Cup automatically qualify for the 2027 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest. Already qualified are the Paris Olympic champions (Serbia’s men’s team and Spain’s women) and the 2025 World Championships (Spain’s men and the Greek women.)
The Australian women’s team is coming off a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
“I am so excited that Sydney, Australia, will host the World Cup in 2026,” Aussie captain Bronte Halligan, a native of the Sydney suburb Crows Nest, said in a World Aquatics press release. “Having a World Cup final in my hometown and, hopefully, playing in front of a hometown crowd with all our friends and family is very exciting.”
The event is also a prelude to the 2032 Olympics, which will visit Australia in Brisbane.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming the top water polo nations to Australia next year for the World Aquatics World Cup Finals,” Australian men’s team captain Nathan Power said. “Being able to play in front of family, friends and a home crowd is something we don’t often get to experience, so to have this opportunity is one that means a lot to us and our community. With the green and gold runway to Brisbane 2032 in full swing, this is hopefully a first taste of more world class water polo that will be heading down under over the next 7 years.”
Spain has won the last two men’s World Cup tournaments, defeating Greece in the final in 2025 in Podgorica, Montenegro. Spain went on to win gold at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, defeating Hungary, while Greece took bronze.
Greece defeated Hungary on the women’s side in 2025 in Chendgu, China. That was the same as the World Championships final in Singapore, again won by the Greeks.
“As the reigning World Cup Champions, I’m excited to kick off a new season of top-level water polo,” Greek captain Eleftheria Plevitrou said. “Sydney holds incredible memories from the 2000 Olympics, and returning to the iconic Olympic Pool for the final makes it even more special. We’re ready to defend our title and bring our best to every match on the road to Sydney!”
The World Cup is the signature event of the 2026 calendar. Qualifying events run in April and May, with the Under-18 World Championships for the men June 27-July 4 and the women Aug. 16-23. The U-16 championships in both genders span from July 25-Aug. 7.
