2021: The IOC postponed the Olympic Games to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Water polo was originally scheduled on 2020, Jul 25 - Aug 09.
Men
Gold
Final
Silver
Bronze
1900
Osborne Swimming Club of Manchester GBR
7:2
Brussels Swimming and Water-Polo Club BEL
Libellule de Paris FRA
Pupilles de Neptune de Lille FRA
1904
New York Athletic Club USA
---
Chicago Athletic Association USA
Missouri Athletic Club USA
1908
GBR
9:2
BEL
SWE
1912
GBR
---
SWE
BEL
1920
GBR
3:2
BEL
SWE
1924
FRA
3:0
BEL
USA
1928
GER
5:2aet
HUN
FRA
1932
HUN
---
GER
USA
1936
HUN
---
GER
BEL
1948
ITA
---
HUN
NED
1952
HUN
---
YUG
ITA
1956
HUN
---
YUG
URS
1960
ITA
---
URS
HUN
1964
HUN
---
YUG
URS
1968
YUG
13:11aet
URS
HUN
1972
URS
---
HUN
USA
1976
HUN
---
ITA
NED
1980
URS
---
YUG
HUN
1984
YUG
---
USA
FRG
1988
YUG
9:7aet
USA
URS
1992
ITA
9:8a2et
ESP
EUN
1996
ESP
7:5
CRO
ITA
2000
HUN
13:6
RUS
YUG
2004
HUN
8:7
SCG
RUS
2008
HUN
14:10
USA
SRB
2012
CRO
14:8
ESP
SRB
2016
SRB
11:7
CRO
ITA
2021
SRB
13:10
GRE
HUN
1932: withdrew two international mixed selections met each other (result: 4:3 (HT 2:2))
1936: Directly after the end of Olympic competitions an intercontinental
match took place: Europe vs. Overseas 6:2 (1:1)
Women
Gold
Final
Silver
Bronze
1996
NED
9:8
AUS
ITA
2000
AUS
4:3
USA
RUS
2004
ITA
10:9aet
GRE
USA
2008
NED
9:8
USA
AUS
2012
USA
8:5
ESP
AUS
2016
USA
12:5
ITA
RUS
2021
USA
14:5
ESP
HUN
1996: Before women's water polo became an Olympic sport in 2000, an Olympic Year
Tournament was once competed on 1996, Jun 06 - Jul 08 Emmen NED.
Water polo at the World Aquatics Championships
1.
1973, Aug 31 - Sep 09
Beograd YUG
2.
1975, Jul 19 - 27
Cali COL
3.
1978, Aug 20 - 28
Berlin (West) FRG
4.
1982, Jul 29 - Aug 08
Guayaquil ECU
5.
1986, Aug 13 - 23
Madrid ESP
6.
1991, Jan 03 - 13
Perth AUS
7.
1994, Sep 01 - 11
Roma ITA
8.
1998, Jan 08 - 17
Perth AUS
9.
2001, Jul 16 - 29
Fukuoka JPN
10.
2003, Jul 12 - 27
Barcelona ESP
11.
2005, Jul 16 - 31
Montreal CAN
12.
2007, Mar 18 - Apr 01
Melbourne AUS
13.
2009, Jul 17 - Aug 02
Roma ITA
14.
2011, Jul 16 - 31
Shanghai CHN
15.
2013, Jul 19 - Aug 04
Barcelona ESP
16.
2015, Jul 24 - Aug 09
Kazan RUS
17.
2017, Jul 14 - 30
Budapest HUN
18.
2019, Jul 12 - 28
Gwangju KOR
19.
2022, Jun 26 - Jul 03
Budapest HUN
20.
2023, Jul 16 - 29
Fukuoka JPN
2022: The FINA set an extraordinary World Championship after postponing of the Fukuoka World Championship to 2023
on 2022, Feb 07.
