~ Coimbra, Portugal set to stage Women’s Division 2 and Division 1 competitions back-to-back between 6-13 December and 14-19 December 2026
~ Istanbul, Türkiye to host the men’s equivalent stops; Division 1 scheduled for 11-16 January immediately followed by Division 2 from 18-24 January 2027
~ Eight best men’s and women’s teams then head to the World Cup Final in Athens, Greece, where the first qualification spots for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games are up for grabs from 24 to 28 February 2027
"VAN" (Sports Desk - 25.09.2026) :: World Aquatics has today announced the three cities selected to host the Water Polo World Cup 2027, with Coimbra (Portugal), Istanbul (Türkiye) and Athens (Greece) set to welcome the world’s leading water polo athletes for competitions that will ultimately determine the first qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Coimbra will provide the opening backdrop to the Water Polo World Cup 2027, hosting Women’s Division 2 tournament between 6 and 13 December 2026 before Division 1 action takes centre stage from 14 to 19 December.
Attention then turns to Istanbul, where the leading men’s teams are set to begin their campaigns for World Cup glory with the Division 1 competition held between 11 and 16 January, followed by Division 2 between 18 and 24 January.
Full competition schedules for Women’s and Men’s Divisions 2 and 1 will be confirmed following the registration deadline for Division 2 on 12 October 2026.
Echoing the Men’s and Women’s 2026 Finals, held for the first time together in one city, the world’s top teams will then converge on Athens for the Men’s and Women’s World Cup Finals from 24 to 28 February, bringing the competition to a spectacular high-stakes conclusion in one of the sport’s most historic cities, where only the gold-medal winning teams will secure their place at LA28.
Anticipation is high for the 2027 edition, following a record-breaking 2026 in which 58 teams representing 34 nations competed across men’s and women’s World Cup stops, highlighting water polo’s growing popularity and expanding global footprint.
World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam said: “We are delighted to announce Coimbra, Istanbul and Athens as our three host cities for the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup 2027.
“The Water Polo World Cup always provides great drama and entertainment, and with three outstanding host cities in place and the added significance of a spot at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games at stake, we are confident that the 2027 edition will be one to remember.
“Our ambition is to continue generating extraordinary momentum for water polo around the world. Following a landmark year in 2026 which heralded record-breaking participation and demonstrated the incredible global appeal of our sport, we are excited to see how this upcoming edition will spark even greater growth in the years to come.”
The announcement sets the tone for an exciting competition calendar in 2027, which includes the World Aquatics Championships – Budapest 2027 from 26 June to 18 July, the World Aquatics U20 Men’s Water Polo Championships from 24-30 May, and the World Aquatics U20 Women’s Water Polo Championships from 15-22 August.
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