FINA Water Polo World League

FINA Water Polo World League
Sport	Water Polo
Founded	2002
Continent	all (International)
Most recent; champion(s)	Men's: Serbia (12th title); Women's: United States (13th title)
Most titles	Men's: Serbia (12 titles); Women's: United States (13 titles)

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,[2] 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,[3] based on growing interest in women's play.

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/Oceania, 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.[4]

Results (men)

Winners

FINA Men's Water Polo World League
Year	Host	Winner	Score	Runner-up	3rd place
2002	Patras, Greece	Russia	10–8	Spain	Hungary
2003	New York, USA	Hungary	13–8	Italy	United States
2004	Long Beach, USA	Hungary	12–8	Serbia and Montenegro	Greece
2005	Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro	Serbia and Montenegro	16–6	Hungary	Germany
2006	Athens, Greece	Serbia and Montenegro	6–4	Spain	Greece
2007	Berlin, Germany	Serbia	9–6	Hungary	Australia
2008	Genoa, Italy	Serbia	7–3	United States	Australia
2009	Podgorica, Montenegro	Montenegro	8–7	Croatia	Serbia
2010	Niš, Serbia	Serbia	10–10 ^{(4–2 PSO)}	Montenegro	Croatia
2011	Florence, Italy	Serbia	8–7	Italy	Croatia
2012	Almaty, Kazakhstan	Croatia	8–8 ^{(10–9 PSO)}	Spain	Italy
2013	Chelyabinsk, Russia	Serbia	12–7	Hungary	Montenegro
2014	Dubai, UAE	Serbia	10–6	Hungary	Montenegro
2015	Bergamo, Italy	Serbia	9–6	Croatia	Brazil
2016	Huizhou, China	Serbia	10–6	United States	Greece
2017	Ruza, Russia	Serbia	10–9	Italy	Croatia
2018	Budapest, Hungary	Montenegro	9–9 ^{(4–2 PSO)}	Hungary	Spain
2019	Belgrade, Serbia	Serbia	12–11	Croatia	Australia
2020

Medal standings


Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Serbia^[a]	10	0	1	11
2	Hungary	2	5	1	8
3	Montenegro	2	1	2	5
4	Serbia and Montenegro^[a]	2	1	0	3
5	Croatia	1	3	3	7
6	Russia	1	0	0	1
7	Italy	0	3	1	4
7	Spain	0	3	1	4
9	United States	0	2	1	3
10	Australia	0	0	3	3
10	Greece	0	0	3	3
12	Brazil	0	0	1	1
12	Germany	0	0	1	1
Totals (13 nations)		18	18	18	54

^[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

Team	2002 (4)	2003 (6)	2004 (6)	2005 (6)	2006 (6)	2007 (8)	2008 (10)	2009 (8)	2010 (8)	2011 (8)	2012 (8)	2013 (8)	2014 (8)	2015 (8)	2016 (8)	2017 (8)	2018 (8)	2019 (8)	YQ / YP
Algeria	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/3
Argentina	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	•	•	0/3
Australia	×	•	•	•	4th	3rd	3rd	6th	4th	6th	7th	×	4th	5th	5th	7th	6th	3rd	13/16
Brazil	•	•	•	•	•	×	×	×	•	×	8th	8th	7th	3rd	7th	×	×	×	5/11
Canada	×	×	×	•	•	7th	6th	×	×	7th	•	•	6th	•	×	×	•	8th	5/11
China	×	×	×	•	•	8th	9th	×	7th	8th	6th	6th	8th	8th	8th	•	•	•	9/14
Croatia	•	×	×	4th	•	•	•	2nd	3rd	3rd	1st	•	•	2nd	•	3rd	5th	2nd	9/16
Egypt	×	×	×	×	×	×	10th	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	1/1
France	×	×	×	×	6th	×	×	•	•	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	•	1/7
Georgia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	×	0/2
Germany	×	×	×	3rd	•	4th	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	2/13
Great Britain	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
Greece	4th	5th	3rd	5th	3rd	•	8th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3rd	•	×	•	7/17
Hungary	3rd	1st	1st	2nd	×	2nd	×	×	×	×	×	2nd	2nd	6th	•	×	2nd	5th	10/11
Iran	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/3
Italy	•	2nd	4th	•	•	•	7th	5th	•	2nd	3rd	•	•	7th	4th	2nd	×	•	9/17
Japan	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	7th	•	•	•	7th	•	•	6th	8th	4th	6th	6/14
Kazakhstan	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	5th	×	•	•	•	6th	8th	7th	4/9
Libya	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
Malta	×	×	×	×	×	x	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	0/1
Mexico	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
Montenegro	Part of Serbia and Montenegro					•	4th	1st	2nd	5th	×	3rd	3rd	•	•	×	1st	•	7/11
Morocco	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/3
Netherlands	×	6th	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	1/5
New Zealand	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	×	×	×	•	•	•	0/8
North Macedonia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/3
Puerto Rico	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1
Romania	×	×	×	•	•	6th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	1/15
Russia	1st	×	×	6th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	5th	•	•	•	5th	•	•	4/16
Saudi Arabia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	0/1
Serbia	Part of Serbia and Montenegro					1st	1st	3rd	1st	1st	×	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	•	1st	11/12
Serbia and Montenegro	×	4th	2nd	1st	1st	defunct													4/4
Slovakia	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	×	•	×	×	0/3
South Africa	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	8th	8th	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	2/3
Spain	2nd	×	5th	•	2nd	•	5th	•	6th	•	2nd	•	×	•	•	×	3rd	4th	8/15
Tunisia	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/2
Turkey	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	×	×	×	0/6
Ukraine	×	×	×	×	×	x	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	0/1
United States	•	3rd	6th	•	5th	5th	2nd	4th	5th	4th	4th	4th	5th	4th	2nd	4th	7th	×	15/17
Venezuela	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	•	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	×	0/1