2023: Originally planned for Summer 2021 but postponed to 2022, May 13 - 29 after postponing of the Olympic Games to 2021. Again, postponed by the FINA on 2022, Feb 01 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Men
World champions
Final
Runners-up
Third place
1973
HUN
---
URS
YUG
1975
URS
---
HUN
ITA
1978
ITA
---
HUN
YUG
1982
URS
---
HUN
FRG
1986
YUG
12:11a4et
ITA
URS
1991
YUG
8:7
ESP
HUN
1994
ITA
10:5
ESP
RUS
1998
ESP
6:4
HUN
YUG
2001
ESP
4:2
YUG
RUS
2003
HUN
11:9aet
ITA
SCG
2005
SCG
8:7
HUN
GRE
2007
CRO
9:8aet
HUN
ESP
2009
SRB
7:7aet 7:6p
ESP
CRO
2011
ITA
8:7aet
SRB
CRO
2013
HUN
8:7
MNE
CRO
2015
SRB
11:4
CRO
GRE
2017
CRO
8:6
HUN
SRB
2019
ITA
10:5
ESP
CRO
2022
ESP
9:9 6:5p
ITA
SRB
2023
HUN
10:10 4:3p
GRE
ESP
Women
World champions
Final
Runners-up
Third place
1978
NED
---
AUS
USA
1982
NED
---
AUS
USA
1986
AUS
---
NED
USA
1991
NED
13:6
CAN
USA
1994
HUN
7:5
NED
ITA
1998
ITA
7:6
NED
AUS
2001
ITA
7:3
HUN
CAN
2003
USA
8:6
ITA
RUS
2005
HUN
10:7aet
USA
CAN
2007
USA
6:5
AUS
RUS
2009
USA
7:6
CAN
RUS
2011
GRE
9:8
CHN
RUS
2013
ESP
8:6
AUS
HUN
2015
USA
5:4
NED
ITA
2017
USA
13:6
ESP
RUS
2019
USA
11:6
ESP
AUS
2022
USA
9:7
HUN
NED
2023
NED
12:12 5:4p
ESP
ITA
1978: Exhibition Tournament
1982: FINA Cup
Beach water polo Men (2019 only)
demonstration sports only
Winners
Final
Runners-up
Third place
2019
FRA
22:7
ARG
CAN
Beach water polo Women (2019 only)
demonstration sports only
Winners
Final
Runners-up
Third place
2019
AUS
14:12
ESP
AUS
Junior Water polo World Championships U20 - Men
World champions
Final
Runners-up
Third place
U18
1981, Sep 14-21
Como ITA
URS
---
CUB
HUN
1983, Jul 29 - Aug 05
Barcelona ESP
ESP
---
YUG
CUB
1985, Aug 18-25
İstanbul TUR
URS
14:7
HUN
YUG
1987, Sep 06-13
Saő Paulo BRA
ESP
13:7
YUG
ITA
U20
1989, Jul 30 - Aug 07
Narbonne FRA
YUG
6:5
URS
FRG
1991, Aug 31 - Sep 08
Newport Beach USA
ESP
11:10
CUB
HUN
1993, Aug 21-29
Cairo EGY
ITA
5:4
ESP
HUN
1995, Jul 21-30
Dunkerque FRA
HUN
13:8
GRE
SVK
1997, Jul 15-24
La Habana CUB
CRO
7:6
HUN
GRE
1999, Oct 09-18
Kuwait City KUW
ITA
8:6
AUS
YUG
2001, Aug 10-19
İstanbul TUR
GRE
8:7
CRO
HUN
2003, Aug 09-17
Napoli ITA
SCG
8:7aet
HUN
ITA
2005, Oct 06-15
Mar del Plata ARG
SCG
7:3
CRO
ESP
2007, Aug 18-26
Los Alamitos USA
HUN
9:6
ITA
CRO
U18
2009, Aug 22-30
Šibenik CRO
CRO
9:8aet
GRE
SRB
U20
2011, Aug 27 - Sep 04
Volos GRE
SRB
9:6
ESP
GRE
2013, Aug 12-18
Szombathely HUN
ITA
10:7
CRO
SRB
2015, Sep 04-12
Almaty KAZ
SRB
13:12
ITA
HUN
2017, Aug 05-13
Beograd SRB
GRE
7:7 5:3p
CRO
SRB
2019, Dec 12-20
Kuwait City KUW
GRE
6:4
SRB
ITA
2021, Aug 28 - Sep 05
Praha CZE
SRB
10:8
ITA
MNE
2023, Jun 10 - 17
Bucureşti ROU
HUN
12:7
SRB
