• EUROPEAN AQUATICS (EA / LEN): The “Ligue Européenne de Natation” – since 2023 European Aquatics – was founded on August 30, 1927 in Bologna/ITA by 11 countries and their national swimming federations, one year after the first European Championships in Swimming, Diving and Water Polo had been held in Budapest. Today LEN has 52 member federations from Albania to Ukraine.
• The European Water Polo Championships celebrate its centennial as the first event was held in 1926, in Budapest, back then as part of the ‘big championships’, held together with the swimming and diving competitions. Until today, 36 editions in the men’s event were carried out from 1926 until 2024. The first event in the women’s competition took place in 1985, in Oslo and so far, 20 editions were held. For the first time in 1999, a stand-alone continental showcase was staged in water polo.
• For special reasons, the men’s and the women’s events were held in different countries, though almost parallel in 2024. It happened for the first time since 1985, when the inaugural women’s championship was organised in Oslo, while the men’s event was part of the big championships in Sofia.
• After 2024, European Aquatics adopted the policy to stage the two events separately, which has been a long-standing tradition in all other ball sports for teams (football, handball, basketball, volleyball, etc.). In 2026, Belgrade shall host the men’s event, while Funchal will welcome the best women’s teams.
• Belgrade will host the European Water Polo Championships for the third time – the Serbian capital welcomes the teams in every ten years, in 2006, 2016 and now in 2026.
• Among the host cities, Budapest is the record-holder for staging altogether five European Water Polo Championships (1926, 1958, 2001, 2014, 2020).
• In the men’s tournament, Hungary reigns supreme in the medal standings with 26 podiums, including 13 titles (13 gold, 7 silver, 6 bronze). Serbia – as an independent nation – sit second after claiming 5 titles (5-1-1).
• As for participation, Hungary were present at each but one edition (they skipped the 1950 Europeans for political reasons), so they are to play for the 36th time at the Europeans. Italy missed two of the first three editions (1926, 1931), otherwise they have been part of the show every time. Up until now, Germany (also as West Germany) stayed away only when politics intervened (not invited after the World War II, in 1947 and 1950; did not go to Leipzig, East Germany in 1962). Now, as a shocking outcome of the qualifications, the Germans will miss the event for the first time for failing to qualify.
• Winning the last edition at home in Eindhoven, The Netherlands women reinforced their top position on the all-time medal chart with 13 medals (6-4-3). Italy sits in the second place with 10 medals (5-2-3), while Hungary is third by title, though the Magyars have landed the most medals, 14 (3-5-6).
• Among the women, Hungary and the Netherlands are the only two teams which have always been present, while Italy and Greece joined in 1989 (missing the first two editions).
• In the men’s tournaments, Hungary were the first to surpass the 2000-goal barrier, their count stands at 2184. Serbia and Italy are getting closer and closer (1823 and 1839 goals so far).
• Serbia are three wins away from becoming the second team to clinch 150 wins at the Europeans after Hungary which have 176 victories so far.
• As for the women, the Netherlands top the scoring chart with 1765 goals (total, since 1985), Hungary comes next with 1615 hits. So far, Italy (1275), Russia (1193), Spain (1049) and Greece (1019) managed to score more than 1000 goals.
• The Netherlands women have amassed the most wins so far, 92, ahead of Hungary (89) and Italy (77).
• As for individual medal tallies, Filip Filipovic of Serbia have the most medals, 8 in total, including 6 golds, which is also a record. To date, four more Serbian players amassed 5 titles apiece, Slobodan Nikic, Dusko Pijetlovic, Andrija Prlainovic and Zivko Gocic. Nikic, Pijetlovic and Prlainovic have 7 medals in total each. There is one more player with a total of 8 medals, Hungary’s Tamas Kasas with a tally of 2-2-4.
• Among the women, Hungary’s Mercedes Stieber has 8 medals (2-3-3), by title Italy’s Martina Miceli is the most successful with 7 medals including 4 titles (4-2-1), and compatriot Maddalena Musumeci stands with 6 (4-2-0). There are five more players with 4 titles – and there is one more with 7 medals, Russia’s Sofia Konukh (3-1-3).
• To date, five European titles in a row were only achieved by Hungary (1926, 1927, 1931, 1934, 1938). With five titles – as former Soviet Union – to their name, Russia are one of the most successful European water polo teams. However, they earned their last title in Strasbourg in 1987. While Yugoslavia, as a single country, could only win a single title till 1991, ever since its nations gained independence, they had a tremendous run “separately”: between 2001 and 2018 only the former states of Yugoslavia won gold. Serbia topped the charts with five (2006, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018), while Montenegro triumphed in 2008 and Croatia in 2010. Serbia and Montenegro also bagged gold in 2001 (then under the name Yugoslavia) and 2003.
• The last three editions offered more variety with Hungary finishing first in 2020, followed by Croatia in 2022 and Spain in 2024 (interestingly, that was the first-ever gold for the Spaniards who managed to win Olympic gold in 1996, world titles in 1998 and in 2001, but the European gold eluded them till 2024).
• 100 years ago, the first ever European Water Polo Championship matches were played in the ancient Csaszar Bath (next to the current site of the Komjadi Pool). Then the Margaret Island took over from 1958 where the legendary Alfred Hajos complex hosted numerous aquatic events in the past decades. It was in Vienna at the Ernst Happel Stadium in 1995 that the European Championships were staged for the first time in a temporary pool (outdoors at that time). To have the championships in a multipurpose arena in a temporary pool, had first been created in Belgrade 2016. So far, in 2016 Belgrade registered a world record attendance of 18.500 spectators at the Kombank Arena following the final between Serbia and Montenegro with Serbia to win their third successive European title.
• Ever since the stand-alone European Water Polo Championships were staged for the first time in 1999, three ‘winter editions’ (Eindhoven 2012, Belgrade 2016, Budapest 2020) were held indoors. Split 2022 was the first summer championships staged indoors (earlier, indoor pools were used many times in the framework of the multi-discipline championships, like in 1985, 1987 and 1993). Then came the 2024 edition, also held in the winter and Belgrade and Madeira will join that circle in 2026.
• After the men’s field was extended to 16 teams for the first time in 2018, the women’s tournament also featured 16 teams in 2024.
• The Belgrade event will also be a historical milestone as the first-ever continental showcase where the men’s matches will be played on a 25m field, according to the new rules.
Gergely Csurka for European Aquatics