Performance by team

After 2015 World League

National team	Total*						Super Final
National team	App	W%	Pld	W**	L**	A%	App	F4	W%	Pld	W**	L**
Algeria	3	0.533	15	8	7		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Argentina	1	0.000	6	0	6		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Australia	12	0.645	141	91	50		0.750	9	5	0.418	55	23	32
Brazil	10	0.230	87	20	67		0.400	4	1	0.250	24	6	18
Canada	9	0.288	66	19	47		0.444	4	0	0.292	24	7	17
China	10	0.368	114	42	72		0.800	8	0	0.130	46	6	40
Croatia	12	0.645	121	78	43		0.500	6	6	0.706	34	24	10
Egypt	1	0.429	7	3	4		1.000	1	0	0.000	4	0	4
France	4	0.222	36	8	28		0.250	1	0	0.000	7	0	7
Germany	10	0.333	75	25	50		0.200	2	2	0.625	8	5	3
Great Britain	1	0.000	4	0	4		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Greece	14	0.460	126	58	68		0.429	6	3	0.346	26	9	17
Hungary	8	0.825	97	80	17		1.000	8	7	0.694	36	25	11
Iran	3	0.083	24	2	22		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Italy	14	0.598	132	79	53		0.500	7	4	0.559	34	19	15
Japan	10	0.387	75	29	46		0.200	2	0	0.250	12	3	9
Kazakhstan	5	0.293	41	12	29		0.200	1	0	0.333	6	2	4
Libya	1	0.000	6	0	6		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
North Macedonia	3	0.188	16	3	13		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Mexico	1	0.333	3	1	2		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Montenegro	8	0.767	86	66	20		0.750	6	5	0.694	36	25	11
Morocco	3	0.200	15	3	12		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Netherlands	2	0.091	11	1	10		0.500	1	0	0.000	2	0	2
New Zealand	5	0.111	36	4	32		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Puerto Rico	1	0.000	3	0	3		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Romania	11	0.413	75	31	44		0.091	1	0	0.500	6	3	3
Russia	12	0.421	95	40	55		0.250	3	1	0.500	14	7	7
Serbia***	12	0.895	143	128	15		1.000	12	12	0.937	63	59	4
Slovakia	2	0.083	12	1	11		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
South Africa	2	0.500	24	12	12		1.000	2	0	0.000	12	0	12
Spain	12	0.581	124	72	52		0.500	6	3	0.567	30	17	13
Tunisia	2	0.444	9	4	5		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
Turkey	5	0.031	32	1	31		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0
United States	14	0.572	138	79	59		0.857	12	7	0.485	66	32	34
Venezuela	1	0.000	4	0	4		0.000	0	0	0.000	0	0	0

*Since 2007 Preliminary Round is played among teams from the same regions (Asia/Oceania, Americas or Asia/Oceania/Americas, Africa and Europe) so for statistic to be effective consider Europe independently; Super Final statistic included
**Wins/Defeats after penalty shootout counted as wins/defeats.
***Serbia's total includes appearances as Serbia and Montenegro.