USA
2021: Originally venue was Buenos Aires ARG but was relocated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Youth Water polo World Championships U18 - Men
World champions
Final
Runners-up
Third place
2012, Dec 01-09
Perth AUS
ITA
10:8
HUN
SRB
2014, Aug 02-10
Ístanbul TUR
HUN
5:5 5:3p
ESP
RUS
2016, Aug 26 - Sep 03
Podgorica MNE
CRO
16:13
MNE
HUN
2018, Aug 11-19
Szombathely HUN
GRE
9:8
ESP
HUN
2020, Aug 22-30
TUR canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022, Aug 11-19
Beograd SRB
HUN
11:11 5:4p
SRB
ESP
2022: Originally planned on Jul 30 - Aug 07 in Brisbane AUS but relocated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
U16 World Championships
2020, Jul 05 - 12
Volos, Larissa GRE canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
1.
2022, Aug 21 - 27
Volos (m), Larissa (w) GRE
Boys
World champions
Final
Runners-up
Third place
2022
HUN
11:10
GRE
SRB
Girls
World champions
Final
Runners-up
Third place
2022
HUN
10:6
GRE
ESP
Junior Water polo World Championships U20 - Women
World champions
Final
Runners-up
Third place
U20
1995, Jul 10-14
Sainte Foy CAN
NED
9:7
AUS
USA
1997, Jul 08-16
Praha CZE
GRE
6:5
AUS
USA
1999, Jul 31 - Aug 08
Messina ITA
AUS
8:3
CAN
HUN
2001, Dec 06-15
Perth AUS
USA
10:9aet
AUS
RUS
2003, Aug 23-31
Calgary CAN
CAN
3:3aet 5:4p
USA
ESP
2005, Jan 24-30
Perth AUS
USA
10:9
RUS
AUS
2007, Jul 23-29
Porto POR
AUS
8:6
CHN
HUN
U18
2009, Aug 09-15
Khanty-Mansiysk RUS
RUS
14:9
NED
USA
U20
2011, Sep 11-17
Trieste ITA
ESP
11:9
HUN
AUS
2013, Aug 19-25
Volos GRE
USA
9:7
ESP
GRE
2015, Aug 17-23
Volos GRE
USA
13:10
ESP
RUS
2017, Sep 03-09
Volos GRE
RUS
9:9 8:7p
GRE
NED
2019, Sep 09-15
Funchal POR
RUS
11:5
NED
ITA
2021, Oct 10-16
Netanya ISR
ESP
10:5
GRE
HUN
2023, Sep 08-15
Coimbra POR
HUN
13:10
ESP
NED
Youth Water polo World Championships U18 - Women
World champions
Final
Runners-up
Third place
2012, Dec 01-09
Perth AUS
GRE
9:5
HUN
RUS
2014, Aug 25-31
Madrid ESP
USA
5:4
CAN
HUN
2016, Dec 12-18
Auckland NZL
RUS
9:7
ESP
ITA
2018, Aug 27 - Sep 02
Beograd SRB
ESP
8:7
ITA
GRE
2020, Sep 05-13
Netanya ISR
canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022, Aug 01 - 08
Beograd SRB
USA
10:8
GRE
HUN
2022: Originally planned on 2022, Aug 13 - 21 in Brisbane AUS but relocated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
World Aquatics Water polo World Cups - Men
The top eight teams of the precedeng World championship and Olympic
tournament resp. competing for the World cup. Since 2010, the best three
teams plus the top finishers of each continent (Africa, America, Asia,
Europe, and Oceania) of the last World championship qualify.
