The FINA Water Polo World League is an international water polo league organized by FINA, which plays annually, typically from winter through to June.[1] 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.[2]
![]() | |
Sport | Water Polo |
---|---|
Founded | 2002 |
Continent | all (International) |
Most recent champion(s) | Men's: ![]() Women's: ![]() |
Most titles | Men's: ![]() Women's: ![]() |
Play formatEdit
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.[3]
MenEdit
SummaryEdit
Medal tableEdit
Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Serbia[a] | 10 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
2 | Montenegro | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
3 | Hungary | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
4 | Serbia and Montenegro[a] | 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 detailsEdit
- 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[2] | 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)Edit
WinnersEdit
Medal standingsEdit
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 detailsEdit
- 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[2] | 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[2] | 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[2] | 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[2] | 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[2] | 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 alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Water Polo World League page Archived June 18, 2010, at the Wayback Machine of the FINA website; retrieved 2012-03-03.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "HistoFINA – Water polo medalists and statistics" (PDF). fina.org. FINA. September 2019. pp. 40, 78. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ FINA Water Polo World League 2012 Edition – Programme, published 2012-02-27; retrieved 2012-03-03.
External linksEdit
- FINA water polo official site
- Water Polo page of FINA's old website (2010 and earlier).