FINA Water Polo World League

The FINA Water Polo World League is an international water polo league organized by FINA, which plays annually, typically from winter through to June. League play features continental tournaments for men and women, from which the top teams emerge to play in the championship tournament (the "Super Final") where the league champion team is crowned. Men's league play began in 2002, to capitalize on increased worldwide popularity of water polo created by the 2000 Olympic Games, especially in Europe, North America and Australia. The women’s league was added in 2004, based on growing interest in women's play.

FINA Water Polo World League

Sport	Water Polo
Founded	2002
Continent	all (International)
Most recent champion(s)	Men's: Italy (1st title) Women's: United States (14th title)
Most titles	Men's: Serbia (10 titles) Women's: United States (14 titles)

Play format

Matches consist of four eight-minute quarters, with a five-minute half-time break. Tie games are decided by an immediate penalty shootout. The game venues have television requirements to bring the sport to the biggest audience possible. Rule changes were made to provide more spectacular play and yield higher scores.

Preliminary rounds of play are organized by continent: Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. The structure of continental play varies within the league. For example, for 2012, the Americas has a single tournament for each sex, Asia/Oceania has 2 tournaments for each sex on consecutive weekends, and Europe has 6 weekends of play for men and 2 for women.

Men

Medal table

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Serbia	10	0	1	11
2	Montenegro	3	1	2	6
3	Hungary	2	5	1	8
4	Serbia and Montenegro	2	1	0	3
5	Croatia	1	3	3	7
6	Italy	1	3	1	5
7	Russia	1	0	0	1
8	United States	0	4	1	5
9	Spain	0	3	2	5
10	Greece	0	0	4	4
11	Australia	0	0	3	3
12	Brazil	0	0	1	1
	Germany	0	0	1	1
Totals (13 nations)		20	20	20	60

• ^[a] matches played from Serbia and Montenegro are separated from Serbia.

Participation details

Legend

•  1st  – Champions
•  2nd  – Runners-up
•  3rd  – Third place
•  4th  – Fourth place
•  QF  – Quarterfinals
•  ×  — Did not enter qualifications
•  •  — Did not qualify for the final tournament
•  ••  — Qualified but withdrew
•     – Hosts
• ^† – Defunct team

Africa – CANA (6 teams)
Men's team	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2021	2022	YQ / YP
Algeria	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/3
Egypt	×	×	×	×	×	×	10th	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	1/1
Libya	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
Morocco	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/3
South Africa	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	8th	8th	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	2/3
Tunisia	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/2
Americas – ASUA (7 teams)
Argentina	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	×	•	0/4
Brazil	•	•	•	•	•	×	×	×	•	×	8th	8th	7th	3rd	7th	×	×	×	×	••	6/12
Canada	×	×	×	•	•	7th	6th	×	×	7th	•	•	6th	•	×	×	•	8th	×	8th	6/12
Colombia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	0/1
Mexico	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
Puerto Rico	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
United States	•	3rd	6th	•	5th	5th	2nd	4th	5th	4th	4th	4th	5th	4th	2nd	4th	7th	×	2nd	2nd	17/19
Venezuela	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
Asia – AASF (5 teams)
China	×	×	×	•	•	8th	9th	×	7th	8th	6th	6th	8th	8th	8th	•	•	•	×	×	9/14
Iran	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/3
Japan	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	7th	•	•	•	7th	•	•	6th	8th	4th	6th	5th	×	7/15
Kazakhstan	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	5th	×	•	•	•	6th	8th	7th	6th	×	5/10
Saudi Arabia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	0/1
Europe – LEN (20 teams)
Croatia	•	×	×	4th	•	•	•	2nd	3rd	3rd	1st	•	•	2nd	•	3rd	5th	2nd	•	•	9/18
France	×	×	×	×	6th	×	×	•	•	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	•	7th	4th	3/9
Georgia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	×	8th	×	1/3
Germany	×	×	×	3rd	•	4th	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	×	•	2/14
Great Britain	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
Greece	4th	5th	3rd	5th	3rd	•	8th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3rd	•	×	•	3rd	•	8/19
Hungary	3rd	1st	1st	2nd	×	2nd	×	×	×	×	×	2nd	2nd	6th	•	×	2nd	5th	•	•	10/13
Italy	•	2nd	4th	•	•	•	7th	5th	•	2nd	3rd	•	•	7th	4th	2nd	×	•	4th	1st	11/19
Malta	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	0/1
Montenegro	Part of SCG / FRY					•	4th	1st	2nd	5th	×	3rd	3rd	•	•	×	1st	•	1st	6th	9/13
Netherlands	×	6th	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	1/6
North Macedonia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/3
Romania	×	×	×	•	•	6th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	1/16
Russia	1st	×	×	6th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	5th	•	•	•	5th	•	•	•	DQ	4/17
Serbia	Part of SCG / FRY					1st	1st	3rd	1st	1st	×	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	•	1st	•	5th	12/14
Serbia and Montenegro†	×	4th	2nd	1st	1st	Defunct															4/4
Slovakia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	×	×	×	•	0/4
Spain	2nd	×	5th	•	2nd	•	5th	•	6th	•	2nd	•	×	•	•	×	3rd	4th	•	3rd	9/17
Turkey	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	0/6
Ukraine	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	0/2
Oceania – OSA (2 teams)
Australia	×	•	•	•	4th	3rd	3rd	6th	4th	6th	7th	×	4th	5th	5th	7th	6th	3rd	×	7th	14/17
New Zealand	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	0/8
Total teams	4	6	6	6	6	8	10	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8