Winners
Final
Runners-up
Third place
1979, Apr 29 - May 06
Beograd, Rijeka YUG
HUN
---
USA
YUG
1981, Apr 25 - May 03
Long Beach USA
URS
---
YUG
CUB
1983, May 07-14
Malibu USA
URS
---
FRG
ITA
1985, May 13-19
Duisburg FRG
FRG
---
USA
ESP
1987, May 10-17
Thessaloniki GRE
YUG
---
URS
FRG
1989, Jul 11-16
Berlin FRG
YUG
10:6
ITA
HUN
1991, Sep 01-09
Barcelona ESP
USA
7:5
YUG
ESP
1993, Sep 01-09
Athína GRE
ITA
8:7
HUN
AUS
1995, Sep 12-17
Atlanta USA
HUN
11:10
ITA
RUS
1997, Apr 27 - May 01
Athína GRE
USA
8:5
GRE
HUN
1999, Sep 28 - Oct 03
Sydney AUS
HUN
5:3
ITA
ESP
2002, Aug 20-25
Beograd YUG
RUS
10:9
HUN
YUG
2006, Jun 13-18
Budapest HUN
SCG
10:9aet
HUN
ESP
2010, Jul 27 - Aug 01
Oradea ROU
SRB
13:7
CRO
ESP
2014, Aug 19-24
Almaty KAZ
SRB
7:7 4:2p
HUN
CRO
2018, Sep 11-16
Berlin GER
HUN
10:4
AUS
SRB
2023, Jun 30 - Jul 02
Los Angeles USA
ESP
10:4
ITA
USA
World Aquatics Water polo World Cups - Women
The top eight teams of the precedeng World championship and Olympic
tournament resp. competing for the World cup. Since 2010, the best three
teams plus the top finishers of each continent (Africa, America, Asia,
Europe, and Oceania) of the last World championship qualify. In the beginning
years the number of participants was different: 1979 - 1981 five teams,
1983 - 1984 four teams, 1988 seven teams
Winners
Final
Runners-up
Third place
1979, Jun 29 - Jul 01
Merced USA
USA
---
NED
AUS
1980, Jul 11-13
Breda NED
NED
---
USA
CAN
1981, Jul 14-19
Brisbane AUS
CAN
---
NED
AUS
1983, Jun 13-19
Sainte Foy CAN
NED
11:7
USA
AUS
1984, Jul 20-22
Irvine USA
AUS
9:6
USA
NED
1988, Aug 22-28
Christchurch NZL
NED
---
HUN
CAN
1989, Jul 19-23
Eindhoven NED
NED
8:7
USA
HUN
1991, Jun 25-30
Long Beach USA
NED
8:7
AUS
USA
1993, Jul 13-18
Catania ITA
NED
9:7
ITA
HUN
1995, Nov 10-15
Sydney AUS
AUS
8:6
NED
HUN
1997, Jul 01-05
Nancy FRA
NED
8:7
RUS
AUS
1999, May 24-30
Winnipeg CAN
NED
7:6
AUS
ITA
2002, Dec 10-15
Perth AUS
HUN
8:7
USA
CAN
2006, Aug 08-13
Tianjin CHN
AUS
10:7
ITA
RUS
2010, Aug 17-23
Christchurch NZL
USA
6:3
AUS
CHN
2014, Aug 12-17
Khanty-Mansiysk RUS
USA
10:6
AUS
ESP
2018, Sep 04-09
Surgut RUS
USA
8:5
RUS
AUS
2023, Jun 23 - 25
Long Beach USA
USA
12:11
NED
ESP
FINA Water polo World League - Men
The World League champions are crowned in the Super Final for which the top
teams of the preliminary rounds qualify. The preliminary rounds are
typically played by continents. But the play format changed different
times.
Super Final
Winners
Final
Runners-up
Third place
2002, Aug 01-04
Patras GRE
RUS
10:8
ESP
HUN
2003, Aug 22-24
New York USA
HUN
13:8
ITA
USA
2004, Jul 16-18
Long Beach USA
HUN
12:8
SCG
GRE
2005, Aug 11-14
Beograd SCG
SCG
16:6
HUN
GER
2006, Aug 02-06
Athína GRE
SCG
6:4
ESP
GRE
2007, Aug 07-12
Berlin GER
SRB
9:6
HUN
AUS
2008, Jun 16-22
Genova ITA
SRB
7:3
USA
AUS
2009, Jun 16-21
Podgorica MNE
MNE
8:7
CRO
SRB
2010, Jul 13-18
Niš SRB
SRB
10:10 4:2p
MNE
CRO
2011, Jun 21-26
Firenze ITA
SRB
8:7
ITA
CRO
2012, Jun 12-17
Almaty KAZ
CRO
8:8 10:9p
ESP
ITA
2013, Jun 11-16
Chelyabinsk RUS
SRB
12:7
HUN
MNE
2014, Jun 16-21
Dubai UAE
SRB
10:6
HUN
MNE
2015, Jun 23-28
Bergamo ITA
SRB
9:6
CRO
BRA
2016, Jun 21-26
Huizhou CHN
SRB
10:6
USA
GRE
2017, Jun 20-25
Ruza RUS
SRB
10:9
ITA
CRO
2018, Jun 18-23
Budapest HUN
MNE
9:9 4:2p
HUN
ESP
2019, Jun 18-23
Beograd SRB
SRB
12:11
CRO
AUS
2021, Jun 26 - Jul 01
Tbilisi GEO
MNE
9:8
USA
GRE
2022, Jul 22 - 27
Strasbourg FRA
ITA
13:9
USA
ESP
2021: Originally planned on 2020, Jun 23-28 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
FINA Water polo World League - Women
The World League champions are crowned in the Super Final for which the top
teams of the preliminary rounds qualify. The preliminary rounds are
typically played by continents. But the play format changed different
times.
Super Final
Winners
Final
Runners-up
Third place
2004, Jun 23-27
Long Beach USA
USA
8:8 4:2p
HUN
ITA
2005, Aug 18-21
Kirishi RUS
RUS
13:10
GRE
AUS
2006, Jul 26-30
Cosenza ITA
USA
9:6
ITA
RUS
2007, Jul 04-08
Montreal CAN
USA
8:4
AUS
GRE
2008, Jun 10-15
Santa Cruz ESP
RUS
8:7
USA
AUS
2009, Jun 09-14
Kirishi RUS
USA
9:6
CAN
AUS
2010, Jun 28 - Jul 03
La Jolla USA
USA
7:7 5:4p
AUS
GRE
2011, Jun 14-19
Tianjin CHN
USA
8:7
ITA
AUS
2012, May 29 - Jun 03
Changshu CHN
USA
6:4
AUS
GRE
2013, Jun 03-09
Beijing CHN
CHN
8:7
RUS
USA
2014, Jun 10-15
Kunshan CHN
USA
10:8
ITA
AUS
2015, Jun 09-14
Shanghai CHN
USA
8:7
AUS
NED
2016, Jun 07-12
Shanghai CHN
USA
13:9
ESP
AUS
2017, Jun 06-11
Shanghai CHN
USA
12:6
CAN
RUS
2018, May 28 - Jun 02
Kunshan CHN
USA
8:6
NED
RUS
2019, Jun 04-09
Budapest HUN
USA
10:9
ITA
RUS
2021, Jun 14-19
Athína GRE
USA
14:8
HUN
RUS
2022, Nov 02 - 06
Santa Cruz ESP
ESP
11:11 8:7p
HUN
USA
2021: Originally planned on 2020, Jun 09-14 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Water polo at the World Games - Women (defunct)
The International World Games Association (IWGA) organizes the World Games every 4 years.
Thus, an International Sports Federation (IF) can become a member of the IWGA; it must
satisfy two essential conditions:
The IF must be a member of GAISF (the umbrella organization for all (Olympic and non-Olympic)
international sports federations), and their sport does not belong to the current Olympic program.
Since 1989, the World Games are under the special patronage of the IOC.
Women's water polo was only played once at the World Games 1981, Jul 25-27
in Santa Clara USA.