Results (women)

Medal standings

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	United States	14	1	1	16
2	Russia	1	2	5	8
3	Greece	1	0	3	4
4	China	1	0	0	1
5	Australia	0	4	6	10
6	Italy	0	4	1	5
7	Canada	0	2	0	2
	Hungary	0	2	0	2
9	Netherlands	0	1	1	2
10	Spain	0	1	0	1
Totals (10 nations)		17	17	17	51

Participation details

Legend

•  1st  – Champions
•  2nd  – Runners-up
•  3rd  – Third place
•  4th  – Fourth place
•  QF  – Quarterfinals
•  ×  — Did not enter qualifications
•  •  — Did not qualify for the final tournament
•  ••  — Qualified but withdrew
•     – Hosts

Africa – CANA (1 team)
Women's team	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2021	YQ / YP
South Africa	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	0/3
Americas – ASUA (5 teams)
Women's team	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2021	YQ / YP
Brazil	×	•	•	×	×	×	•	×	•	×	8th	8th	8th	×	×	×	×	3/7
Canada	5th	6th	6th	4th	4th	2nd	8th	6th	7th	8th	6th	6th	7th	2nd	4th	7th	4th	17/17
Puerto Rico	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/2
United States	1st	5th	1st	1st	2nd	1st	1st	1st	1st	3rd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	17/17
Venezuela	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
Asia – AASF (3 teams)
Women's team	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2021	YQ / YP
China	×	×	•	6th	5th	5th	5th	4th	4th	1st	4th	4th	4th	6th	6th	8th	×	13/14
Japan	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	8th	8th	•	7th	3/14
Kazakhstan	8th	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	•	•	8th	2/8
Europe – LEN (10 teams)
Women's team	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2021	YQ / YP
France	×	•	•	×	×	•	•	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	•	•	0/9
Germany	×	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	6th	×	×	•	•	×	×	×	×	1/9
Great Britain	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/5
Greece	6th	1st	•	3rd	•	7th	3rd	7th	3rd	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	6th	8/16
Hungary	2nd	4th	×	•	×	×	6th	•	•	4th	•	•	•	4th	•	6th	2nd	7/14
Israel	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	0/1
Italy	3rd	8th	2nd	×	•	8th	•	2nd	8th	6th	2nd	7th	5th	•	×	2nd	•	11/15
Netherlands	×	7th	5th	•	×	×	7th	×	•	•	×	3rd	•	5th	2nd	4th	•	7/12
Russia	4th	2nd	3rd	•	1st	6th	4th	5th	5th	2nd	7th	5th	6th	3rd	3rd	3rd	3rd	16/17
Spain	×	•	•	5th	6th	4th	•	8th	•	5th	5th	•	2nd	×	5th	•	5th	9/15
Oceania – OSA (2 teams)
Women's team	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2021	YQ / YP
Australia	7th	3rd	4th	2nd	3rd	3rd	2nd	3rd	2nd	7th	3rd	2nd	3rd	7th	7th	5th	×	16/16
New Zealand	×	×	•	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	•	×	×	•	•	×	0/8
Total teams	8	8	6	6	6	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8

See also

• List of water polo world medalists
• Major achievements in water polo by nation

External links

• FINA water polo official site
• Water Polo page of FINA's old website (2010 and earlier).